Managing SQL Server Database Maintenance from Pluralsight

Database backups, index maintenance, and integrity checks are crucial tasks in any SQL Server environment. This course covers what database maintenance is, why it is necessary, why you should plan it, and how you can optimize it.

Your SQL Server environment should have backups, index maintenance, and database integrity checks implemented and scheduled to run regularly. If these are missing or not carefully planned, it can cause problems at many levels. In this course, Managing SQL Server Database Maintenance, you will gain the ability to understand the importance of these tasks and implement them with the Ola Hallengren scripted maintenance solution. First, you will learn about SQL Server backups, what the main backup types are, why planning backups is important, and how you can restore these backups in case of a disaster, both on-premises and in Azure. Next, you will discover the three main pillars of index maintenance: index rebuild, index reorganize, and statistics update, along with how you can optimize these tasks. Finally, you will explore how to address database corruptions in SQL Server, detect corruptions, and lower the impact of regular integrity checks in your production environment. When you are finished with this course, you will have the skills and knowledge of SQL Server database maintenance needed to keep your data safe in case of a disaster, optimize workload performance, and ensure data integrity.

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Overview

Planning SQL Server Backups

Planning SQL Server Index Maintenance

Planning SQL Server Database Consistency Checks

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

This course explores the importance of SQL Server database maintenance tasks, including backups, index maintenance, and database integrity checks

Teaches the planning and implementation of these tasks using the Ola Hallengren scripted maintenance solution

Suitable for beginners, this course strengthens a foundation for intermediate learners in SQL Server database maintenance

Develops professional skills in SQL Server database maintenance, which are core skills for database administrators

Examines database maintenance tasks that are highly relevant to database administration in the industry

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Managing SQL Server Database Maintenance with these activities:

Review Fundamentals of Database Systems

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Sharpen your understanding of core database concepts and principles.

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Read chapters 1-5 of the book
Take notes on key concepts and definitions

Review previous coursework or study materials on database management

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Refresh your knowledge and strengthen your foundation.

Browse courses on Database Management

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Go through your notes, assignments, and quizzes from previous database courses
Review textbooks or online resources on database management

Attend a workshop or webinar on SQL Server maintenance best practices

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Gain insights and practical tips from industry experts.

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Research and find upcoming workshops or webinars on SQL Server maintenance
Register and attend the event

Eight other activities

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Build a sample database and perform basic maintenance tasks

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Gain hands-on experience with essential database maintenance tasks.

Browse courses on Database Maintenance

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Create a sample database using SQL Server Management Studio
Populate the database with sample data
Perform basic maintenance tasks such as creating backups, rebuilding indexes, and checking database integrity

Practice SQL Server Backups

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Following tutorials on SQL Server backups will help you understand the different types of backups, how to create them, and how to restore them.

Browse courses on Database Backup

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Find a tutorial on SQL Server backups.
Follow the steps in the tutorial to create a backup.
Restore the backup to a new database.

Practice writing SQL queries for database maintenance tasks

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Reinforce your understanding of SQL queries and their use in database maintenance.

Browse courses on SQL Queries

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Review the syntax and usage of SQL queries for maintenance tasks
Find or create practice exercises and solve them

Create Sample Indexes

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Creating sample indexes will help you understand how indexes work and how to use them to improve performance.

Browse courses on Index Maintenance

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Create a sample table with a lot of data.
Create an index on one of the columns.
Run a query against the table.
Compare the performance of the query with and without the index.

Follow tutorials on advanced SQL Server maintenance techniques

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Expand your knowledge of advanced SQL Server maintenance techniques.

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Identify specific areas where you need to enhance your skills
Search for and follow reputable tutorials on those topics
Practice the techniques and apply them to your own database

Contribute to an open-source database maintenance tool

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Expand your skills and make a valuable contribution to the community.

Browse courses on Database Maintenance

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Identify an open-source database maintenance tool that aligns with your interests
Explore the tool's codebase and identify areas where you can contribute
Submit a pull request with your proposed changes

Discuss Database Corruption

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Discussing database corruption with peers will help you understand how to detect and recover from corruption.

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Find a peer group or forum where you can discuss database corruption.
Share your experiences with database corruption.
Learn from the experiences of others.

Develop a database maintenance plan for a real-world scenario

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Put your skills to the test and implement a comprehensive maintenance plan for a real database.

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Choose a real-world database or create a mock database scenario
Analyze the database and its usage patterns
Develop a detailed maintenance plan that includes backup strategies, index maintenance schedules, and integrity checks
Implement the maintenance plan and monitor its effectiveness

Career center

Learners who complete Managing SQL Server Database Maintenance will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Database Administrator - SQL Server

Database Administrators - SQL Server are responsible for the installation, configuration, maintenance, and performance of SQL Server database systems. This course is designed specifically for Database Administrators who need to gain a comprehensive understanding of SQL Server database maintenance, including backup methods, index management techniques, and data integrity checks. By mastering these concepts and implementing them effectively, Database Administrators can prevent data loss, improve performance, and maintain compliance with data regulations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator - SQL Server

DBA Analyst - Data Maintenance

A DBA Analyst - Data Maintenance is responsible for performing and monitoring database maintenance tasks to ensure the integrity and availability of data. This course may be useful for DBA Analysts looking to gain a comprehensive understanding of SQL Server database maintenance, including backup methods, index management techniques, and data integrity checks. By mastering these concepts and implementing them effectively, DBA Analysts can prevent data loss, improve performance, and maintain compliance with data regulations.

See salaries and explore the career path for DBA Analyst - Data Maintenance

Database Performance Analyst

Database Performance Analysts identify and resolve performance issues in database systems. This course may be useful for Database Performance Analysts who need to understand database maintenance best practices to optimize database performance. By learning about index optimization techniques, data integrity checks, and backup and recovery strategies, Database Performance Analysts can identify bottlenecks, tune database settings, and implement solutions to improve database performance and meet user expectations.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Performance Analyst

Junior Database Administrator

Junior Database Administrators assist senior Database Administrators with the installation, configuration, maintenance, and performance of database systems. This course may be useful for Junior Database Administrators who need to gain a solid foundation in SQL Server database maintenance. By learning about backup strategies, index optimization techniques, and data integrity checks, Junior Database Administrators can support senior Database Administrators in ensuring the reliability, performance, and security of database systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Junior Database Administrator

Data Warehouse Engineer

Data Warehouse Engineers design, develop, and maintain data warehouses to support data analysis and decision-making. This course may be useful for Data Warehouse Engineers who need to understand database maintenance best practices for large-scale data warehouses. By learning about backup and recovery strategies, index optimization techniques, and data integrity checks, Data Warehouse Engineers can ensure that data is protected from loss, accessible for analysis, and maintained with high levels of accuracy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Warehouse Engineer

Cloud Database Engineer

Cloud Database Engineers design, implement, and manage cloud-based database systems. This course may be useful for Cloud Database Engineers who need to understand database maintenance best practices in the cloud. By learning about backup and recovery strategies, index optimization techniques, and data integrity checks in a cloud environment, Cloud Database Engineers can ensure that databases are highly available, scalable, and meet performance requirements while adhering to cloud security and compliance standards.

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Database Security Analyst

Database Security Analysts are responsible for protecting databases from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. This course may be useful for Database Security Analysts who need to understand database maintenance practices to identify and mitigate security risks. By learning about backup strategies, index management, and data integrity checks, Database Security Analysts can ensure that databases are properly protected against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security threats.

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ETL Developer

ETL Developers extract, transform, and load data from various sources into a data warehouse or other target systems. This course may be useful for ETL Developers who need to understand database maintenance best practices to ensure the accuracy and reliability of data during the ETL process. By learning about backup strategies, index optimization, and data integrity checks, ETL Developers can minimize data loss, improve data quality, and ensure that data is properly transformed and loaded into target systems.

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Data Architect

Data Architects design and implement data management solutions to meet the business needs of an organization. This course may be useful for Data Architects who need to understand database maintenance best practices to create and maintain scalable, reliable, and secure data architectures. By learning about backup and recovery strategies, index optimization techniques, and data integrity checks, Data Architects can ensure that data is managed effectively, meets performance requirements, and supports critical business processes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Architect

Database Administrator

A Database Administrator is responsible for the installation, configuration, maintenance, and performance of database management systems. This course may be useful for Database Administrators looking to gain a deeper understanding of SQL Server database maintenance, including backups, index maintenance, and integrity checks. By understanding these concepts and implementing them effectively, Database Administrators can ensure the security, performance, and reliability of their database systems.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Data Governance Analyst

Data Governance Analysts develop and implement data governance policies and procedures to ensure the quality, consistency, and security of data. This course may be useful for Data Governance Analysts who need to understand database maintenance best practices to support data governance initiatives. By learning about backup strategies, index optimization techniques, and data integrity checks, Data Governance Analysts can ensure that data is managed in accordance with data governance policies, meets regulatory compliance requirements, and supports the organization's data-driven decision-making.

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Systems Engineer

Systems Engineers design, implement, and maintain computer systems and networks. This course may be useful for Systems Engineers looking to gain a deeper understanding of SQL Server database maintenance, which is a critical aspect of ensuring the performance and reliability of the systems they manage. By understanding database maintenance concepts and techniques, Systems Engineers can ensure that databases are backed up properly, indexes are optimized, and data integrity is maintained, minimizing the risk of data loss or corruption.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, interpret, and present data to help organizations make informed decisions. This course may be helpful for Data Analysts looking to gain a better understanding of SQL Server database maintenance, which is essential for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the data they work with. By understanding the principles and best practices of database maintenance, Data Analysts can ensure that the data they analyze is reliable and can be trusted to support decision-making.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts work with stakeholders to define and document business requirements and identify solutions to business problems. This course may be useful for Business Analysts who need to understand the technical aspects of SQL Server database maintenance to effectively collaborate with database administrators and other technical professionals. By gaining knowledge of database backup strategies, index management, and data integrity checks, Business Analysts can ensure that the data used for decision-making is accurate and reliable.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, test, and maintain software applications. This course may be useful for Software Engineers who work with SQL Server databases and need to understand database maintenance best practices to ensure the reliability and performance of their applications. By learning about backup strategies, index optimization, and data integrity checks, Software Engineers can develop applications that can recover from failures, handle high volumes of data efficiently, and maintain data accuracy.

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Managing SQL Server Database Maintenance

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