How to Monitor and Optimize Batched Deletion Processes in SQL Server

Batched deletions are a common strategy in SQL Server to manage large datasets without overloading the system, but poorly tuned deletes can cause blocking, long-running transactions, and heavy log usage. Learn how to monitor and optimize these processes for smooth, efficient database performance.

Filtered Indexes: The Developer’s Secret Weapon in SQL Server

Learn about filtered indexes in SQL Server, how they work, and how they can help improve performance.

Why Indexes are Important Beyond Faster Execution of Queries

Learn how indexes can help you with more than just querying data.

Estimated Rows

SQL Server 2025 Makes Memory Troubleshooting Easier.

SQL Server 2025 introduces a new sys.dm_os_memory_health_history view to make it easier for meatbags like you and robots like Copilot to know if the SQL Server has been under memory pressure recently.

Unlocking High-Concurrency Inserts in SQL Server with OPTIMIZE_FOR_SEQUENTIAL_KEY

Learn how a setting an improve high concurrency inserts with the OPTIMIZE_FOR_SEQUENTIAL_KEY option.

Parameter Sensitive Plan Optimization in SQL Server 2022

Learn about a new feature of SQL Server 2022 - Parameter Sensitive Plan Optimization(PSPO)

How SQL Server 2025’s Optional Parameter Plan Optimization Works

SQL Server 2025 improved PSPO to handle multiple predicates that might have parameter sensitivity, and that’s great! I love it when Microsoft ships a v1 feature, and then gradually iterates over to make it better. Adaptive Memory Grants were a similar investment that got improved over time, and today they’re fantastic.

Azure SQL Performance Tuning: Mastering Indexes, Partitioning, and Clustered Columnstore

Learn a few ways to improve performance in your Azure SQL Databases through better indexing, partitioning, and columnstore index consideration.

Index Scans and Table Scans

There are several things that you can do to improve performance by throwing more hardware at the problem, but usually the place you get the most benefit from is when you tune your queries. One common problem that exists is the lack of indexes or incorrect indexes and therefore SQL Server has to process more data to find the records that meet the queries criteria. These issues are known as Index Scans and Table Scans.