Over-indexing in SQL Server can lead to hidden costs that undermine database performance, including increased storage consumption, performance overhead on data modifications, and longer maintenance windows. This article explores how excessive indexing impacts query optimization, disk I/O, and system resources. Learn why a balanced indexing strategy is critical and discover best practices for managing your indexes effectively. Avoid the pitfalls of over-indexing and optimize your SQL Server for both performance and cost-efficiency.
Category: Query Optimization
Managing SQL Server Database Growth with Files and Filegroups
As SQL Server databases expand over time, managing their growth becomes an important task. If not handled properly, this growth can lead to performance issues and maintenance headaches. One effective way to manage database growth is by using filegroups and data files thoughtfully. With proper planning, you can distribute your data across different storage devices, enhance performance, and keep your database scalable.
Using Query Hints to Solve SQL Server Performance Issues
As professional DBAs, we’re often tasked with balancing query performance against resource consumption. While SQL Server’s query optimizer generally does an excellent job at selecting execution plans, there are times when we need more control. This is where query hints come into play. These hints provide a powerful way to override the default behavior of the query optimizer, allowing us to directly influence how queries are executed to solve performance bottlenecks. In this post, we will explore how query hints can be leveraged to address common performance issues and fine-tune your SQL Server workloads.
Why SQL Server Provides Value for the Enterprise: A Comparative Look at PostgreSQL
Selecting the right database management system (DBMS) is a significant decision for any enterprise. Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL are two leading options, each with distinct strengths. While PostgreSQL is appealing due to its open-source nature and lower initial costs, SQL Server offers several advantages that justify its higher price, particularly for large organizations with complex data needs.
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.
Configuring Max Degree of Parallelism for Heavy SQL Server Workloads
In SQL Server, the Max Degree of Parallelism (MAXDOP) is a configuration setting that dictates the maximum number of processor cores that can be used for the execution of a single query. Properly configuring MAXDOP is crucial for optimizing performance, especially for databases with heavy workloads. This blog post provides detailed guidance on understanding and configuring MAXDOP and the cost threshold for parallelism to ensure optimal performance in high resource-consuming environments.
Ensuring Optimal Execution Plans in SQL Server
Explore professional strategies for managing SQL Server Plan Regression. This guide offers insight into preventing performance degradation through efficient execution plan selection and maintenance, ensuring optimal query performance in SQL Server environments.
SQL Server Performance Tuning: Dealing with Last Page Contention
Last Page Insert Contention, commonly referred to as “last page contention,” is a specific type of contention in SQL Server related to the last page of an index, typically a clustered index. This happens because SQL Server uses a mechanism where multiple sessions try to insert records on the last page of an index, leading to contention.
Understanding and Diagnosing SQL Server Wait Types
In SQL Server, wait types are important indicators of where and why delays occur during query execution, directly impacting database performance. Properly understanding and diagnosing these wait types enable database administrators to pinpoint specific performance bottlenecks. This blog post aims to provide an overview of essential wait types that demand attention, distinguish common wait types that can usually be ignored, and offer strategies for effective diagnosis and interpretation to enhance overall database performance.
Unraveling the Mystery of SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server execution plans are invaluable tools for diagnosing and optimizing database queries. They provide a visual representation of the operations SQL Server performs to execute a query. Understanding how to read these plans is essential for identifying performance bottlenecks and optimizing query performance. This post will guide you through understanding and reading execution plans, highlighting what to look for in poorly performing plans, and offering strategies to find and remove bad plans.