SQL Server Performance: Tuning Methods that Acutally Work
Categories
- Free tools
- SQL Compliance Manager
- SQL Defrag Manager
- SQL Diagnostic Manager for MySQL
- SQL Diagnostic Manager for SQL Server
- SQL Diagnostic Manager Pro
- SQL Inventory Manager
- SQL Query Tuner for SQL Server
- SQL Safe Backup
- SQL Secure
- SQL Workload Analysis for SQL Server
- Uptime Infrastructure Monitor Formerly Uptime
How to Improve Database Performance | IDERA
How to Improve Database Performance: 8 Proven Techniques for DBAs TL;DR: How to improve database performance requires identifying bottlenecks through execution plan analysis, implementing proper indexing strategies, optimizing resource allocation, and monitoring query...
Database Performance Monitoring: What it is & Why It Matters
Database Performance Monitoring: Metrics, Tools, and Best Practices for DBAs TL;DR Database performance monitoring catches slowdowns before users notice them. Track six core metrics: response time, throughput, slow queries, connections, resource utilization, and error...
SQL Server Performance Troubleshooting: A Step by Step Guide
SQL Server Performance Troubleshooting: A DBA's Step-by-Step Diagnostic Checklist "The server is slow." SQL Server performance troubleshooting starts with this complaint, followed by frustrated users, impatient managers, and a Management Studio window that could point...
SQL Server Performance Metrics: Complete Monitoring Guide
Understanding SQL Server Performance Metrics: What to Monitor and How to Interpret the Data You're collecting performance data from SQL Server. Dashboards display numbers, counters increment, wait statistics accumulate. But what do these metrics actually tell you...
SQL Diagnostic Manager 13.3: The Latest in Smarter SQL Server Performance Monitoring
Announcing the General Availability of SQL Diagnostic Manager 13.3 We are pleased to announce the general availability of SQL Diagnostic Manager 13.3. Existing users may upgrade to this version through the Idera Customer Portal. New users may download the trial...
SQL Server Activity Monitor: Complete Guide and Best Tools
SQL Server Activity Monitor: When Native Tools Work and When You Need More SQL Server activity monitoring tracks real-time database operations—active connections, resource consumption, blocking chains, and query execution—helping DBAs identify performance problems...
Top Database Monitoring Tools: How to Choose the Right One
Database Monitoring Tools: How to Improve Performance, Reliability, and Compliance Database monitoring tools play a central role in ensuring databases perform efficiently, remain secure, and operate with minimal downtime. As organizations increasingly rely on...
T’was the Night Before Patch Day: A SQL Invaders Holiday Story
A festive SQL Invaders tale for the hardworking DBAs everywhere: T’was the night before Patch Day,when all through the stack,Not a query was stirring—no CPU spike attack.The dashboards were glowingwith baselines so fair,In hopes that no SQL Invaderswould soon...
Cloud SQL Monitoring: How to Optimize Performance, Cut Costs, and Gain Full Cloud Visibility
Cloud SQL monitoring is essential for keeping modern databases fast, reliable, and cost-efficient in cloud and hybrid environments. As organizations migrate SQL workloads to platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, visibility into performance metrics, query...
SQL Server Auditing: Complete Guide to Compliance and Security
SQL Server Auditing: PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOX, GDPR Compliance Without Performance Impact TL/DR: Native SQL Server auditing destroys performance when configured wrong. Use file-based audits with QUEUE_DELAY=1000ms, filter to only regulated tables, and monitor AUDIT_WRITE...
Unlock Smarter SQL Workflows with IDERA’s Free AI Tools
Three powerful AI assistants—Query Generator, Schema Generator, and Query Optimizer—built to make every DBA’s day easier. Managing SQL Server environments is more demanding than ever. From writing complex queries to designing schemas and keeping workloads efficient,...
The Ultimate Holiday SQL DBA Checklist for a Stress Free Year End
A DBA’s Holiday Miracle: Enjoy Your Time Off Without SQL Invaders Sneaking In For SQL Server DBAs, the holiday season is supposed to be a time to unwind — but SQL environments don’t exactly believe in vacation days. Performance spikes, rogue queries, access changes,...
Understanding the Audit-Trail Gap – Beware the Stealth Invader
What It Is An audit-trail gap occurs when critical SQL Server activity—logins, permission changes, schema updates, DDL/DML operations, or SELECT queries—isn’t fully captured, centralized, or retained. These missing events create dangerous compliance blind spots that...
Most DBAs Think High CPU Is the Problem. They’re Wrong — It’s the Symptom.
When SQL Server performance tanks, most teams look at the same metric first: CPU usage. And when that number is high, the conclusion seems obvious — “CPU is the problem.” But for experienced SQL Database Administrators, one truth becomes clear fast: High CPU isn’t the...
Understanding Alert Fatigue – The Signal Jammer
What It Is Alert fatigue happens when SQL Server DBAs receive too many notifications—usually because alerts aren’t properly tuned, baselined, or prioritized. Instead of surfacing meaningful warnings, the monitoring system becomes a wall of noise.Over time, even the...
SQL Diagnostic Manager 13.2: Smarter SQL Server Performance Monitoring Starts Here
SQL Diagnostic Manager 13.2 Is Now Available We’re excited to announce the general availability of SQL Diagnostic Manager 13.2, the newest update to one of the industry’s top performance monitoring tools for SQL Server.Existing customers can upgrade through the Idera...
SQL Query Optimization: 23 Proven Techniques
Introduction At Idera, we’ve spent years helping SQL Server DBAs and database professionals keep their environments running at peak performance. SQL query optimization is a critical part of this process, ensuring applications remain responsive, databases run...
SQL Server Security Best Practices: Protecting Data and Ensuring Compliance
SQL Server security is one of the most pressing priorities for organizations today. Data breaches, unauthorized access, and misconfigurations expose sensitive information and create costly compliance risks. For DBAs and security teams, the challenge is finding ways...
Understanding Resource Contention – The CPU Crusher
What It Is Resource contention occurs when multiple queries, processes, or users simultaneously compete for limited system resources such as CPU, memory, or disk I/O. This competition can lead to degraded performance, blocking, timeouts, and application slowdowns. It...
Understanding Query Regressions – The Slow-Burn Invader
What It Is A SQL Server query regression occurs when a query that once performed well suddenly slows down. This usually happens due to execution plan changes, outdated statistics, or code updates that quietly degrade performance over time. Why It Matters Query...