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SQL Server Tips by Robin Schumacher
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Storage Bottlenecks
When it comes to understanding what SQL Server is doing underneath
the covers with respect to space, Microsoft’s engine actually is not
as straightforward as some of the other database platforms. The
ability to easily report database and transaction log space from a
global perspective is not as simple or thorough as some
administrators would like it to be.
Also, the sp_spaceused procedure used for object and database space
does not really yield the whole space picture for an object or
database. Diagnosing fragmentation problems in a database requires a
fairly skilled hand with the ability to not only interpret a number
of different object fragmentation metrics, but to also understand
the environment and mechanics of the applications that use the
database.
As with other database engines, SQL Server storage problems have the
capability to immediately stop an otherwise well-running database
and server completely in its tracks. Space problems also have the
potential to slowly eat away at performance until response times
become unbearably slow for a database community.
Since storage has such a powerful hold over a database, it is
imperative that the DBA understand how SQL Server uses space, be
equipped with the right tools/scripts and knowledge to proactively
plan storage and object structures, and be able to quickly diagnose
and fix space problems when they occur. To kick things off, a quick
review of how the SQL Server is organized in terms of space, both at
the database and object level is merited.
The above book excerpt is from:
High-Performance SQL Server DBA
Tuning & Optimization Secrets
ISBN:
0-9761573-6-5
Robin Schumacher
http://www.rampant-books.com/book_2005_2_sql_server_dba.htm |
