Job Performance Audit Checklist

Are There Alternatives to Your Current Jobs?

Just because you have a job running doesn't mean its the best way to accomplish the task at hand. Evaluate each job, and determine if there is a better way to accomplish the same thing. For example, perhaps writing T-SQL code to perform a nightly import might be more efficient that using your current DTS package. Or perhaps a job you are running, that shells out of SQL Server to run, could better be done from another scheduling program instead of SQL Server. I can't make any specific recommendations here, as there is so much variability involved. But the key thing to remember is that your current jobs are often not the only solution, and that there may be better solutions available--that reduce server overhead--if you take the time to think about them.

Now What?

Your goal should be to perform this part of the performance audit, described on this page, for each of the jobs in each of databases in each of your SQL Servers, and then use this information to make changes as appropriate.

Once you have completed this part of the performance audit, you are now ready to take a look at how to use Profiler to identify poor performing queries.