{"id":46270,"date":"2026-08-06T15:10:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T13:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/?p=46270"},"modified":"2026-08-06T15:10:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T13:10:26","slug":"green-sql-server-dba-tips-3-the-hidden-cost-of-forgotten-databases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/green-sql-server-dba-tips-3-the-hidden-cost-of-forgotten-databases\/","title":{"rendered":"Green SQL Server DBA Tips #3 \u2013 The hidden cost of forgotten databases"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How many times have I found, during a migration, that I also have to clean up the databases no more used?<br>Why keep them for so long if we\u2019re not going to use them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is something we often see among our customers. If we assume that we carry out a migration project roughly every five years, this means we\u2019re keeping databases that are taking up space for no reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We, however, are Green SQL Server DBA; we\u2019ll look to manage it correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-audit\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The AUDIT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First of all, what do we need to analyse?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This does not apply to all databases, but only to those that are obsolete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They can be categorised into two types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Databases Never Accessed<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>No application connections detected<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No recent transactions or queries after a period (3 months for exemple)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Abandoned Databases<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Linked to cancelled projects<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No activity and nobody tell it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To see databases never accessed and abandoned databases I use the DMV sys.dm_db_index_usage_stats to see if I have an access to the database (read or write):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-code\"><code>SELECT d.name AS DatabaseName, MAX(ius.last_user_seek) AS LastSeek,MAX(ius.last_user_scan) AS LastScan,\n    MAX(ius.last_user_lookup) AS LastLookup,\n\n    (\n        SELECT MAX(v.ActivityDate)\n        FROM (VALUES\n                (MAX(ius.last_user_seek)),\n                (MAX(ius.last_user_scan)),\n                (MAX(ius.last_user_lookup))\n             ) v(ActivityDate)\n    ) AS LastReadActivity,\n\n    MAX(ius.last_user_update) AS LastWriteActivity,\n\n    DATEDIFF(DAY,\n        (\n            SELECT MAX(v.ActivityDate)\n            FROM (VALUES\n                    (MAX(ius.last_user_seek)),\n                    (MAX(ius.last_user_scan)),\n                    (MAX(ius.last_user_lookup))\n                 ) v(ActivityDate)\n        ),\n        GETDATE()\n    ) AS DaysSinceLastRead,\n\n    DATEDIFF(DAY,\n        MAX(ius.last_user_update),\n        GETDATE()\n    ) AS DaysSinceLastWrite\n\nFROM sys.databases d\nLEFT JOIN sys.dm_db_index_usage_stats ius\n    ON d.database_id = ius.database_id\nWHERE d.database_id &gt; 4  -- Exclude system databases\nGROUP BY d.name\nORDER BY LastWriteActivity ASC;\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"591\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/blog_green_dba_3_01-1024x591.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/blog_green_dba_3_01-1024x591.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/blog_green_dba_3_01-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/blog_green_dba_3_01-768x443.png 768w, https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/blog_green_dba_3_01.png 1201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We can see on the first databases in the list, that we have null everywhere&#8230; This means that the databases were not solicited since the last restart&#8230; Good candidate for unused databases!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This brings us to the next point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-analisys\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The ANALISYS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If we can see that there is little activity on the database, we can, of course, carry out an initial analysis using criteria such as these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&lt; 30 days &#8211;&gt; the database is still active<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">30\u2013180 days &#8211;&gt; the database is on hold pending to be dropped<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&gt; 180 days &#8211;&gt; the database is a strong candidate to be dropped<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, it also depends on your environment \u2013 whether it\u2019s dev, test or prod \u2013 and the criteria will vary accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-impact\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The IMPACT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like in my precedent post, we will have same impacts but not for queries of courses!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The first impact is the storage and the backup<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the database represents ~100 GB on the disk , it\u2019s also 100 GB backed up unnecessarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have Dev, Test, PreProd &amp; Prod and all in HA\u2026 I let you do the calculation but it\u2019s more 1 TB!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The third impact is on the maintenance plan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The following operations must also handle the unused database:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2013 CheckDB<br>\u2013 Backups<br><br>As the database is not used, the index rebuild\/reorg &amp; update Stats will be fast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each unused database extends the maintenance windows for the checkdb and backups\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-advise\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The ADVISE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first advice would be to plan well in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indeed, when creating or restoring a database, it is important to know its lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t hesitate to challenge the application owners on a deadline and make sure to add it to your calendar +1day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second advice is to set up a monthly monitoring process prior to Windows or SQL Server patch cycles so that you can identify these unnecessary databases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And before dropping a database, I advice you to put the database offline and see if after some days somebody complaints&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the majority of cases, you will not have reactions, believe me! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-green-sql-server-dba-score\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Green SQL Server DBA Score<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like for my precedent post, I setup a \u2018SQL Server DBA Score\u2019 to use for my tips on the subject:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong><strong>Database unused per instance per 3 months<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Score<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>0 to 2<\/td><td>10<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3 to 5<\/td><td>8<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6 to 10<\/td><td>5<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>11 to 20<\/td><td>2<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&gt; 20<\/td><td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-conclusion\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A traditional SQL Server DBA or system administrator will let the unused databases until the next migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Green SQL Server DBA will check it periodically and manage it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An unused database is like a car that never leaves the garage.<br>\u00a0It still costs money, requires maintenance, and consumes resources.<br>The Green SQL Server DBA notices it before it becomes waste&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>Think about it and begin now to see to monitor your unused databases!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">See you soon for the next one!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How many times have I found, during a migration, that I also have to clean up the databases no more used?Why keep them for so long if we\u2019re not going to use them? This is something we often see among our customers. If we assume that we carry out a migration project roughly every five [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[229,198,99],"tags":[49,51],"type_dbi":[2874],"class_list":["post-46270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-database-administration-monitoring","category-database-management","category-sql-server","tag-microsoft","tag-sql-server","type-sql-server"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Green SQL Server DBA Tips #3 \u2013 The hidden cost of forgotten databases - dbi Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/green-sql-server-dba-tips-3-the-hidden-cost-of-forgotten-databases\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Green SQL Server DBA Tips #3 \u2013 The hidden cost of forgotten databases\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How many times have I found, during a migration, that I also have to clean up the databases no more used?Why keep them for so long if we\u2019re not going to use them? 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He is specialized in SQL Server technologies such as installation, migration, best practices, and performance analysis etc. He is also an expert in Microsoft Business Intelligence solutions such as SharePoint, SQL Server and Office. Futhermore, he has many years of .NET development experience in the banking sector and other industries. In France, he was one of the first people to have worked with Microsoft Team System. He has written several technical articles on this subject. St\u00e9phane Haby is Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) as well as Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) and\u00a0Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) for SQL Server 2012. He is also Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) for SQL Server 2008 as well as ITIL Foundation V3 certified. He holds a Engineer diploma in industrial computing and automation from France. His branch-related experience covers Chemicals &amp; Pharmaceuticals, Banking \\\/ Financial Services, and many other industries.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dbi-services.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/stephane-haby\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Green SQL Server DBA Tips #3 \u2013 The hidden cost of forgotten databases - dbi Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.dbi-services.com\/blog\/green-sql-server-dba-tips-3-the-hidden-cost-of-forgotten-databases\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Green SQL Server DBA Tips #3 \u2013 The hidden cost of forgotten databases","og_description":"How many times have I found, during a migration, that I also have to clean up the databases no more used?Why keep them for so long if we\u2019re not going to use them? 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