As Joey explains, Activity Monitor consumes a lot of resources and yields little usable data. Here are some third-party alternatives. I get to work with a lot of customers, so I get to see a lot of ...

SQL Server 2025 shifts optimisation from a reactive activity to an intelligence-driven discipline. Built-in intelligence is embedded directly into the platform, reducing reliance on external tooling.

As data continues to explode, DBAs must constantly stay a step ahead by finding new ways to improve database efficiency and performance. Managing data in today’s complex IT environment requires ...

When it comes to improving the performance of database systems, there are nearly as many approaches as there are DBA (database administrator) teams. That might sound acceptable at first glance. But, ...

Expert Tips for Using SQL Server’s Extended Events and Notifications SQL Server offers plenty of details on problems that have already occurred. But what about potential issues lurking in the shadows?

As a consultant whose job description includes putting out performance fires, I get to see a lot of problematic queries that can dramatically harm overall server performance and throughput. Wondering ...

Latest service pack comes more than a year after the last service pack, and also adds a number of enhanced monitoring capabilities. It's been a long time coming -- nearly a year and a half since ...

Tim Chapman discusses your iteration choices in SQL Server 2008 and explains why determining which option performs better depends on the situation. In a previous TechRepublic column about SQL Server ...