95 Sql Server Dba Interview Questions

SQL Server Database Administration (DBA) requires a blend of technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to ensure database systems run efficiently and securely. Whether you’re managing backups, optimizing performance, or setting up security protocols, the role demands a comprehensive understanding of SQL Server functionalities.

95 Sql Server Dba Interview Questions

This list of 95 SQL Server DBA interview questions will help aspiring database administrators or experienced DBAs prepare for interviews by covering foundational topics like indexing and database security, as well as advanced concepts like performance tuning and disaster recovery. Use this guide to enhance your knowledge and confidently address the most critical aspects of SQL Server administration.

SQL Server Basics

1. What is SQL Server?
2. What is a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)?
3. Explain the difference between a primary key and a unique key.
4. What are the different types of SQL Server databases?
5. What are the main functions of a SQL Server Database Administrator?
6. Explain the difference between SQL and T-SQL.
7. What is a database instance?
8. What are tables and relationships in SQL Server?
9. Explain normalization and denormalization.
10. What are the different types of joins?
11. Describe the role of indexes in a SQL Server database.
12. What is a clustered index? How is it different from a non-clustered index?
13. How many clustered indexes can you have per table?
14. What is a unique index?
15. Describe what a foreign key is.
16. What is a view? When would you use one?
17. What are stored procedures?
18. What are the benefits of using stored procedures?
19. How do triggers work in SQL Server?
20. What are the different types of triggers?
21. Explain SQL Server functions and types of functions.
22. What are scalar functions and table-valued functions?
23. What is a cursor, and why would you use one?
24. Explain the difference between a temporary table and a table variable.
25. What is the difference between DELETE, TRUNCATE, and DROP?

Database Administration and Maintenance

26. How would you create a database in SQL Server?
27. What is a SQL Server Agent, and what is its purpose?
28. Describe SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
29. How would you schedule a backup in SQL Server?
30. What are the types of backups in SQL Server?
31. How would you restore a database from a backup?
32. What is database mirroring?
33. What are the recovery models in SQL Server?
34. How do you monitor SQL Server performance?
35. Explain database replication.
36. What are the different types of replication?
37. How would you troubleshoot a slow query?
38. How do you check for blocking issues in SQL Server?
39. Explain what DBCC commands are.
40. What is DBCC CHECKDB?
41. How do you create an index in SQL Server?
42. What are fill factors in SQL Server?
43. How would you optimize an index?
44. What is log shipping?
45. How does database failover work in SQL Server?
46. Describe AlwaysOn Availability Groups.
47. How would you set up a maintenance plan?
48. How would you monitor SQL Server Agent jobs?
49. What is a deadlock? How do you troubleshoot it?
50. How do you move a database from one server to another?

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Security and User Management

51. How would you create a login in SQL Server?
52. What is the difference between a login and a user?
53. Explain SQL Server authentication modes.
54. How would you set up Windows Authentication?
55. What are roles in SQL Server? How would you create one?
56. Explain the principle of least privilege.
57. What is row-level security?
58. How would you implement encryption in SQL Server?
59. What is Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)?
60. How would you grant and revoke permissions in SQL Server?
61. What are SQL Server audit logs?
62. How would you implement database access auditing?

Performance Tuning and Optimization

63. What is SQL Server Profiler, and how do you use it?
64. How would you analyze an execution plan?
65. What is the purpose of the Query Optimizer?
66. How do you use statistics in SQL Server?
67. What is a query hint?
68. How would you tune a query for performance?
69. How do you identify CPU bottlenecks in SQL Server?
70. What are memory-optimized tables?
71. Explain the purpose of tempdb.
72. What is the purpose of sp_who and sp_who2?
73. Describe SQL Server Dynamic Management Views (DMVs).
74. What is parameter sniffing, and how would you address it?
75. How would you monitor and optimize SQL Server I/O?

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Advanced SQL Server Features

76. What are SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)?
77. Explain SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS).
78. What is SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)?
79. How do you handle large data imports in SQL Server?
80. What is partitioning in SQL Server?
81. What are SQL Server data types, and how would you choose the right one?
82. What is a full-text search?
83. How does SQL Server handle concurrency?
84. Describe isolation levels in SQL Server.
85. How does SQL Server handle transactions?

Troubleshooting and Disaster Recovery

86. What would you do if a database is in suspect mode?
87. How would you troubleshoot a failed SQL Server Agent job?
88. What is a page-level restore?
89. How do you use SQL Server Error Logs?
90. What is CHECKPOINT in SQL Server?
91. How would you recover a deleted SQL Server database?
92. Explain differential and log backups.
93. How would you respond to a system crash affecting SQL Server?
94. How would you handle corruption in a SQL Server database?
95. What are some common SQL Server performance issues and solutions?

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Preparing for a SQL Server DBA interview is crucial for success in this competitive field. By reviewing these questions, you’ll build a strong foundation in SQL Server, improve your troubleshooting skills, and gain the confidence to tackle challenging database issues. Equip yourself with these insights and elevate your DBA expertise.