Troubleshooting production performance issues is often challenging because detailed query execution data can vanish before you realize there’s a problem. Many times, you end up piecing together incomplete clues from runtime statistics or the plan cache. Fortunately, SQL Server 2019 introduced a powerful feature to address this pain point: the Last Known Actual Query Plan.
Category: Troubleshooting
Understanding Worker Threads vs. CPU Utilization in SQL Server
When managing SQL Server performance, it’s important to understand the relationship—and the distinction—between worker threads and CPU utilization. These are two separate metrics that can behave independently. For instance, you might experience high CPU utilization while still having available worker threads, or you could have all worker threads occupied even when CPU utilization is low. This post takes a look at SQL Server worker threads and CPU utilization.
Determining When to Optimize SQL Server Workloads Versus Upgrading Hardware
When your SQL Server isn’t performing as expected, it’s tempting to think that upgrading hardware is the quick fix. More CPUs, extra memory, faster disks—they all sound like solutions that should solve the problem. But before you start investing in new equipment, it’s worth taking a step back to see if optimization can address the issues.
SSISDB Catalog and Delegation in Double-Hop Scenarios
Managing SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) in complex, multi-server environments can present challenges, especially when it comes to credential delegation across multiple servers—a situation often referred to as the “double-hop” problem. In this post, we’ll explore how the SSISDB catalog handles delegation, the default behavior, and how to configure delegation to ensure your SSIS packages run smoothly across different servers.
Diagnosing and Resolving Last Page Insert Contention in SQL Server
In high-concurrency environments, SQL Server databases may experience performance bottlenecks due to contention issues. One common issue is Last Page Insert Contention, which occurs when multiple sessions attempt to insert records into the last page of an index simultaneously. This contention can lead to significant wait times and reduced performance, particularly in tables with ever-increasing key columns. We will look at page insert contention and give recommendations for improvement.
Five More SQL Server Error Log Messages You Should Care About
In a previous post, we explored five significant SQL Server error log messages that demand immediate attention. However, the SQL Server error log contains a wealth of additional information essential for maintaining the health and performance of your databases. In this sequel, we will highlight five more error log messages that should be on your radar. We’ll look into what each error means and offer suggestions for when you encounter them.
Manually Synchronizing a Lagging Secondary Replica in SQL Server Always On Availability Groups
In high-availability environments, SQL Server Always On Availability Groups (AG) are essential for minimizing downtime and preventing data loss. However, situations can arise where a secondary replica lags behind the primary, disrupting synchronization and risking potential data inconsistencies. This blog provides instructions on how to manually catch up a lagging secondary replica using transaction log backups.
Enhancing Data Integrity: Automatic Page Repair with SQL Server Always On Availability Groups
SQL Server Always On Availability Groups are designed to provide a high-availability and disaster recovery solution that keeps your databases running smoothly even in the face of hardware failures and data corruption. One of the key features supporting this capability is Automatic Page Repair. This feature works behind the scenes to automatically fix corrupted pages in a database, thereby minimizing downtime and preserving data integrity. In this post, we will explore the mechanisms, benefits, and limitations of Automatic Page Repair, highlighting its role in enhancing SQL Server reliability.
A Look at Non-Buffer Latches in SQL Server
In SQL Server, latches are lightweight synchronization mechanisms that keep in-memory data structures consistent and safe. They are key to managing access when multiple threads are working with these structures at the same time. SQL Server uses two main types of latches: buffer latches and non-buffer latches. While buffer latches protect pages in the buffer pool, non-buffer latches are for other internal memory structures. This post focuses on non-buffer latches, explaining what they are, why they’re important, and what excessive non-buffer latch waits might mean.
Understanding Quorum Loss in a Windows Failover Cluster with SQL Server Always On Availability Groups
This article provides an in-depth exploration of quorum loss in Windows Failover Clusters and its impact on SQL Server Always On Availability Groups. It explains how nodes communicate using heartbeat packets, the process of handling failed heartbeats, and the rejoining of nodes to the cluster. The post also outlines various quorum voting configurations and their implications for cluster stability and data integrity. Additionally, it discusses the importance of maintaining quorum for high availability and disaster recovery in SQL Server environments.