Structured Query Language (SQL) systems help us communicate with databases. The databases can be large and can also house very sensitive data within it. Many businesses rely on their SQL systems to keep their data safe, which is why it is vital to protect it with industry-standard security methods.
A SQL server health check compiles information that can be used to identify performance, security, and access-related issues. Health checks are crucial to ensure optimal performance and protect your SQL system, which hackers can infiltrate if there are weaknesses in the system.
Read on to learn more about why SQL system health checks are necessary.
1. Optimal Performance
The only way to ensure that your SQL system is working at its optimal performance rate is with a SQL health check. SQL server health checks interrogate your SQL Server with complex queries to mine the DBA-use metadata aggregates, which helps a Database Administrator (DBA) can use to evaluate your system to establish whether it is working at peak performance. If the SQL Server is running poorly, the SQL health check will reveal the bottlenecks and provide a clear path to remediate the issues which slow down the system.
A SQL health check will also ensure you have an in-depth understanding of your SQL server and its relation to your business strategy. The results should be easy to interpret: Red is bad, yellow is a warning and green is good.
Data collected from a health check provides a full picture of the system, which can help troubleshoot issues or simply create a baseline for later comparative analysis.
Despite shifts in data infrastructure, companies will continue to rely on SQL to be the lingua franca for analytics, which is why it is necessary to ensure it is operating smoothly.
Employees may have complaints about your SQL system’s speed and functionality if it affects their capacity to work. The most efficient way to address the root of the problem is with a SQL health check. Then both you and us will know where the pain point is and how to fix it.
Some issues that may be found through a SQL health check include the most constrained hardware resource, which queries are consuming that resource the most, indexing strategy, SQL coding quality and performance, faulty configuration, failing SQL Agent Jobs, and outdated service packs. Leaving these issues unchecked will dramatically affect the productivity of your business.
2. SQL System Security
SQL systems are vulnerable to attacks just like any other system. In 2021 there will be a cyberattack every 11 seconds, according to predictions from cybersecurity experts. SQL injection is a hacking technique discovered 15 years ago, and it has the power to destroy your database, or leak sensitive data and cause a data breach. For example, a SQL injection was deployed in the 2016 U.S. presidential election race to compromise the personal data of 200,000 Illinois voters. Don’t let your business become a headline.
That’s why it’s crucial to make sure that your system has strong SQL cybersecurity and is protected against attacks, and the most effective way to do that is through a SQL health check.
A SQL health check will be able to detect weak points in your system that need fortifying. Weak points in SQL systems can include issues with network security and the server environment. Issues are investigated and reported through a SQL health check, which will also recommend fortifying the system.
Security breaches in the current cybercrime landscape are common, which is why it is especially important to check your SQL cybersecurity regularly. For instance, a SQL health check might flag issues such as unsuitable levels of encryption, or even no encryption being used for sensitive data.
3. Productivity
Nowadays, SQL proficiency can set your business ahead of the competition. So, any system that slows down your tasks is costing you more than just time. The best way to maintain optimal SQL and employee productivity is to make sure that your systems are running at their best, and you can do that through a SQL health check.
For example, if SQL systems are operating at optimal performance, analysts can deliver the insights needed to make informed business decisions. However, if there is a fault within the system, it will slow the workload, and important analytical insights will arrive late, leading to missed opportunities.
A SQL health check and subsequent improvements help your systems to operate smoothly when it counts. Additionally, a healthy SQL Server will prevent a negative domino effect on employee productivity.
A health check on your SQL Server is vital if you want to maintain a secure system running at optimal performance. SQL health checks can quickly identify issues to prevent a decrease in employee productivity as well.
Most importantly, professionals can detect if your SQL cybersecurity is below par, and make the necessary repairs to bring it back up to speed. Identifying these issues can prevent hackers from attacking your system and accessing private data while protecting your technological assets.
