7 tech tips to help manage Microsoft SQL Server workloads

Jump start the management of your company’s Microsoft SQL Server workloads with these practical labs to get you on your way to better performance and more efficient work practices. Microsoft SQL Server on Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® labs provide users with easy tutorials for the most popular processes.

1. Install and configure with  system roles

IT teams require a uniform and streamlined way to install Microsoft SQL Server across multiple Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers. The critical part of the process requires the SQL Server instances to be set up using a uniform configuration, and the installation process must be repeatable when more servers come online.

This lab demonstrates how users will be able to use Ansible® Playbook to install and configure Microsoft SQL Server on Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Interested? Visit this lab for more information.

2. Customize system-wide crypto policy

Security teams now require using stronger cryptography algorithms with applications and require encryption of sensitive data at rest.

This lab demonstrates how users will be able to use and modify Red Hat Enterprise Linux system-wide cryptographic policy applied to Microsoft SQL Server, and encrypt a database in SQL Server using Microsoft SQL Server Transparent Data Encryption feature.

Watch this lab demonstration for more details.

3. Turbo-charge Microsoft SQL Server performance

The columnstore feature in Microsoft SQL Server improves the performance of certain analytical queries—ten fold.1

This lab demonstrates the benefits that Red Hat’s tuneD profile, for Microsoft SQL Server, brings to these workloads.

See how the Columnstore feature works.

4. Monitor activity for compliance

Compliance officers need to have session recording across all operating systems (OS) and database activity for high privileged users.

This lab demonstrates how to review recorded sessions in Red Hat Enterprise Linux and track activity inside Microsoft SQL Server using SQL Server auditing feature.

Interested? View this lab demonstration.

5. Run and build applications with container tools

Infrastructure teams use containerized applications and containerized databases.

This lab demonstrates the speed and flexibility of using Microsoft SQL Server container image for Red Hat Enterprise Linux to build applications.

Watch this lab demonstration for more details.

6. Perform, scale, and deploy best practices with insight

System administrators need actionable intelligence to provide proactive insights about their deployments.

This lab demonstrates the use of Red Hat Insights, where users can discover and address operational and vulnerability risks to quickly scan and prioritize actions in their system’s footprint.

See how Red Hat Insights works.

7. Collect and analyze data for performance monitoring

Monitor performance and identify bottlenecks with Performance Co-Pilot (PCP) on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. PCP gives you a 360-degree view into Microsoft SQL Server performance metrics across the environment.

This lab demonstrates how to get started collecting and analyzing data to solve performance concerns.

Interested? Visit this lab for more information.

  1. Imershein, Louis and Karl Abbott. “These Microsoft SQL Server on RHEL8 benchmark results might surprise you.” Red Hat Blog, 13 Apr. 2021, redhat.com/en/blog/these-microsoft-sql-server-benchmark-results-might-surprise-you

Tags:Linux