SQL Server data access patterns for enterprise load

Most performance problems referred to us are not hardware problems. They are a handful of queries without a suitable index that start blocking at peak hour.

Learn covering indexes

A non-clustered index with INCLUDE columns can answer a query entirely from the index and avoid the key lookup back into the table.

Isolation level

For read-heavy reporting, READ COMMITTED SNAPSHOT cuts lock contention sharply — but measure tempdb growth before enabling it.

Pagination pattern

OFFSET/FETCH degrades on large tables; keyset pagination stays predictable.

Observability

sys.dm_exec_query_stats and sys.dm_db_index_usage_stats answer the question before any guesswork does.