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Every Red9 article in one place, most recently updated first. Written by the senior DBAs who do the work.
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GuideSQL JOINs Venn Diagram: A Visual GuideConfused by INNER vs LEFT JOIN? See every SQL join as a simple Venn diagram, with copy-paste examples that make the difference click in seconds.
Guide9 Sample SQL Databases for Practice to Download & Set Up in MinutesDownload free SQL databases for practice, including AdventureWorks, Northwind, Chinook & more. Setup instructions for SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL.
GuideHow to Fix SQL Server Recovery Pending ModeSQL Server Recovery Pending? Read the error log, check file access and confirm backups. Follow a safe recovery order; data-loss repair is the last resort.
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Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningHow to Copy Large Volumes of Data from One Table to Another Database[Or 18Gb in 5min]Copy an 18.2 GB table (60 million rows) from one SQL Server to others in about 5 minutes with parallel bcp, zip files and parallel imports.
Client Result · SQL Server Performance Tuning[Case Study] How to Size Azure Managed Instance & Avoid OverspendingHow to choose the number of CPUs and RAM for an Azure Managed Instance to match your original server’s performance without overspending.
Guide · SQL Server Performance Tuning7 Essential SQL Server DMV Queries Every Admin Should KnowDynamic management views (DMVs) show where SQL Server is struggling. Get the T-SQL that finds expensive statements, stored procedures and missing indexes.
Guide · SQL Server Health CheckImprove SQL Server Performance by Enabling Instant File InitializationInstant File Initialization skips zeroing data files, so restores and autogrowth finish in seconds instead of minutes. How to check it and turn it on.
Guide · SQL Server TipsDatabase Blogs – Top 18 ListA list of 18 database blogs, from Microsoft Azure, AWS and Oracle to Database Journal and other database writers, with a short description of each.
Guide · SQL Server TipsWhat Is Cursor in SQL Server and Why Is It Used?A SQL Server cursor processes rows one at a time. Learn how to declare and loop through one in T-SQL, the four types, and faster set-based options.
Guide · SQL Server Migrations & UpgradesThe SQL Server Software Assurance GuideSQL Server SA runs about 25% of your license a year, roughly 75% over three years. See which benefits matter, when it pays off, and when to skip it.
Guide · SQL Server SecuritySQL Server xp_cmdshell: Executive Guide to Risk, Governance, and Safer Alternativesxp_cmdshell runs OS commands under the SQL Server service account, a real attack path. When to disable it, when it is safe, and how to lock it down.
Guide · SQL Server TipsWhat Is Microsoft SQL Server?See how Microsoft SQL Server stores data and powers business apps. Explore its architecture, licensing costs and limits before choosing it.
Guide · SQL Server TipsHow to Choose a SQL Server Managed Services Provider (and How 8 Providers Compare)Picking a SQL managed services provider? 6 questions to ask, then promises, prices and team location side by side, each sourced. Red9 is one of the 8.
Guide · SQL Server Health CheckOla Hallengren Maintenance for SQL Server [Full Guide]Set up the Ola Hallengren maintenance solution on SQL Server: backups, integrity checks, and index jobs, with the exact steps and settings to use.
Guide · SQL Server TipsHow to Install DBATools Powershell Module for SQL Server [Full Guide]Install the dbatools PowerShell module and put 500+ SQL Server commands to work on backups, migrations, and checks. Step-by-step setup for Windows.
Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningHow to Check SQL Server Disk Formatting: The 4KB Mistake Costing You PerformanceFormatting SQL Server data disks at the 4KB default can cost you real throughput. Why 64KB allocation units matter, how to check yours, and how to fix it.
Guide · SQL Server TipsSQL Server Enterprise Edition Is Not a MustEnterprise costs about 4x Standard per core. The features that actually justify it, the ones Standard now covers, and how to decide before you renew.
Guide · SQL Server Migrations & Upgrades[Pros & Cons] Azure SQL Managed InstancesAzure SQL Managed Instance or Azure SQL Database? Compare SQL Agent support, cross-database queries, backups and migration limits before you choose.- Guide · SQL Server TipsHow to Fix SQL Server Recovery Pending ModeSQL Server Recovery Pending? Read the error log, check file access and confirm backups. Follow a safe recovery order; data-loss repair is the last resort.
Guide · SQL Server Migrations & UpgradesAmazon SQL RDS vs Azure SQL – [Ultimate Showdown]Compare sql server on AWS RDS vs Azure across scalability, pricing, version support, and architecture to choose the right cloud fit for your SQL workloads.
Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningSQL Server NOLOCK: Faster Reads, Wrong Answers, and What to Use InsteadSQL NOLOCK is READ UNCOMMITTED: dirty reads, missed or doubled rows, error 601. When it's safe, and how RCSI, SNAPSHOT and SQL Server 2025 reduce blocking.
Guide · SQL Server Migrations & UpgradesSQL Server High Availability – All You Need to KnowYou probably heard Service Level Agreement (SLA), Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) terminology.
Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningMonitoring Deadlocks in the SQL ServerA deadlock occurs when there is a cyclic dependency between two or more threads, or processes, for some set of resources within SQL Server.
Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningHow to Enable SQL Server Query Store [Best Practices]Enable Query Store in SQL Server in three steps. Check permissions and existing settings first, choose capture options, and verify that data is collected.
Guide · SQL Server Health Check[4 Ways] How to Check SQL Server Error Log Location?Find the SQL Server error log path with T-SQL, Configuration Manager, Event Viewer, or the registry. Includes the quickest query and custom-path checks.
Guide · SQL Server Migrations & UpgradesSQL Server Always On Availability Groups: What They Protect, What They Cost, Where They BreakAlways On availability groups for SQL Server 2016-2025: replica limits, sync vs async, Standard vs Enterprise, licensing rules, and a health-check query.
Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningThe SQL Server Memory Setting That Might Be Killing Your PerformanceReview SQL Server's max server memory setting, leave room for Windows and other workloads, and learn how to change the limit without restarting SQL Server.
Guide · SQL Server Migrations & UpgradesSQL Server 2016 End of Life: The Breaking Changes Nobody’s AuditingExtended support ended July 14, 2026. Paid ESUs run to July 2029, even on Azure VMs. Weigh them against an upgrade to 2022 or 2025, and see what breaks.
Guide · SQL Server Migrations & UpgradesSQL Server End of Life: Avoid Costly Downtime & Security DisastersSQL Server 2016 support ended July 14, 2026 and 2017 ends October 12, 2027. Official Microsoft dates for 2012 to 2025, ESU status and what to do next.- Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningSQL JOINs Venn Diagram: A Visual GuideConfused by INNER vs LEFT JOIN? See every SQL join as a simple Venn diagram, with copy-paste examples that make the difference click in seconds.
Guide · SQL Server Health CheckHow to Configure Antivirus for SQL Server (and Improve Performance)There are a lot of AV products from different vendors like Avast, McAfee, Sophos, BitDefender, Kaspersky…
Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningHow to Troubleshoot a Slow-Running Query Using Wait Stats in SQL Server?Learn how to use wait stats in SQL Server to find and fix slow queries. Our guide provides expert tips & hacks to optimize your query performance.
Guide · SQL Server Performance TuningForcing Index, Order, and Join Hints and Being CarefulSQL Server index hints can break queries when an index is removed. Find forced index, join and order hints, then review whether they still belong.
Guide · SQL Server TipsDangerous SQL Server BuildsSome SQL Server builds ship known data-corruption or crash bugs. How to check whether yours is one of them, and the safe cumulative update to move to.
Guide · SQL Server TipsEasy Guide: Download and Install SQL Server Data Tools 2019 (SSDT 2019)Complete Guide: Step-by-Step Installation and Configuration of SQL Server Data Tools in Visual Studio 2019