By Cary Grant The efficient management of its database is one of the most important factors for the competitiveness of a business. A modern organization needs to record, analyze, and maintain data regarding its customers, suppliers, competitors, finances, and many other aspects. Robust database management software is usually at the heart of the database. Microsoft SQL Server is among the most popular database management software used today due to its many benefits and features. Migrating to SQL from other database management systems as the company grows is more convenient and provides the business with greater efficiency for capturing, accessing, and analyzing its data.
The Basics of Database Management
Structured Query Language (SQL) is unarguably the most popular programming language used for building relational database management systems. SQL permits and facilitates the business to access diverse information of the various databases it needs to maintain for efficient operations. SQL also makes it easier for the organization to retrieve, sort, and analyze the data. Because modern businesses need to keep tabs on a large amount of data, managing it can often seem overwhelming; however, using SQL makes it relatively simple.
The Benefits of Using SQL for Your Business
You are likely to benefit from SQL if you need to manage data. In contemporary businesses, the application of SQL allows them to retrieve large volumes of data quickly and efficiently. Users also gain significantly because of its high degree of standardization that allows its use across multiple platforms. It is also highly portable and capable of running easily on a PC, a mainframe, smartphone, or server. This degree of adaptability means users can move the database from one device to another without any issue at all. Most importantly, it allows businesses to undertake a steep learning curve because it is a very user-friendly language and does not require any knowledge of computer coding to operate it. Moreover, small business owners need not panic even if they do not have the time or the inclination to learn SQL since it is a popular and well-established programming language, there is no dearth of experienced professionals who can help you to administer the database efficiently.
Data Corruption in SQL Server
Even though the SQL Database is robust and efficient, errors in operating it and other factors beyond the organization’s control may cause corruption of the data that can result in the database files becoming inaccessible or the system running out of memory or disk space. While the SQL Server does come with certain utilities to resolve instances of database corruption, they are at best rudimentary and may not always be of use. Some of the things you can do when you encounter data corruption in SQL server issues:
Avoid Shutting Down the Server
Many people mistakenly believe that shutting down the SQL server is the best way of tackling database corruption issues. It is best not to shut down the server to fix database corruption issues as apart from causing loss of data, it limits the chances of data recovery too. Also, shutting down the database when the recovery process is running can make the database unstable and inconsistent.
Use the Repair Option with Care
It is important to appreciate that DBCCCHECKDB should not be the first thing you do to repair the database when you encounter database corruption, even though it permits you to check the database for errors and allows repairs. The reason is it may result in loss of data. According to Info Security, issues with hardware, malware, patches, and updates can result in page-level corruption.
Do Not Upgrade SQL Server Casually
SQL Server comes up with regular updates, and while it is a good idea to keep it updated to get the advantage of news features, better speed, and fixes of problems. However, you should not jump to do it, whenever an upgrade is announced. Caution is advised since you may find it difficult to fix issues in the database in case of corruption. It is a good idea to take a complete backup of your data before attempting to upgrade.
Do Not Restart the Server Frequently
Quite a few people believe restarting the server now and then is a good way of keeping it at the top of its operational efficiency. If you restart the server every time you get an error message in the hope it will go away by itself, you may have instances of the database crashing and taking a long time to restore. It is better to seek more information about the error, and then address it.
Conclusion
In addition to the above points, it is vital to take regular backups of your SQL database, so you can recover quickly from instances of data corruption that can potentially bring your business operations to a halt. You must make sure that you take a full backup and use the correct recovery method to restore the data.