Tag: Storage and Capacity
-
How to Right-Size SQL Server Database Files
Auto-growth is not the problem. Unplanned, reactive growth is. When database files are undersized, SQL Server is forced to extend them repeatedly under load. Each growth event introduces a pause. If those pauses occur during peak workload, they can cause noticeable latency, increased I/O pressure, and in some cases application timeouts. Right-sizing database files is…
Written by
-
Track Database Growth Events Over Time in SQL Server
SQL Server’s default trace captures database and log file growth events, but it’s short-lived. Once the trace rolls over or the instance restarts, that history is gone. If you want to understand growth patterns over time, react less to disk alerts, and stop guessing which databases are mis-sized, you need to store those events somewhere.…
Written by
-
Script: Transaction Log Size and Usage by Database
This script returns transaction log size and usage information for all databases on the instance. It shows total log size, used log space, percentage used, and recovery model. This is commonly used during log growth incidents, backup troubleshooting, or when validating log management across an environment. The Script Example Output The result set shows one…
Written by
-
Script: Check Disk Space on SQL Server
This script returns disk space information for volumes that host SQL Server database data or log files. It shows total size, available free space, and percentage free space per drive or mount point. This is commonly used during storage pressure incidents, failed backups, restore troubleshooting, or proactive capacity reviews. The Script Example Output The result…
Written by
-
Deleting Rows in Batches in SQL Server
Deleting large volumes of data from a SQL Server table looks simple, but it can cause real problems if done carelessly. A single large DELETE can: When you’re cleaning up historical data or running routine maintenance, deleting rows in batches is usually the safest and most predictable approach. This post shows a simple, production-safe pattern…
Written by
-
Script: I/O Usage by Database
This script returns total read and write activity per database based on file-level I/O statistics. It helps identify which databases are generating the most disk activity on the instance. This is commonly used during performance troubleshooting, storage pressure investigations, and workload analysis. The Script Example Output The result set shows one row per database, including…
Written by
-
Get Database Sizes and Free Space in SQL Server
Keeping track of database file sizes and available free space is a basic but essential part of SQL Server administration. If you don’t know how large your data and log files are, or how much free space they contain, capacity planning becomes guesswork. Problems tend to surface late, usually during growth events, backups, or unexpected…
Written by
-
Show Database Growth Events in SQL Server
Database file growth events are easy to ignore until they become a problem. When a data or log file autogrows, SQL Server must extend the physical file on disk before continuing. During this operation, activity against that file can stall. If this happens frequently, it can introduce latency, increase I/O pressure, and in some cases…
Written by
-
How to Check Transaction Log Space Usage in SQL Server
Monitoring transaction log space usage is a fundamental DBA task. If a log file runs out of space, transactions can fail, applications can stop, and in the worst cases databases can be taken offline. This post shows two practical ways to check log space usage in SQL Server, starting with a built-in command and then…
Written by
-
Get Database File Names and Paths in SQL Server
As a DBA, you regularly need to know where your database files live, how big they are, and how they’re configured to grow. Capacity planning, migration prep, new environment review, disk space incidents: they all start here. This script gives you a full picture of every user database file on the instance: physical path, drive…
Written by
Blog Categories
Latest Posts
- Get SQL Server CPU Topology and Core Counts
- Script: Generate Test Databases
- Troubleshooting Database Mirroring Issues in SQL Server
- Get Current Date & Time in SQL Server
- Creating SQL Logins on an Availability Group (AG) Environment
- Grant VIEW SERVER STATE in SQL Server
Blog Tags
Always On Availability Groups (4) Database Backups & Recovery (10) Database Maintenance (6) DBA Tools (29) Performance Troubleshooting (9) PowerShell (4) Query Behaviour (4) Schema Changes (1) SQL Agent (1) SQL Interview Questions (1) SQL Scripts (23) SQL Server Administration (11) SQL Server Configuration (7) SQL Server Errors (5) SQL Server High Availability (4) SQL Server Internals (4) SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) (7) SQL Server Monitoring (10) SQL Server Networking (9) SQL Server Replication (1) SQL Server Security (8) SQL Server Versions (2) Storage and Capacity (14) T-SQL (9) Transaction Logs (8) Troubleshooting (14) Windows Server (4)