Learn SQL Server

As a busy Network Administrator or IT professional, managing your SQL instance is not always a top priority. But with this tutorial, you can quickly and efficiently take control of your SQL tasks without sacrificing precious time. I've broken down the learning process into manageable 10-minute chunks so you can easily implement what you've learned and move on to other important tasks. Let's dive in and enhance your SQL management skills!

Part #1 - Must Check Maintenance

Verify and evaluate what maintenance you are doing, We will cover the following items.

Check Indexing

Do your indexes have you feeling lost? Fear not, for we offer a powerful script that can detect and report on your index management practices. But that's not all. We'll also guide you through running the script and interpreting the results with ease. And to help you communicate any problematic indexes to your higher-ups, we even offer a pre-written email template. Say goodbye to index confusion and hello to optimized database performance.

Mikes Take Unmanaged Indexes = Horrible SQL Server Performance - We will check if your indexes are properly maintained.

Check Statistics

Do you want to ensure you're managing your SQL Server statistics like a pro? Look no further than our script that detects and reports on how well you're doing. Plus, we'll show you how to read and interpret the results with ease. And, we don't stop there – we've even included a pre-written email to help communicate any issues to your manager.

Mikes Take: Unmanaged Statistics = SQL Server Cannot Effectively Run Queries. - We will check to see if Statistics are properly maintained.

Check Backups

Having a reliable backup system for your SQL Server database is crucial in case of any unforeseen disasters or data loss. Backups not only ensure your data is recoverable, but they also allow you to restore your database to its state before any damage occurred. We'll be taking a closer look at whether you've successfully backed up your SQL data, as well as the size of your backups.

Mikes Take: SQL Expects You To Take A SQL Server Backup -- We will verify you are taking backups in SQL Server.

Part #2 -Enough With The Checking Let's Fix It.

Backup Solutions

A SQL Server backup is a process of creating a copy of a SQL Server database that can be used to restore the data in the event of a disaster or data loss. Backups are critical for ensuring the availability and recoverability of data, as they provide a way to restore a database to a point in time before the data loss occurred.

SQL Server provides several types of backups, including full, differential, and transaction log backups. In this tutorial, we will take FULL backups and call it good.

Indexing Solutions

With our indexing solutions, managing your SQL Server databases has never been easier. Our intuitive and user-friendly script has been designed with the needs of modern organizations in mind, ensuring that you can quickly and easily index your data without any hassle. And for those who require more specialized support, our comprehensive SQL Server M&M software package is always available for purchase. Let us help you streamline your database management today.

Statistics Solutions

Enhance your SQL Server efficiency with our clever statistics script, designed to provide deep insights into the distribution of values across your tables and indexes. By utilizing these statistical objects, you'll be able to enjoy fast and accurate estimations of query results, enabling the optimizer to choose the most efficient execution plans available.

Part #3 - Actively Managing Alerts

After completing the extensive task of verifying and implementing backups, indexes, and SQL statistics, it's crucial to make sure that these processes continue to run on a regular basis. Our module strives to not only assist you in establishing these processes but also actively managing them. Our toolkit expansion will include SA monitor, job alerts, and blocking detection, ensuring a smoother and more efficient workflow.

I am going to say it again If you need something specific or just want me to figure it out, book consulting hours :)

Part #4 - Settings You Have Wrong

Maximum Degree Of Parallelism

The maximum degree of parallelism refers to the maximum number of independent tasks that can be executed simultaneously in a system or program. It is limited by various factors such as the number of processors or cores available, the type of hardware and software used, and the specific programming techniques employed.

Cost Threshold for Parallelism

The Cost Threshold for Parallelism is a configuration setting in Microsoft SQL Server that determines the minimum cost of a query before it is considered for parallel execution. When the cost of a query exceeds the value of the Cost Threshold for Parallelism setting, the query optimizer considers using parallelism to execute the query.

Remote Dedicated Administrator Connection

The Remote Dedicated Administrator Connection (DAC) is a feature in Microsoft SQL Server that allows an administrator to remotely connect to an SQL Server instance in order to troubleshoot and diagnose issues.

Ram Settings

Server Ram Setting - The default maximum amount of RAM that Microsoft SQL Server can use depends on the edition of SQL Server being used and the version of the operating system.

Plus Others