Bjoern@CraftedSQL
Azure Arc-enabled SQL Server: Visibility Before Migration
Azure Arc SQL Server can be useful long before an organization decides to move a database anywhere. In many SQL Server environments, there is an earlier problem to solve: before anyone makes a sensible decision about migration, consolidation or platform strategy, somebody needs to understand what is already there. That ...
A Restored Database Is Not the Same as a Recovered Service
A SQL Server restore can complete successfully while the business service behind it remains unavailable. The database may return to an ONLINE state, but that status only tells us something about SQL Server itself. SQL Server restore validation therefore needs to look further: can the application connect, are the required ...
When Permissions Outlive Their Context in SQL Server
Most SQL Server permissions begin with a perfectly reasonable decision. An application needs access to another database, a service account requires additional rights for a deployment, or an administrator receives broader permissions while a migration is in progress. At that point, the reason is probably known, and there may even ...
Why Workload Placement Matters More Than the Platform Label for SQL Server
When companies start discussing SQL Server workload placement, the conversation often begins with the platform. Should the workload move to Azure? Would Azure SQL Managed Instance be a better fit? Should the database stay on-premises for another few years, or would that simply postpone an inevitable migration? Those are reasonable ...
SQL Server Health Checks: Small Operational Gaps That Become Expensive Later
A SQL Server environment can run reliably for years while operational gaps remain unnoticed. A structured Health Check helps identify which findings matter, understand their consequences and set meaningful priorities.
SQL Server Vector Search: What to Evaluate Before Production
SQL Server 2025 adds native support for vector data and vector search. Applications can keep embeddings alongside relational data and use the SQL Database Engine to find semantically similar information. A small proof of concept is easy enough to build: store an embedding, calculate the distance between vectors and return ...
SQL Server Query Store: Why Performance History Matters
A SQL Server performance problem is not always still there when someone finally has time to investigate it. SQL Server Query Store becomes especially useful when the system has already returned to normal. Users may report that an application was slow around 10:00. An hour later, response times are back ...
SQL Server Backup Strategy: Why Successful Backups Are Not Enough
Most SQL Server environments have a backup process, but not every SQL Server backup strategy reflects actual recovery requirements. Teams may run jobs according to a defined schedule, monitor successful completion and retain the files for a specified period. Recovery readiness means that the organization can restore the required databases ...
SQL Server Blocking: What the Head Blocker Does Not Tell You
A SQL Server blocking chain shows which session is holding up other work. It does not explain why the transaction remained open long enough to affect production.
High SQL Server CPU Is a Signal, Not a Root Cause
High CPU usage is easy to see, but the percentage alone does not explain the cause. A useful diagnosis connects workload, execution plans, SQL Server signals and infrastructure data before changes are made.