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 Perform a SQL Server Health Check
Your SQL Server is the backbone of your data infrastructure. Over time, as databases grow, workloads shift, and new users are added, performance can degrade silently. Without routine maintenance and visibility, issues such as slow queries, index fragmentation, or...
Top 5 SQL Server Performance Monitoring Tools
SQL Server performance monitoring is mission-critical for database administrators and IT teams who need to keep systems optimized, secure, and compliant. With databases powering everything from financial transactions to healthcare systems, even minor performance...
SQL Performance Tuning Dos and Dont’s
Every second counts when it comes to query execution. Poorly tuned SQL queries can drag down application performance, spike CPU usage, and in worst-case scenarios, cause system downtime. SQL performance tuning is the process of refining queries and optimizing...
Announcing the General Availability of IDERA SQL Workload Analysis 1.8
The newest version of SQL Workload Analysis is here! Problematic SQL queries can severely reduce the performance of SQL Server and the business-critical applications that it supports. With the SWA add-on to SQL Diagnostic Manager, users can continuously monitor and...
Understanding TempDB Contention
What It Is TempDB contention happens when multiple sessions compete for TempDB resources, slowing down SQL Server. TempDB serves as a workspace where developers temporarily store, manipulate, and process data outside their own databases. It’s also where temp tables...
SQL Under Siege: The Hidden Threats Lurking in Your Databases
Managing SQL Server environments today is more challenging than ever. As databases become larger, more distributed, and increasingly regulated, they face an onslaught of hidden threats — silent performance killers, unexpected compliance gaps, and the rising complexity...
We are excited to announce the General Availability of DB PowerStudio 19.0
What’s Inside DB PowerStudio 19.0: Smarter Profiling and UI Enhancements The DB PowerStudio 19.0 release sharpens the toolset across DBArtisan, Rapid SQL, DB Optimizer, and DB Change Manager, introducing powerful enhancements for Oracle and PostgreSQL users, along...
Understanding Blocking vs. Deadlocks
What It Is Blocking is when one process holds a lock another needs. Deadlocks occur when two or more processes block each other permanently. Why It Matters Blocking slows performance, but resolves itself. Deadlocks require SQL Server to terminate one process. How to...
ApexSQL Audit Is Reaching End of Life — Here’s Your Next Step
If you’ve been using ApexSQL Audit, you’ve probably already heard the news: the product is moving into limited support and will be retired completely by the end of 2026. That means while your current license will keep working for now, updates and support will be...
Understanding SQL Server Memory Usage
What It Is SQL Server memory usage governs how much memory is used for caching data, executing queries, and managing internal operations. Why It Matters Poor memory allocation leads to excessive paging and slow queries. Memory pressure often causes cascading...
Understanding Baselines for SQL Server Performance
What It Is A SQL Server performance baseline is a snapshot of your system under normal load. It helps identify what is considered normal for that time of the day or week. Why It Matters Detects deviations during incidents or after changes. Essential for capacity...
Understanding Query Wait Types
What It Is Query wait types tell you what SQL Server is waiting on when executing a query. These indicators help DBAs pinpoint performance bottlenecks beyond just slow-running SQL. Why It Matters Wait types help you to see delays associated with different underlying...
IDERA SQL Safe Backup 9.4 Now Available
Introducing the Latest Version of SQL Safe Backup! SQL Safe Backup is a comprehensive solution for SQL Server database backup and recovery. SQL Safe Backup dramatically lowers the cost of data protection for companies by achieving industry-leading recovery-to-online...
IDERA SQL Compliance Manager 8.0 Now Available
Introducing the Latest Version of SQL Compliance Manager! SQL Compliance Manager is a comprehensive solution designed to help organizations proactively monitor, alert, and report on the compliance of Microsoft SQL Server environments. It supports physical, virtual,...
Dealing with Parameter Sniffing in SQL Server
What is Parameter Sniffing? Parameter sniffing is a common challenge in SQL Server that occurs when SQL Server compiles and caches an execution plan based on the first set of parameter values it encounters. While caching execution plans can improve efficiency, it can...
Maximizing SQL Server Performance in the Cloud
As organizations have moved to the cloud at scale, they face many challenges—directly reducing cloud costs or the indirect approach of improving performance. While you can efficiently lift and shift your existing on-premises systems to the cloud, the same level of...
Top 10 Myths About Database Management That Could Be Costing You
The Importance of Database Management Effective database management is essential for maintaining the performance, security, and reliability of SQL Server databases. For SQL Server DBAs, ensuring optimal database performance means reducing downtime, improving query...
Announcing the General Availability of SQL Diagnostic Manager for MySQL 8.9.7
We are pleased to announce the general availability of SQL Diagnostic Manager (SDM) for MySQL 8.9.7 Existing users may upgrade to this version through the Idera Customer Portal. New users may download the trial version from the Idera Website or the Monyog Website....
How to Choose the Right Database Management System for Your Needs
Choosing the right database management system (DBMS) for your company is a big choice, representing a strategic opportunity to significantly enhance IT operations. Make the right decision and you’ll be able to efficiently manage, analyze, and retrieve company data for...
10 Reasons Behind a Slow SQL Server
A slow SQL Server can bring business operations to a crawl, causing frustration for users and costly downtime for organizations. Poor database performance affects everything from application response times to business intelligence reporting, making it critical to...