SQL Server Best Practices

In the 21st century, data reigns king. Therefore, properly storing your data is not just a mere suggestion but a necessity in today’s world. That’s where an SQL server comes into the picture. An SQL server is simply a relational database management system that supports various business intelligence operations, analytics operations, and transaction processing. The ultimate role of an SQL server is to store data while also keeping it safe and secure against data breaches or any kind of cyber attack. The more people who have access to your SQL server, the more at risk your data becomes. However, we also understand that with so many SQL tutorials available online, it’s easy to get confused about SQL server best practices. That’s why we’ve come up with five key tips to help you keep your data secure while also adding an extra layer of security to your server. Read on to learn everything you need to know about SQL server best practices.

Restrict SQL Server Access to Those Who Need It

As you give SQL server access to more people, the higher your security risks become. On the other hand, when you restrict SQ: server access to the users who need it, you help prevent data theft, data corruption, and similar issues.

You should also limit the privileges that users have. Ideally, you should have at least three types of user accounts. At the Admin level, users have access to everything, including audit, priority, and other data. At the Executive level, users have access to priority and other data. Finally, at the lowest level, users can only access other data.

Back-Up Transaction Logs Often

In most cases, backup transaction logs run somewhere between every 15 minutes to three hours. Those times can fit the needs of some companies. You might, however, choose to back up your transaction logs as often as once per minute.

The more often you back up your transaction logs, the faster your server can operate because it handles smaller amounts of data. Plus, you ensure that you have a record of the most recent data.

When working with trial databases, you will need to learn the age of each one. Use this shell script to clean up expired trial databases automatically at the end of the day.

Learn Where and How to Troubleshoot Long Wait Times

Long wait times make it difficult for employees to work productively. If someone wastes time waiting for a SQL server to respond, then your company ends up losing money on lost productivity.

Instead of letting your employees and business suffer, you can learn where and how to troubleshoot long wait times.

Simple troubleshooting options include:

• Viewing WaitStats in a query’s Actual Execution Plan.
• Comparing wait statistics to locate abnormalities.
• Optimize parameters and tasks to reduce the query’s wait time.

Some queries will matter more than others. So make sure that you prioritize the queries that get used most often.

Related Reading: MySQL vs. MS SQL Server – Which Reigns Supreme?

Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan

You rely on your SQL server to store critical data that makes it possible for your business to thrive. What would happen if you suddenly lost access to that data? Without a reliable disaster recovery plan, your company might have to shut down while an IT team scrambles to find a solution.

Avoid this problem by developing a disaster recovery plan that meets your company’s needs. Depending on your company’s size and your IT budget, your disaster recovery plan may include:

• Storing a copy of your data on a secondary, on-site server at the end of the day.
• Storing copies on a server located in another state or country.
• Continuously updating data on a server located in another country.

Geography matters in your recovery plan because you want to protect your data from local disasters, such as earthquakes and floods. Choosing a backup server that’s hundreds or thousands of miles away makes it unlikely that a single event will destroy all of your data.

For an in-depth exploration of SQL disaster recovery plans, read this collection of blog posts from SQL Server Best Practices (SQLBP).

Choose an API That Gives You More Control

Choosing the right API is one of the most effective ways for you to gain control over your SQL server so you can follow best practices. A great API will:

• Require authentication before letting new users access the SQL server.
• Let you assign unique privileges to each user.
• Prevent anyone except the admin from deleting data on the server.
• Make it easy for you to monitor changes to your database.
• Lower query wait times.
• Maintain a log of when users access the server.

Discover the Many Benefits of DreamFactory Today

Now that you have acquired some tips to keep your SQL server and the data it houses a little safer, are you ready to discover more about the many benefits the  DreamFactory platform has to offer? If so, contact our team today to start your free trial!

Making an effective API doesn’t have to take a lot of time or expertise. Visit DreamFactory to see how easy it is to create an SQL server API in less than five minutes. You won’t find a faster, more reliable tool that gives you control over your SQL server.

Related Reading: Integrating Snowflake with MS SQL Server using DreamFactory