I’ve been conducting quite a few SQL Server health assessments lately so I thought I would write a brief explanation of the importance of “Instant File Initialization” and how I check to see if it’s being used. SQL Server File Initialization The SQL Server storage engine utilizes an initialization process on data and log files. [...]
Read the rest of this entry »SQL Server supports numerous commands, most of which are extremely well documented with detailed examples provided in “Books on Line.” However, there are quite a few that were left out of the official documentation and remain unsupported by Microsoft. You’ll find references regarding these in blogs across the Internet and some are more useful than [...]
Read the rest of this entry »The very thought of database corruption makes my skin crawl. Unfortunately, it’s something that all Database Administrators will eventually experience and need to correct. I’m not going to discuss how to recover from this lurking problem. Instead, I’m going to give you some simple strategies to ensure you are aware of the issue as soon [...]
Read the rest of this entry »When I investigate a new SQL Server instance for the first time, I perform a number of standard checks to get a handle on the current health of the system. One of the checks I like to perform is a VLF count on each transaction log file associated with each database on the system. Right [...]
Read the rest of this entry »Many Database Administrators are aghast when they discover that SQL Server 2005 and above have a default trace that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most of us are taught early on in our careers that extended tracing is something that should only occur on rare occasions. Before you rush out and [...]
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