SQL Server File Management

SQLServerCentral Article

How to Safely Remove a SQL Server Data File Without Downtime

  • Article

Learn how to safely remove a SQL Server .ndf data file without any downtime using DBCC SHRINKFILE (EMPTYFILE). This hands-on tutorial walks through real-world Azure-based setup, data redistribution, and storage cleanup — ideal for DBAs managing enterprise SQL Server environments.

(3)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2025-05-16

2,752 reads

Blogs

Rolling Back a Broken Release

By

We had an interesting discussion about deployments in databases and how you go forward...

A bespoke reporting solution doesn’t have to cost the earth

By

You could be tolerating limited reporting because there isn’t an off the shelf solution...

Presenting with Visual Studio Code

By

A while back I wrote a quick post on setting up key mappings in...

Read the latest Blogs

Forums

Lots of FKs

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Lots of FKs

Real-time On-prem SQL Server Data in Excel – Over the Internet

By Cláudio Tereso

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Real-time On-prem SQL Server Data...

Can You Let Go of Determinism

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Can You Let Go of...

Visit the forum

Question of the Day

Lots of FKs

In SQL Server 2025, what are the most outgoing and incoming FK references a table can have?

See possible answers