Year: 2026

July is Database Health Monitor Month! July has arrived, and it’s time to turn our attention to the heartbeat of our digital world – our databases! As the founder of Database Health and Stedman Solutions, I’m thrilled to proclaim this month as Database Health Monitor Month! This is our annual chance to celebrate the unsung heroes safeguarding our precious data and to explore the intricate web of data structures and relationships within our systems. Let’s take a closer look at …

Blocking Query Monitor – Part of Database Health Read more »

Since adding two developers to the Database Health Monitor team, we have added many new Database Health Features. These have been covered on various episodes of the Stedman SQL Podcast outlined below. Check out the podcast and these new features added to Database Health Monitor. Stedman SQL Podcast Season 3 Episode 6 Database Health Monitor Recap and Updates In this episode of the Stedman SQL Podcast (Season 3, Episode 6), Steve Stedman is joined by Mitchell Glasscock and George Stedman …

Database Health Features Read more »

If you’re a DBA or SQL Server professional shopping for a monitoring tool, you’ve probably experienced sticker shock. Many SQL Server monitoring tools on the market can run into the thousands of dollars per year, per server. That’s a real budget problem for anyone who just needs clean, reliable visibility into their SQL Server environments. That’s exactly where Database Health Monitor stands apart. Let’s break down the numbers. What Other SQL Server Monitoring Tools Cost The SQL Server monitoring space …

The Affordable SQL Server Monitoring Tool Read more »

July is Database Health Monitor Month! July has arrived, and it’s time to turn our attention to the heartbeat of our digital world – our databases! As the founder of Database Health and Stedman Solutions, I’m thrilled to proclaim this month as Database Health Monitor Month! This is our annual chance to celebrate the unsung heroes safeguarding our precious data and to explore the intricate web of data structures and relationships within our systems. Let’s take a closer look at …

Table Use Report in Database Health Read more »

Shrinking a database can seem like a helpful way to save space and resources, particularly if a database has grown substantially over time. However, SQL Server’s default maintenance plans that include database shrinking can lead to several performance issues. Here’s why: Fragmentation: When a database is shrunk, the data pages are reorganized to create a contiguous block of free space at the end of the data file, which can cause severe fragmentation. This fragmentation can significantly degrade the performance of …

Database Health Quickscan – Default maintenance plans to shrink database – Ouch Read more »

July is Database Health Monitor Month! July has arrived, and it’s time to turn our attention to the heartbeat of our digital world – our databases! As the founder of Database Health and Stedman Solutions, I’m thrilled to proclaim this month as Database Health Monitor Month! This is our annual chance to celebrate the unsung heroes safeguarding our precious data and to explore the intricate web of data structures and relationships within our systems. Let’s take a closer look at …

What Is Database Health Monitor? Read more »

Welcome to July – a month that signifies a shift in focus to the unseen heroes of our digital infrastructure – our databases. As the founder of Database Health and Stedman Solutions, it is with great pleasure that I announce this month as Database Health Monitor Month! This annual event allows us to appreciate our precious data, explore the intricacies of our systems, and focus on enhancing the health of our databases. This July, let’s not merely keep our databases …

Celebrating Database Health Monitor Month Read more »

Managing SQL Server transaction log files often presents unexpected hurdles for database teams when deciding how and when to shrink SQL Server log files, especially when rapid growth threatens available disk space. These files play a vital role in recording every change to the database, yet their expansion can quickly outpace initial expectations if underlying activity or configuration issues go unaddressed. Many administrators reach for the shrink command as an immediate remedy, but doing so without understanding the full context …

How and When to Shrink SQL Server Log Files: Best Practices Read more »

In today’s data-driven landscape, businesses rely heavily on robust SQL Server environments to manage critical operations, yet many struggle with performance bottlenecks, security gaps, and inefficient resource allocation. Stedman Solutions stands out as a specialized Consulting firm dedicated to addressing these challenges through targeted expertise in database management and optimization. With a focus on delivering practical strategies that align with unique organizational needs, their services encompass everything from query tuning and system scalability to proactive security measures that safeguard sensitive …

Stedman Solutions: Expert SQL Server Consulting Services for Performance, Security and Optimization Read more »

Common Symptoms of Corruption in a SQL Server Database SQL Server database corruption is a serious concern that can strike without warning, potentially leading to data loss, failed queries, and costly downtime for organizations that rely on their databases every day. Whether caused by hardware failures, disk errors, or unexpected system issues, corruption often leaves database administrators scrambling to identify the problem before it escalates. Recognizing the early indicators is essential for maintaining database integrity and minimizing disruption. Fortunately, SQL …

SQL Server Database Corruption Symptoms: 7 Warning Signs to Watch For Read more »