Performance Monitor Changes in Version 2024.2—Part I: Online Monitor

22/08/2024

Performance Monitor Changes in Version 2024.2—Part I: Online Monitor

Statistics can lie—” The only statistics you can trust are those you falsified yourself” This old adage attributed to Sir Winston Churchill rings especially true if you’re dealing with daily database monitoring. When data is only captured in 15-minute intervals, transient issues that can severely impact performance might slip through the cracks, unnoticed and unaddressed until they’ve already caused significant problems.

In the newest release of the DBPLUS PERFORMANCE MONITOR, we’re extremely excited to show you the solution that the new functionality brings to the table.

The Toughest Performance Challenges of SQL Server

08/08/2024

The Toughest Performance Challenges of SQL Server

SQL Server has a stellar reputation among the suits in the boardroom—lauded for its architecture and the ability to juggle massive datasets with the grace of someone who can juggle quite well. Yet, those who actually wrestle with the data, know a different story. They understand that SQL Server, like any towering giant, has its own set of quirks and foibles that can keep database professionals on their toes. Welcome to the performance challenges of SQL Server.

That's How Effective Query Monitoring Can Prevent Locks

01/08/2024

That’s How Effective Query Monitoring Can Prevent Locks

In the complex ecosystem of SQL Server, performance issues can sometimes feel like detective work, especially when tracking down the elusive culprits behind system locks. This time, we’re exploring how ineffective queries (and poorly executed query monitoring) can grind operations to a halt, and how to identify the “how” and “why” behind the halt. 

From scrutinizing load trends to dissecting lock histories and refining execution plans, we’re making sure that no stone—or should we say, no data block—remains unturned in our quest to keep SQL Server zipping along like a sports car rather than trudging like a pack mule.

Execution plan changes in SQL server

04/07/2024

Execution Plan Changes in SQL Server: Reasons and Solutions

Executions plan—complex maps charted by the SQL Server optimizer, dictate the most efficient route for data retrieval. However, the plans are not static. They morph and adapt, influenced by a host of factors ranging from data volume changes to system upgrades. Each of the execution plan changes in SQL Server has the potential to sway performance dramatically.

Understanding the reasons behind these shifts, and more importantly, how to effectively manage them translates to maintaining optimal performance in SQL Server environments.

Overcoming Execution Plan Changes

20/06/2024

From Analysis to Action: Overcoming Execution Plan Changes

Execution plans choose the way in which SQL queries are executed by the database engine. As such, they are a difference between a smoothly running database and one that stumbles under load. Sometimes, an execution plan changes, for various reasons—often silently and without warning—and the far-reaching fallout can be huge.

The most immediate impact seen as the execution plan changes is a decline in query performance. A query that once ran smoothly in milliseconds might, due to an altered plan, start consuming seconds. This increase in query time can cascade into longer load times for applications, frustrated end-users, and severe financial repercussions in high-stakes environments such as financial trading platforms or real-time data services.