SQL Server tips
Bite-sized techniques you can apply quickly. For longer case studies and deep dives, visit the blog.
intermediate
query-storeperformance
Turn on Query Store before the next incident
Enable Query Store with sensible defaults so the next performance regression is diagnosable.
intermediatetempdbconfiguration
Quick TempDB configuration sanity check
Confirm multiple data files, growth settings, and version-related best practices for TempDB.
beginnerblockingincidents
See who is blocking whom right now
A compact blocking snapshot for production incidents when users report freezes and timeouts.
intermediateindexesperformance
Read missing index DMVs with a cost filter
Missing index DMVs are noisy. Rank suggestions by impact so you only review the ones that matter.
beginnerbackupsmonitoring
Verify last successful backups in one query
A quick msdb query to see when each database was last backed up — use it in morning checks and monitoring.