Are your users frustrated by slow reports? Do your SQL Server instances—on-premises or in Azure—struggle under high demand? Whether you manage a single server or a large-scale environment, performance tuning is essential—and it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

In this full-day, information-rich session, you'll learn how to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks using a wide range of tools, scripts, and proven best practices. We’ll start with practical techniques for analyzing your environment, reading execution plans, and tuning queries for better performance. Along the way, you'll gain a clear understanding of how everyday maintenance tasks—and even your infrastructure—can impact your server’s responsiveness.

This session focuses on Microsoft SQL Server 2019 and newer, including Azure SQL Database, SQL Database in Fabric and SQL Server 2025, covering the latest performance enhancements and cloud-specific considerations. We’ll walk through real-world examples of common performance problems and how to fix them using straightforward, repeatable methods.

You’ll leave with:

A checklist of key performance areas to evaluate in your environment—whether in the cloud or on-prem

Strategies for addressing both query-level and server-level issues

Insights into how SQL Server and Azure features can work for—or against—you

Confidence to apply what you’ve learned, regardless of your current skill level

Designed for DBAs, developers, and anyone responsible for SQL Server performance, this session emphasizes practical, real-world solutions you can use right away—on any platform.

In this full-day, information-rich session, you'll learn how to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks using a wide range of tools, scripts, and proven best practices. We’ll start with practical techniques for analyzing your environment, reading execution plans, and tuning queries for better performance. Along the way, you'll gain a clear understanding of how everyday maintenance tasks—and even your infrastructure—can impact your server’s responsiveness.