True SQL Server Detective

You've heard it right—this is no ordinary session. It's a gripping detective series featuring multiple true stories from the trenches of SQL Server production environments.
Each case unfolds with intricate plots: elusive clues hidden in wait statistics and execution plans, suspicious "persons of interest" like long-running transactions or rogue sessions, misleading evidence from incomplete diagnostics, and high-stakes crimes against performance—blocking chains that cripple applications, deadlocks that strike without warning, and server mysteries that defy initial investigation.
Join me as we play detective together. Step by step, we'll gather evidence using powerful tools like Dynamic Management Views (DMVs), Extended Events, the blocked process report, and Query Store. We'll dissect inaccurate leads, uncover root causes, and resolve each case with proven tuning techniques and management strategies.
Based on real incidents I've encountered, these stories cover critical areas: performance tuning pitfalls, blocking and deadlock resolution, and proactive server management.
No spoilers, but prepare for twists, and by the end, you'll walk away equipped to handle similar "crimes" in your own environment—spotting clues faster, avoiding red herrings, and restoring database server health with confidence.

- Diagnose and resolve blocking chains and deadlocks with Extended Events, blocked process reports, and Query Store. - Identify common troubleshooting pitfalls and misleading clues to find root causes faster. - Build confidence in restoring database health and preventing recurring production issues.