SQL Server Health Check · UK
Find the Problems
Before They Find You
Is Your SQL Server Costing You More Than It Should?
Most businesses don't realise how much a poorly configured SQL Server is costing them — in slow performance, wasted infrastructure spend, and compounding technical debt. The problem is rarely the technology. It's a lack of specialist attention at the right moment.
Users complain applications are slow — but no one can explain why, and your supplier says nothing is wrong their end
No dedicated DBA — the person responsible for SQL Server wears several other hats and has limited database expertise
Management information reports take an age to load — analysts are refreshing dashboards and waiting, not analysing
Not confident you have the right backup and recovery strategy in place — and you've never properly tested it
Running an older SQL Server version and unsure what the actual security or compliance risk is
A compliance or security audit is coming and the database estate is the part of your infrastructure you understand least
Not certain who has administrator-level access to your databases — or whether that access is still appropriate
Need to consider cloud migration but don't know whether Azure SQL or Microsoft Fabric is the right destination
These are exactly the situations a SQL Server health check is designed for — and where an independent specialist pays for itself, often many times over, in a single engagement.
Nine Domains. Every Health Check.
Every engagement covers the same nine domains — giving you a complete, structured picture of your SQL Server estate. No domain is skipped because it's inconvenient.
Domain 01
Configuration & Instance Settings
Memory allocation, max degree of parallelism, cost threshold, instant file initialisation — instance-level settings that affect every workload on the server.
Domain 02
Security & Access Control
Who has sysadmin rights, orphaned users, SA account status, login auditing — whether your security posture would survive an external audit.
Domain 03
Backup & Recovery Strategy
When databases were last backed up, whether backup jobs have been failing silently, whether your RPO and RTO targets are achievable.
Domain 04
High Availability & Disaster Recovery
Always On configuration, failover clustering, log shipping — whether your HA/DR setup would actually deliver the availability your business depends on.
Domain 05
Performance & Wait Statistics
Top wait types, resource bottlenecks, blocking and deadlocking patterns, and the queries most responsible for driving CPU, memory, and IO load.
Domain 06
Index Health & Maintenance
Fragmented indexes, missing index recommendations, duplicate and unused indexes — whether your maintenance jobs are running correctly.
Domain 07
Database Integrity & Consistency
DBCC CHECKDB history, integrity check schedule, and whether any corruption is already present and going undetected.
Domain 08
Monitoring & Alerting
Whether SQL Server Agent alerts are configured, what is being monitored — and whether you'd know about a critical failure before your users do.
Domain 09
Upgrade & Migration Readiness
Current version and patch level, end-of-support status, and your options for moving to a supported version — including Azure SQL and Microsoft Fabric.
The Report. The Call. No Obligation.
Complete transparency on what happens, when, and what you receive at the end.
Discovery Call — Free, 30 Minutes
A no-obligation conversation about your environment. You speak directly with Gethyn — not an account manager. Book a slot here.
Pre-Engagement Checklist
A structured checklist covering environment details and access options. No direct database access required — you can run the scripts yourself and send us the output.
The Assessment
Remote delivery across all nine domains. If something unexpected emerges that affects scope or cost, you are informed before it proceeds.
Findings Report — Within 5 Working Days
Every issue rated by severity, explained in plain English, with a specific recommended action. Written for technical audiences, usable by non-technical stakeholders.
60-Minute Findings Walkthrough Call
Walk through findings, answer questions, discuss options. After this call you are entirely free to act yourself or engage Gethyn further. No obligation.
Example findings — what the report looks like
Illustrative example — findings are specific to your environment.
What You Get With an Independent Specialist
Large consultancies and managed service providers offer SQL Server health checks. Here is what changes when you work directly with an experienced independent consultant.
| What you want | Large agency / MSP | Gethyn Ellis — Independent |
|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | A junior consultant allocated by an account manager | Gethyn Ellis — every time, no exceptions |
| Pricing model | Variable day rates, scope creep risk, surprises | Fixed price for scoped engagements — agreed upfront |
| Breadth of perspective | SQL Server expertise only — no wider data platform context | SQL Server + Azure + Microsoft Fabric + Power BI |
| Report quality | Standard template output — generic recommendations | MCT-quality — specific, prioritised, actionable |
| Migration advice | Azure SQL or upgrade in place — limited options considered | Azure SQL, Managed Instance, and Fabric all evaluated |
| After the health check | Pushed towards a managed service contract | No obligation — act yourself or engage on your terms |
Results From Real Engagements
At short notice Gethyn was able to fault-find our configuration and provide a complete health check. Within 3 hours he had managed to get the CPU back down to acceptable levels and then carry out a full overhaul on the server.
— Data Platform Performance Client · UK
We had been running a legacy SQL database for 10 years. A move to a new datacentre led to exceptionally poor performance. Gethyn set up maintenance routines and provided clear documentation we could act on immediately.
— IT Director · Professional Services Firm · UK
Is Your SQL Server Version Out of Support?
Once a version reaches end of extended support, Microsoft issues no further security patches. Any vulnerability discovered after that date leaves your environment permanently exposed.
SQL Server 2016 reaches end of extended support in July 2026. If you are running SQL Server 2016, you have weeks — not months — to understand your options. Domain 09 of the health check covers upgrade and migration readiness in full.
| Version | Extended support end | Status | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|---|
| SQL Server 2012 | July 2022 | ⛔ Out of support — 3+ years | Migrate immediately |
| SQL Server 2014 | July 2024 | ⛔ Out of support | Migrate as priority |
| SQL Server 2016 | July 2026 | ⚠️ Ending imminently | Plan migration now |
| SQL Server 2019 | January 2030 | ✓ Supported | Monitor — mainstream ended 2024 |
| SQL Server 2022 | January 2033 | ✓ Fully supported | No action required |
Migration options are not limited to upgrading in place. Depending on your workload profile, Microsoft Fabric or Azure SQL migration may be a better long-term destination. Domain 09 gives you a clear, unbiased view.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gethyn Ellis — SQL Server Consultant & Microsoft Certified Trainer
Every health check is delivered by Gethyn Ellis directly — not allocated to a team member. With hands-on SQL Server experience from version 2008 through 2022, combined with deep expertise across the modern Microsoft data platform, you get both DBA rigour and the broader architectural perspective that most SQL Server consultants lack.
- Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)
- SQL Server 2008–2022 experience
- Azure SQL & SQL Managed Instance
- Microsoft Fabric — DP-603 qualified
- Power BI — PL-300 qualified
- UK-based, remote-first delivery
- Financial services, public sector, housing
- Fixed-price engagements throughout
Ready to Know What's Actually Going On in Your SQL Server?
Start with a free 30-minute discovery call. No sales pitch — just a direct conversation about your environment with the person who will do the work.