Our MS SQL development services and consulting cover organizations running SQL Server on-prem, in Azure, or both. Query tuning that cuts report times from minutes to seconds. Always On configurations that actually fail over cleanly when tested, not just when configured. Azure SQL migrations that don't surprise you with worse performance on a bigger bill. We work inside SQL Server, not just around it.
Why Entalogics for SQL Server
Every SQL Server environment we audit has the same problems — missing indexes on columns filtered millions of times daily, `SELECT *` in production queries, maintenance plans that haven't run in months, and an Always On group nobody's actually tested for failover.
Missing indexes, outdated statistics, implicit conversions, parameter sniffing — the usual suspects behind almost every performance complaint. We profile with Query Store and wait stats before touching anything, because the database is rarely the actual bottleneck.
Covering indexes for the critical queries. Filtered indexes for common WHERE clauses. Index maintenance that weighs fragmentation against I/O cost — not indexes added reflexively until the table can barely accept a write.
AG groups with synchronous commit for zero data loss, async for cross-region DR. Failover tested quarterly, not assumed to work because it was set up once. Read-only replicas taking reporting load off the production instance.
Performance baselined before migration. Service tier matched to actual workload, never the default. Azure Hybrid Benefit applied to cut licensing cost. A migration that performs the same or better, because we measured both sides of it.
When SQL Server, when not
SQL Server is the most widely deployed enterprise relational database on Windows. It's also expensive to license and overkill for plenty of workloads. We'll tell you honestly on the first call if MSSQL is actually the right fit.
STAY ON SQL SERVER WHEN
CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES WHEN
WE SAY NO WHEN
What we build on SQL Server
Eight ways this work shows up for real clients. Each one tuned, maintained, and production-ready.
Query Store analysis, wait stats profiling, index recommendations, execution plan review. Queries that took minutes reduced to seconds, with a measured before and after on every change.
AG groups configured for your actual RPO/RTO. Synchronous for zero data loss, async for cross-region DR. Failover genuinely tested, read-only replicas offloading reporting.
On-prem to Azure SQL Database, SQL Managed Instance, or SQL Server on an Azure VM. Performance baselined, service tier matched, Hybrid Benefit applied, zero-downtime cutover through DMS.
Backup policy monitoring, log reviews, security audits, patching, and ongoing performance checks — the DBA work that keeps a database healthy between the projects that get all the attention.
Normalized schemas for transactional workloads. Proper data types, not `nvarchar(max)` for a 10-character code. Foreign keys, constraints, and check conditions enforced at the database level, not just in application code.
Data integration with SSIS packages, custom SQL reporting through SSRS, scheduled ETL that runs reliably and fails loudly when it doesn't. Manual Excel exports replaced with pipelines that actually run themselves.
SQL Server 2014 or 2016 through to 2022. Compatibility level testing, deprecated feature remediation, maintenance plan configuration. The current database stays online throughout.
Architecture reviews, capacity planning, and a standing partner for teams that need SQL Server expertise on call, not just during a one-time project.
The playbook
Patterns from real production databases, not certification exam answers.
P01
Enabled on every production database. Regressed queries flagged automatically. Plan forcing on critical queries. Performance regression caught before users notice it.
P02
Covering indexes for the top 20 queries by resource consumption. Unused indexes dropped. Maintenance jobs that rebuild only when fragmentation actually justifies the I/O cost.
P03
Full, differential, and transaction log backups on a schedule matched to your RPO. Restores tested quarterly, not assumed to work because backups complete.
P04
`sys.dm_os_wait_stats` and `sys.dm_exec_query_stats` analyzed before any change. We tune what the database is actually waiting on, not what someone guesses is slow.
P05
No string concatenation in SQL. Parameterized queries from every application layer. SQL injection eliminated at the data access layer, not patched over at the WAF.
P06
Service tier matched to actual DTU or vCore consumption, not the default. Elastic pools for multi-tenant databases. Serverless tier for genuinely variable workloads. Cost matched to real usage.
Signature case
An enterprise reporting database on SQL Server 2019 — critical monthly report taking 14 minutes, 340 missing indexes identified by Query Store, statistics updated once a year, and an Always On replica that hadn't been tested for failover since setup. Tuned indexes, updated statistics, rewrote the top 10 worst-performing queries, and tested failover in 6 weeks. Monthly report runs in 8 seconds. Failover tested and verified.
Before
14-min critical report · 340 missing indexes · yearly statistics update · untested failover
After
8-second critical report · optimised index strategy · weekly statistics · failover verified
Industries we serve
We've delivered SQL Server development services for healthcare, financial services, eCommerce, and enterprise operations — anywhere real-time data accuracy or 24/7 availability genuinely isn't optional.
Engagement shape
Database by database. The current environment stays live the entire time we work.
Two senior SQL Server DBAs. Query Store analysis, wait stats profiling, index audit, HA configuration review. A ranked, dollarized plan.
Top 10 worst queries tuned, critical missing indexes created, statistics updated, maintenance plans configured. Measurable improvement visible by week two.
Database by database. Indexes optimized, queries rewritten, Always On tested, Azure SQL migrated with a real baseline comparison. Your applications keep running.
Query Store monitoring configured, maintenance plans automated. Runbook handed to your team — or we stay on for SQL Server consulting and ongoing support.
Stack
Our default SQL Server development stack — picked for production databases.
Engagement
No hourly billing for thinking time. Fixed quote or a transparent monthly rate.
Fixed scope, fixed price, senior-only team. Audit to production-tuned database in 6-10 weeks.
FIXED SCOPE
Senior DBAs handling performance, HA, migrations, and maintenance, embedded in your team. Pause, resize, or exit with 30 days' notice.
PER ENGINEER
A standing partner for enterprise database operations — performance management, Azure migration roadmap, HA/DR strategy, hiring help.
PROCUREMENT-FRIENDLY
Founder-direct
Thirty minutes with the founder — a senior SQL Server DBA, the relevant playbook, and a candid read on whether your database needs tuning, migration, or a different platform entirely.
