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Learn how to install, configure, secure, monitor and optimise Microsoft SQL Server 2025. This three-day course combines essential database administration with query performance management, high availability and the modern data and AI-related capabilities introduced in SQL Server 2025. Participants learn how to manage reliable SQL Server environments, protect and recover databases, investigate performance problems and apply suitable indexing and monitoring strategies. The course also introduces native JSON storage, vector data, semantic search, AI model integration and migration options for Azure and hybrid environments.
You will learn how to administer SQL Server 2025 throughout its operational lifecycle. You will configure database instances, manage security, plan backup and recovery, analyse workloads, optimise queries and indexes, monitor availability and evaluate modern data, AI and cloud integration capabilities.
• Understand SQL Server 2025 architecture, editions and core services
• Install and configure secure, maintainable SQL Server instances
• Manage authentication, authorisation, encryption and auditing
• Plan and perform backup, restore and recovery operations
• Analyse execution plans and troubleshoot query performance
• Design and maintain effective indexes and statistics
• Use Query Store and intelligent query-processing features
• Configure and monitor high-availability environments
• Work with native JSON, vector data and AI-related functions
• Evaluate Azure integration, migration and hybrid management options
• Basic knowledge of relational databases and SQL
• Familiarity with Windows or Linux system administration
• Basic understanding of operating systems, storage and network configuration
• Previous experience using SQL Server Management Studio is recommended
• Experience administering an earlier SQL Server version is beneficial but not required
*We customize the course outline and content to your specific needs and relevant use cases.
Day 1: Architecture, configuration, security and recovery
Module 1: SQL Server 2025 architecture and deployment planning
• Understanding the SQL Server Database Engine and supporting services
• Comparing editions, licensing considerations and supported capabilities
• Reviewing system databases, database files, transaction logs and instance architecture
• Planning standalone, virtualised, cloud and hybrid deployments
Module 2: Installation and instance configuration
• Preparing operating systems, storage, service accounts and network access
• Installing SQL Server 2025 and SQL Server management tools
• Configuring instances, services, memory, processors and database defaults
• Applying updates and establishing configuration and maintenance standards
Module 3: Security and access management
• Comparing Windows, SQL and Microsoft Entra authentication
• Managing logins, users, roles and permissions
• Protecting connections and data with encryption and secure protocols
• Applying auditing, least privilege and separation of administrative responsibilities
Module 4: Backup, restore and recovery
• Understanding recovery models and transaction-log management
• Planning full, differential and transaction-log backups
• Restoring databases to a required point in time
• Using backup verification, encryption, compression and immutable Azure Blob Storage
Day 2: Query performance, availability and monitoring
Module 5: Query execution and performance analysis
• Understanding the query-processing and execution lifecycle
• Reading graphical and XML execution plans
• Identifying scans, lookups, spills, blocking and expensive operators
• Investigating waits, parameter-sensitive behaviour and performance regressions
Module 6: Indexing and statistics
• Comparing clustered, nonclustered, filtered and columnstore indexes
• Designing indexes around workload and access patterns
• Understanding statistics, cardinality estimates and plan selection
• Maintaining indexes and avoiding excessive or overlapping structures
Module 7: Query Store and intelligent query processing
• Configuring Query Store capture, retention and storage policies
• Comparing query plans and runtime statistics over time
• Identifying regressions and applying plan forcing or query hints
• Exploring SQL Server 2025 intelligent query-processing improvements
Module 8: Availability, monitoring and operational management
• Understanding failover cluster instances and Always On availability groups
• Configuring replicas, failover behaviour and read-only workloads
• Monitoring services, databases, storage, sessions and scheduled tasks
• Using dynamic management views, Extended Events, logs and operational alerts
Day 3: SQL Server 2025, AI and hybrid data environments
Module 9: SQL Server 2025 Database Engine enhancements
• Understanding optimised locking and reduced lock-memory consumption
• Managing tempdb workloads and space resource governance
• Exploring accelerated database recovery for tempdb
• Reviewing availability, backup, security and columnstore improvements
Module 10: Native JSON and modern Transact-SQL
• Storing JSON in the native JSON data type
• Querying, modifying and transforming JSON documents
• Constructing JSON objects and arrays through aggregate functions
• Applying regular expressions and modern string-processing functions
Module 11: Vector data and AI-related capabilities
• Understanding vectors, embeddings and semantic similarity
• Storing and manipulating embeddings with the vector data type
• Performing similarity calculations and vector searches
• Managing external AI models and generating text chunks and embeddings
• Distinguishing production-ready capabilities from optional preview features
Module 12: Azure integration and migration
• Connecting and managing SQL Server through Azure Arc
• Using managed identities for Azure resources and backup operations
• Comparing SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines, Azure SQL Managed Instance and Azure SQL Database
• Assessing migration readiness and selecting an appropriate migration approach
• Planning upgrades, compatibility testing and post-migration validation
Hands-on learning with expert instructors at your location for organizations.
Master new skills guided by experienced instructors from anywhere.
