Dear readers - please note that this blog is no longer active at this location. The blog has been migrated and is now available on Technet at the following friendly URL: http://www.ptconsql.com . Thank you

Understanding DBCC (Database Console Commands) is a step toward becoming a better and well-rounded DBA for Windchill . In my last post , I covered the basics of DBCC DBREINDEX, a command that rebuilds your indexes to remove fragmentation. In this post...

In my earlier posts, I illustrated two ways to identify some missing indexes by using SQL Server 2005 Performance Dashboard and Database Engine Tuning Advisor. In this post, I will look at the other side of the coin and delete indexes that are unused...

In my earlier post, Improving Windchill Performance by Adding Missing Indexes, I illustrated the easy way to identify some missing indexes by using SQL Server 2005 Performance Dashboard. These were the low-hanging fruit. To reach the higher fruit, you...

If you want to be a better and well-rounded DBA for Windchill, understanding DBCC (Database Console Commands) is an important step. In my last post , I covered the basics of the DBCC SHOWCONTIG command and how to find table fragmentation. In this post...

If you want to become a better and well-rounded DBA for Windchill, understanding DBCC (Database Console Commands) is an important step. In my previous posts in this series, I discussed the basics of DBCC and three commands: DBCC SQLPERF, DBCC HELP , and...

In my previous post, Improving Windchill Performance by Adding Missing Indexes , I illustrated the easy way to identify some missing indexes by using SQL Server 2005 Performance Dashboard. These are the low-hanging fruit. To reach the higher fruit, you...

Lacking an index to subset the records might result in every record being read and checked (a table scan). This series of posts illustrates how you can identify missing indexes that will improve performance. Windchill ships with a minimal set of indexes...

To get better performance from SQL Server queries, you need to be able to read a query execution plan and determine if that plan needs to be optimized. An execution plan is the method that the optimizer will follow to execute the submitted query, and...

The SQL Server optimizer has many algorithms and operators to put together reusable execution plans for queries that you run against a system. One is the ability to perform index intersection and/or union, which basically means that it can use multiple...

In my last post about backup and recovery, I discussed the various methods for backing up a SQL Server database. In this post, I'll discuss the other half of the equation: restoring the database. After all, backups are only as good as the last restoration...

This is the third post in a series about the data collector in SQL Server 2008. In the first post , we looked at how to set up the data collector; in the second post , we looked at the standard counters that are captured by the data collector. In this...

Query optimization is one of the most important skills in your system performance and scalability toolkit, and correct index usage is one of the most effective ways to get good query execution plans. Queries need efficient on-disk access paths to minimize...

This is the second part in a series of posts about the data collector in SQL Server 2008. In this post, I will list the measurements that are available from the data collector. This may seem like a strange post, but I could not find this information anywhere...

This is the first part of a series of posts about the data collector in SQL Server 2008. The data collector captures key Windows Performance Monitor counters and internal SQL Server counters every minute in a SQL Server database. In this post, I'll show...

You can learn a lot about performance and potential problem areas by simply watching the CPU usage of your running system over time. As I outlined in the previous posts in this series, after you have validated that there are no errors or deadlocks occurring...

As database administrators, we are charged with not only protecting our data but also being able to recover it in case of emergencies. For that reason, knowing the different types of backups that are available to you in SQL Server, how they work, and...

Cost savings drives many IT departments to move databases to virtual provisioning. The cost savings come from better hardware utilization and from centralized administration. But, there are some situations in which such a move may result in a significant...

There are a variety of hidden gems in SQL Server. One of these gems allows you to approximate the average operational latency for reads and writes by individual database files. These files may be used in the filegroups of Windchill or tempdb or the transaction...

Last time, I blogged on the first in a series of steps you need to take to verify your system is not experiencing any system errors or deadlocks. There are just a few more things you need to verify before moving on. Validate the Server Properties Start...

Getting optimal performance with Windchill depends on how the logical drives are configured and delegated. Randomly assigning logical drives will not give optimal performance. Having too few logical drives will result in greater latency and reduced performance...

Understanding DBCC (Database Console Commands) is a step toward becoming a better and well-rounded DBA for Workforce Central. In my last post , I covered the basics of DBCC and two of its commands: SQLPERF and HELP. In this post, I will cover the DBCC...

Understanding DBCC (Database Console Commands) is a step toward becoming a better and well-rounded database administrator (DBA) for Workforce Central. DBCC is a command in Transact-SQL that helps you implement maintenance, validation, and information...

How do you know if you have something out of the ordinary occurring on your database application system if you don't have a good feel for what "ordinary" looks like? Finding the Norm It is difficult to determine if there is a performance bottleneck...

Regular maintenance is critical for running a healthy database. Maintenance reduces file fragmentation and provides backups that may be stored off site. The order in which you complete the various maintenance steps has significant consequences. In this...