Overcoming Common Challenges with Microsoft SQL Server
How does your business organize information? How do you access data from your databases? If you’re like organizations like Intuit or MIT, Structured Query Language (SQL) plays a role in this process. As a business owner, you may think that accessing your data happens seamlessly, but in fact, there’s a lot more to it.
Behind the scenes, SQL is constantly querying and culling information, sometimes vast amounts of it depending on the size and nature of your business. For all of the benefits that SQL offers your business, it’s not without its own set of flaws. SQL can run like a well-oiled machine, or it can be responsible for some significant roadblocks with your databases and IT systems.
Let’s explore SQL and some of the main challenges that your IT team faces when using this programming language, as well as how to overcome them. An understanding of the potential issues and their solutions will strengthen your ability to optimize Microsoft SQL Server for the greatest advantage for your business.
Why Use Microsoft SQL?
Microsoft SQL Server is used by businesses around the world as a way to organize and communicate with their databases. Whether you’re collecting financial information, personal data, or have a wide range of products in your inventory, Microsoft SQL Server allows businesses to access and use the information that’s stored in their databases.
Microsoft SQL Server allows you to access specific information from your database quickly and efficiently, rather than performing manual queries and searches.
As businesses today rely on big data more than ever before, SQL knowledge is an asset to any organization. If you don’t have the resources available (or simply don’t want to) write your own SQL, there are database management systems available that have SQL built into their solutions, which is what Microsoft SQL Server offers. While Microsoft SQL Server can be an indispensable tool, you’ll want to understand the potential pitfalls and how your team can address them.
6 Common Microsoft SQL Server Challenges
1 – Slow Server Performance
There are many potential causes for slow Microsoft SQL Server performance, one of which is a bottleneck in the network which can happen for a variety of reasons:
Slow Wait Statistics
Taking a look at the wait stats on your system will give you a good indication if your problem is based on wait types between your computers and the SQL server. Certain wait types are dependent on whether your computers are located remotely versus locally, and this distinction is important in diagnosing the wait times that are holding up your performance.
Older SQL Server Version
Running an outdated version of the Microsoft SQL Server is a surefire way to experience slow performance. Updates exist for a reason, so it’s critical to always make sure that you’re running the latest version for optimal speed and to ensure the best server performance possible.
Insufficient Memory
It’s going to cost you some investment up front, but it’s well worth it to max out your SQL server’s memory. To ensure that extra memory is fully optimized, you’ll need to set your SQL server to the maximum memory setting.
2 – Sluggish Query Speed
Slow queries have several probable causes, the most common being in execution issues or waiting issues.
We’ll touch on execution in a moment, so let’s focus on longer-than-desired time issues. Slow queries are another place where you’ll want to use your wait statistics to help diagnose your issue. A poorly-performing query may be due to the excessive consumption of memory, or the other issues listed above in slow server performance.
3 – Inefficient Query Structure
An inefficient query bogs down your database’s resources, which can lead to slow performance, as discussed above, as well as loss or interruption of service, depending on how flawed the query is.
Even when using a database management system like Microsoft SQL Server, IT teams need to pay attention to their queries and how they’re structured to ensure that they’re running at optimal efficiency.
4 – Execution Issues
Poor execution can happen for a variety of reasons, like network bottlenecking or latch waits, but it’s often simply the result of bad execution planning. Poor planning = poor execution. If businesses want optimal SQL query and timing results, the answer lies in strategic system planning. IT teams, whether they’re in-house or you’re working with a managed services provider, need a big-picture strategic plan as well as a detailed execution plan for SQL queries.
5 – CPU Bottlenecks
With Microsoft SQL Server, there are three main types of bottlenecks that can stop up your CPU, and they have fairly obvious, but important, solutions:
Memory
Solve: Add more memory
Network
Solve: Optimize your workload
Processor
Solve: Increase/add faster processors
6 – Locking and Blocking
Blocking occurs when two SQL processes require the same piece of data access at the same time, leading one process to lock the data, requiring the second process to wait until the lock is released. Additional wait time is the biggest issue here. Locking is designed to protect data, so while the intentions are good, it can lead to disruptions in your system.
Preventing SQL Challenges
Rather than waiting to fix Microsoft SQL issues after they occur, you’re well-advised to take a preventative, proactive approach. Being proactive will improve the maintenance and optimization of your Microsoft SQL Server. To safeguard your business against MS SQL roadblocks or a potential disaster, make these simple actions part of your IT best practices:
Check for Updates
Updating often is critical in preventing sluggish execution and database-access stoppages. Making a point to regularly check for updates and installing them as they come up goes a long way in preventing issues that can arise from running outdated software. Maintain Hardware
Just as you need regular maintenance of your Microsoft SQL Server software, it’s important to keep your hardware in good order. It is time to upgrade to new equipment if existing infrastructure is aging.
Assess your hardware’s lifespan annually or quarterly – whatever makes sense for your business’s needs.
Check Memory Space
Keep everything running smoothly by ensuring you have adequate disk space to run your Microsoft SQL server. Upgrading to more storage when it’s needed is a worthwhile investment. This investment will pay off when it comes to preventing database issues that can arise as your data volume increases.
Back-Up Constantly
We can’t stress this enough – getting into the habit of constantly backing your system up is a huge part of preventing disaster. Are you prepared? You can’t predict when outages or data loss will occur. If you have not backed up your databases it can quickly become a crisis. Protect your databases and save yourself from data loss by creating a schedule for regular backups, and make sure you stick to it.
Partner with MS SQL Professionals
If your IT team doesn’t have the resources to set up your Microsoft SQL Server data infrastructure you’ll want to partner with a team of experts. The right managed services or IT provider can help you every step of the way, from strategy to set up and ongoing maintenance.
With the right managed services provider on your side, your business can unleash the real power of databases, allowing you to realize the value of your data and turn it into revenue for your business. As experts in Microsoft SQL Server, our process begins with strategic planning and ends with a fully optimized business intelligence solution designed for your organization’s success. If your Microsoft SQL database could use some care and feeding, our team would be excited to lend a hand.