I have two new articles up on Database Trends & Applications magazine. I'd love to get your thoughts and feedback! Welcome to the Weird, Wild World of SQL Server Licensing Not long in the past, SQL Server licensing was an easy and straightforward process. You used to take one of a few paths to get your SQL Server licenses. The first and easiest path was to buy your SQL Server license with your hardware. Want to buy a HP Proliant DL380 for a SQL Server application? Why not get your SQL Server Enterprise Edition license with it at the same time? Just pay the hardware vendor for the … [Read more...]
Let’s Talk Licensing and Virtualization for SQL Server
Filed Under: Administration, Architecture, Cool Technologies, Databases, DBTA, On-Line Resources, Performance, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Trends, Virtualization Tagged With: Best Practices, DBA, DBTA, Developer, Internals, Licensing, Monitoring, SQL Server 2012, SQLMag, SQLPASS, Virtualization, VMware
Quick Tip – Speed a Slow Restore from the Transaction Log
Here's a quick tip for you: During some restore operations on Microsoft SQL Server, the transaction log redo step might be taking an unusually long time. Depending somewhat on the version and edition of SQL Server you've installed, you may be able to increase performance by tinkering with the readahead performance for the redo operations. To do this, you should use the MAXTRANSFERSIZE parameter of the RESTORE statement. For example, if you set MAXTRANSFERSIZE=1048576, it'll use 1MB buffers. If you change the MAXTRANSFERSIZE, keep an eye on the PerfMon objects for Buffer Manager and … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Databases, IO, Performance, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: Backup & Recovery, DBA, Internals, SQL Server 2012
New White Paper: SQL Server Extended Events and Notifications
Download the new white paper: How to Use SQL Server’s Extended Events and Notifications to Proactively Resolve Performance Issues SQL Server comes with a wide array of tools for monitoring your environment. There are logs and traces that provide information when errors occur, but these are often used passively to react to events that have already occurred. There's PerfMon, and Profiler, and loads of Dynamic Management Views to check. But where to look? As database administrators (DBA), we need to monitor our environments proactively and create solutions as issues arise. In this white … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Administration, Challenges, Cool Technologies, Databases, On-Line Resources, Performance, SQL Server, SQLMag, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: Best Practices, DBA, Internals, Monitoring, SQL Server 2008 R2
SQL Server Performance Tuning and Optimization in Jacksonville, FL on April 27th
One last reminder - If you're interested in learning more about troubleshooting and optimizing SQL Server performance, please consider coming to the full-day seminar I'll be giving this Friday. Full details are here: http://sqlperftuning.eventbrite.com/. We'll be working some exercises, so bring your laptop with an instance of SQL Server 2008 (or later) running on it. It'll be fun! I also encourage you to come on down to SQL Saturday 130 the following day - whether there's an official registration for you or not. (But don't tell 'em I said that). :^) Come by the booth for a visit. … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Databases, Performance, Presentations, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: Career, Internals, SQLPASS, SQLSaturday, Training
Microsoft SQL Server Internals & Architecture Matter!
EPIC FAIL! This was supposed to go out last week. But I didn't schedule it properly, so I'd just like to point out that there are lots of other great webcasts to watch at the Pragmatic Works webcast URL below. Plus, my session will be available via streaming by the end of the week. And thanks the the 1600 folks who registered! -=-=-=- Come join me on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT for a free webcast covering the internals and architecture of Microsoft SQL Server. It's not everyday that a dry topic like this is presented in a fun and easy to … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Administration, Databases, Presentations, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Best Practices, DBA, Developer, Internals, Monitoring, Performance, SQL Server 2008 R2
Available Online – SQL Server Training Videos
Interested in my various performance tuning and troubleshooting videos about SQL Server? These videos feature my good buddies (and uber-SQL Server experts) Brent Ozar (blog | twitter) and Buck Woody (blog | twitter). View these insight-packed training videos from our SQL Server training events originally presented on March 3 and July 21 of 2010:HERE. You can watch the videos now at the URL above or order a DVD, shipped free of charge in the USA and Canada, HERE. Enjoy! -Kev ~~~ Twitter at kekline More content on my Blog … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Administration, Challenges, Databases, IO, On-Line Resources, Performance, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Best Practices, DBA, DMV, Internals, Monitoring, Performance, Quest Software, SQL Server 2008 R2, Video
New on SQLMag.Com: Update to SP_WHOISACTIVE
I profiled Adam Machanic's (blog | twitter) excellent stored procedure, SP_WHOISACTIVE, back in August of 2010 in my monthly SQLMag column, Tool Time. Adam has been diligent about maintaining the tool and adding new features. Read the details on my SQLMag Tool Time column. Enjoy! -Kev Twitter at kekline … [Read more...]
Filed Under: SQL Server, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Tool Time Tagged With: DBA, Internals, Monitoring, SQL Server 2008 R2, SQLMag, Tools, Tools & Scripts
Back in Atlanta! Wed, Feb 9 2011
I always enjoy spending time with my friends from Atlanta, as well as meeting folks and making new friends. If you live in the Atlanta area, I hope you'll join me on the evening of Wednesday, February 9th, 2011. Details are at the Atlanta SQL Server user group website. It's common knowledge that I have a terrible memory for many things. However, one of the few things that my memory is usually really good at is remember names & faces (and remembering stories, but that is another story as well). It's only in the last couple years that I've gotten to know Atlanta-area folks like Aaron … [Read more...]
Filed Under: PASS, Presentations, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: DBA, Developer, Internals, Performance, Query Tuning, Transact-SQL Programming
Video: Where are good SQL Server resources?
Kevin discusses resources online that he uses and considers to be excellent destinations for SQL Server professionals. Kevin will discuss each site he uses in detail - check it out! Posted August 15, 2008. … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Databases, On-Line Resources, Presentations, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Tips & Tricks, Video Tagged With: DBA, Developer, Internals, Monitoring, SQL Server 2005, Tools, Video
Video: Ensure Optimal Performance When Deploying SQL Server 2005
Kevin Kline will offer insight into best practices for SQL Server 2005 set up, configuration and queries. He will also discuss tuning for both the server and hardware to help an application perform better after it is deployed. This presentation will offer a better understanding of several SQL Server performance related areas including: * Hardware design * SQL Server configuration settings * Database configuration settings * Application design * SQL Tuning Posted December 20, 2006. … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Databases, IO, On-Line Resources, Performance, Presentations, SQL Server, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Video Tagged With: Best Practices, DBA, Developer, DMV, Internals, Monitoring, Performance, SQL Server 2005, Tools & Scripts
