Consulting › Health Check
Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check
Your SQL Server is slow. Let’s fix it together, in about four hours.
You share your screen on Zoom. I tell you what to run. We find what is slowing you down and start fixing it, usually within the first 75 minutes.
I have done this for over 400 customers. Not one of them had to give me a password.
USD 3,800USD 2,432 this month
To book, email pinal@sqlauthority.com.
19 books, 120 courses and 5,800+ articles. That is the authority in SQLAuthority. Browse all 19 books.
Sound Familiar?
- ✓The application feels slower every month
- ✓A query that took seconds now takes minutes
- ✓CPU sits high and nobody knows why
- ✓Memory is full but performance is not better
- ✓Performance dropped suddenly for no clear reason
- ✓Deadlocks keep coming back
- ✓Users see timeouts
- ✓The log file keeps growing
- ✓Nobody has looked at the indexes in years
- ✓Execution plans that make no sense
- ✓Long waits and blocking at busy hours
Two or more of these? This is where to start.
A Typical Session
Every server is different, but the four hours usually go like this.
Start
Tell me what hurts
What slow looks like for your users, your SQL Server versions, and what changed recently.
Diagnose
Find the real cause
You run my scripts while I read the results with you: settings, waits, I/O, TempDB and files.
First fixes
Fix what matters most
Most sessions start fixing within 75 minutes. Most changes need no downtime and no restart.
Finish
Go deeper and plan
Indexes and execution plans, then your action plan and every script before we hang up.
What We Look At
Server and instance settings
Every setting explained, and the value it should have for your workload.
Database settings
Database level options and parameters, checked one by one.
Index analysis
Which indexes help, which hurt, and which are missing.
Index optimization
Getting more out of the indexes you already have.
Index maintenance
A routine that keeps indexes healthy after we finish.
Execution plans
Reading the plans behind your slowest queries, and fixing them.
I/O distribution
Where reads and writes pile up, and why.
Wait statistics
What SQL Server is actually waiting on.
TempDB
Set up for the way your system really uses it.
Data and log files
MDF, NDF and log files: size, growth and placement.
DBCC best practices
Consistency checks done right, without slowing users down.
Your action plan
A clear list of what to fix, in what order, that you keep.
You Stay in Control
I never log in to your server. You keep the keyboard, I keep explaining. Every setting, every finding and every change gets a plain explanation, plus the way to undo it.
Why work like this? Because the fix you make yourself is the one you understand. It is also the best return on your money: the next time this problem shows up, you will not need me.
Whether the cause sits inside SQL Server or somewhere around it, we find it.
For every finding, the decision is yours:
1. Do it
Apply the fix, after testing it in a similar environment first.
2. Study it
Take the recommendation away and apply it later.
3. Skip it
Move on to the next point. No pressure, no hard feelings.
What You Walk Away With
- ✓The first fixes already in place
- ✓Every script used in the session
- ✓An action plan for everything we did not finish
- ✓A clear picture of where your bottlenecks are
- ✓A way to undo every change we made
- ✓The know-how to handle the same problem yourself next time
Is This Right for You?
A great fit if
- SQL Server is slow and you want it fixed quickly
- Someone on your team can share a screen and run scripts
- You want to understand the fix, not just receive it
Not the right fit if
- You want someone to log in and fix it without you
- You are looking for an ongoing retainer or a long contract
- Your team needs training more than a fix (see the Practical Workshop)
Price
USD 3,800USD 2,432 this month’s discount
One fixed price for everything on this page. No hourly meter running while we work.
Pay by credit card, debit card, bank transfer or PayPal. Once payment is made and the meeting is scheduled, it is not refundable. Curious what others say? Read the testimonials.
Questions People Ask
Prefer to watch first? Here is a video from me.
Do you need access to our server?
No. You share your screen on Zoom and run everything yourself. I never ask for usernames, passwords or other sensitive details.
How long does it take?
Usually 2 to 4 hours, depending on your system. I go for the quickest path to a fix, not the longest meeting.
Will we need downtime?
Most changes need no downtime and no restart, so you can make them during business hours. I always recommend trying each change in a development environment first.
What if the problem is not SQL Server?
Then we find that out too. The goal is the real cause, wherever it lives.
Do we get the scripts?
Yes. Every single one.
Who should join the call?
Whoever looks after the server, anyone who writes the slow queries, and the person who approves changes.
What if four hours is not enough?
You leave with an action plan either way. If you want me along for more, book an On-Demand Expert Hour.
Why I Work This Way
I wrote a six-part series about how I run this service. Short reads, honest answers.
- Why Do I Never Take Control of Computers Remotely?
- Why Do I Give 100% Guarantee of My Services?
- Why Do I Assure SQL Server Performance Optimization in 4 Hours?
- Why Do I Give All of the Performance-Tuning Scripts to My Customers?
- Why Don’t I Want My Customers to Return Because of the Same Problem?
- Wrap Up: What Next and How to Get Started
More Ways to Work With Me
The Health Check is one part of my consulting. Every option is a fixed price, and many teams combine them.
USD 2,432 per class
SQL Server Performance Tuning Practical Workshop
No PowerPoint. Three to four hours of live demos and two games for your whole team.
USD 2,432
AI Enablement Workshop for Data Teams
Where AI saves your team hours, and where it quietly costs you.
USD 650 per hour
On-Demand Expert Hour
A second opinion or urgent help, when you need less than four hours.
Book Your Health Check
Step 1
Email me
Write to pinal@sqlauthority.com with the problem in a few lines, your SQL Server versions, your company name and your location.
Step 2
Pick a time
I reply quickly with the earliest slot and the payment options.
Step 3
Join on Zoom
Once the slot is agreed and payment is in, you get a Zoom invite to share with your team.