SQL Server has quite a few instance and database configuration options, which is great if you need to make changes for different business workloads. But some of these configurations can do more harm than good, especially with modern version of the product.
As a consultant, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many clients who have a diverse range of configurations for their instances. And every now and then I see some that have been configured for what I can only presume is a predilection for danger. I mean, little to no good can come of them.
So today I wanted to share with you a few that I have seen used or changed, and to recommend to you with all the influence that I may have, that you DON’T TOUCH THEM – THEY’RE EVIL!
The contrarian in me wants to poke holes at some of these, though all of his database-level settings are defensible. On the instance level, I do have some gripes, specifically with fill factor (at least if you’re following Jeff Moden’s strategy). I thought about having a gripe around min server memory, but that’s reasonable—it’s max server memory that tends to be much more important to change.