SQLPerformance is a long-running technical publication focused on SQL Server performance, database monitoring, troubleshooting, and database management. It serves database professionals who need practical, experience-driven guidance on diagnosing issues, understanding execution behavior, and improving performance in real-world environments. Now, SQLPerformance has entered a new phase while staying true to what made it valuable in the first place.

For years, the site has covered the issues database teams deal with every day. These include slow queries, waits, blocking, execution plans, and storage constraints. There’s also the challenge of pinning down whether the root cause sits in the application, the infrastructure, or the database layer. That practical orientation still matters. In fact, as database environments grow more complex, it matters more than ever.

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Why SQL performance still matters

The database landscape has changed significantly in recent years. SolarWinds expanded its investment in the Microsoft data platform through the SentryOne acquisition. At the same time, the day-to-day reality of database management is changing. According to the 2025 State of Database Report, teams in unified monitoring environments are seeing stronger outcomes from AI adoption.

Specifically, 62% say AI helped them diagnose performance issues faster. In addition, 60% report more reliable execution of routine tasks. However, reactive work remains a significant burden. The same report shows DBAs spend an average of 27 hours per week firefighting. That contributes to fatigue, slower response times, and a greater risk of human error.

The changing face of database management

Modern database administration is no longer confined to a single platform. It’s also no longer a narrowly defined role. Today, database teams are often expected to work across on-premises systems, cloud services, and hybrid estates. They also need to understand how application and infrastructure behavior affects database performance.

That shift is reflected in recent SolarWinds thought leadership. For example, the Bridging the Observability Gap whitepaper argues that unified observability can improve operational resilience and speed feedback loops. Similarly, the Inside the Black Box: Bridging the Database Observability Gap blog post highlights how treating the database as a black box leaves teams exposed. When performance problems cross boundaries between the database, the application, and the infrastructure, that blind spot becomes costly. Furthermore, the Tuning In to AI whitepaper and the THWACK discussion on the role of the DBA in AI add important context. Both show how AI adoption is placing new demands on database teams to keep data infrastructure performant and well-managed.

Against that backdrop, technically grounded guidance remains highly relevant. SQLPerformance was built to serve that need. That purpose still fits the current state of database operations.

Continuity with room to grow

It’s worth acknowledging what happened between then and now. SQLPerformance didn’t shut down. It simply went quiet. From around 2022, as the transition from SentryOne to SolarWinds was still taking shape, publishing slowed and eventually paused. The site stayed online throughout. The archive remained intact. The relaunch now brings it back into an active publishing rhythm.

One of the clearest themes in that return is continuity. The existing archive remains in place, preserving years of SQL Server performance content. That archive matters not only as a technical reference. It’s also a record of how SQL Server performance practices have evolved over time.

At the same time, future content will reflect a broader operational reality. The site’s editorial direction covers SQL Server performance tuning, database monitoring, troubleshooting, observability, and query behavior. It also includes execution plans, memory pressure, TempDB, architecture decisions, alert quality, and hybrid infrastructure patterns. Throughout, the emphasis remains on practical guidance rather than trend-driven commentary.

Connecting SQLPerformance to the wider database community

SQLPerformance now connects more clearly to the broader SolarWinds database ecosystem. That includes the SolarWinds Blog, product updates, webcasts, and the THWACK® community. Together, these channels give practitioners more ways to move between technical articles, product context, community discussions, and related educational resources.

SQLPerformance and the SolarWinds Blog play different roles within the same wider ecosystem. SQLPerformance is the more specialist destination for deeply technical, practitioner-led SQL Server and database management content. The SolarWinds Blog, by contrast, covers a broader mix of product updates, thought leadership, events, and cross-portfolio topics. Some crossover is natural, but each platform still has a clear purpose.

There is also a renewed emphasis on contributors with strong hands-on expertise. SQLPerformance built its reputation on practitioner-led content from people with real production experience. The relaunch reinforces that usefulness and technical depth remain the editorial standard.

A notable part of this next chapter is Aaron Bertrand’s return as editor and regular contributor. Bertrand is one of the longest-serving Microsoft MVPs in the SQL Server community. He is widely recognized for technically rigorous writing and a deep understanding of production database environments.

Aaron has also previously contributed to the SolarWinds Blog, making him a familiar and trusted voice across both platforms. His return reinforces the standard of credibility SQLPerformance has maintained over the years.

Looking ahead

SQLPerformance’s return is less about reinvention and more about reaffirming a familiar strength. That strength is useful technical content for database professionals working under real operational pressure. Hybrid systems, wider observability needs, and growing interest in AI-assisted operations are all reshaping how database teams work. In that environment, practical guidance remains as valuable as ever.

As SQLPerformance moves forward, archive continuity, a broader editorial scope, and closer ties to the SolarWinds database ecosystem give the site a clear role. For database professionals navigating more complex environments, that means a reliable place to find content grounded in how systems actually behave under pressure, not how they behave in theory.

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database management blogs