Efficient SQL Server management begins with daily log reviews that reveal hidden issues before they escalate

Proactively monitor SQL Server health, stability, and performance.

SQL Server Error Log

• Path:
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL16.MSSQLSERVER\MSSQL\Log
• Open ERRORLOG using Notepad or any text editor
• Review for:
  • Failed or suspicious login attempts
  • Unexpected errors or warnings
  • Messages after service restarts

Windows Application Event Log

• Use Event Viewer → Windows Logs → Application
• Look for:
  • Disk I/O errors or hardware warnings
  • SQL Server-specific events
  • Vendor-predicted hardware issues

SQL Server Agent Job Logs

• Ensure all jobs executed successfully
• Investigate failures or long runtimes
• Correlate issues with entries in SQL Error Log

High Availability / Disaster Recovery Logs

• Applicable setups: Log Shipping, Always On, Replication, Mirroring
• Check for:
  • Sync/replication health
  • Role changes, failovers, or connection drops

Security, Storage & Continuous Improvement

Strengthen your SQL Server environment with preventive checks and proactive tuning.

Security Logs

• Review via SQL Server logs or third-party tools
• Detect:
  • Suspicious login activity
  • Policy violations or misconfigurations

Centralized Application Logs

• Review enterprise app logs (if applicable)
• Trace backend issues that SQL logs might miss

Storage Checks

• Verify enough disk space for:
  • Database files
  • Backups
  • TempDB & job outputs

Corrective Action Planning

• Act on errors or warnings found earlier
• Log downtime windows and fixes for auditing

Optimization Opportunities

• Identify recurring issues
• Improve indexing, job scheduling, or automate checks

Daily Learning Habit

• Spend 10–15 mins on:
  • SQL Server or cloud tech reading
  • Exploring log parsers or query tuning tips