What Are Our Most Popular Blog Posts in 2025?

What Are Our Most Popular Blog Posts in 2025?

As 2025 draws to a close, I looked at the most-read articles on gethynellis.com to understand what SQL Server and data professionals are looking for most this year. Mainly to understand how the content we create can help people. From security and permissions to audits, performance, and even data-driven Fantasy Premier League analysis, this post highlights the real-world challenges teams are still facing, and the practical guidance they are actively seeking.

How Do You Check If Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) is Enabled in SQL Server?

This handy post explains a simple and reliable way to confirm whether Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) is enabled on your SQL Server instance. This article remains the most read article of the year, reflecting how important data security checks are for SQL Server professionals.

Read: How to Check if TDE is Enabled on Your SQL Server

How Do You Grant Permission to Use SQL Server Agent Safely?

A quick guide explaining how SQL Server Agent permissions work, clearing up common confusion around roles and security.
This post clearly resonates with DBAs and developers dealing with production or locked-in environments.

Read: How to grant permission to use SQL Server Agent?

How Can You Identify SQL Server Service Accounts Quickly?

This article shows some quick methods for identifying which service account is running your SQL Server service.
This is a small but important task that often comes up during audits, migrations, and troubleshooting.

Read: How to easily identify SQL Server service accounts

How Do You Audit DML Changes in SQL Server Using Built-in Auditing?

A more in-depth and technical guide on configuring SQL Server Audit to reliably track data changes.
A longer average time on page indicates that readers are well engaged in this comprehensive security and compliance topic.

Read: How to Set Up SQL Server Audit to Capture DML Operations

Why Do Organizations Still Need SQL Server Specialists in 2025?

This page outlines how I support organizations with consulting, troubleshooting, and optimizing SQL Server.
Its continued popularity indicates a steady demand for experienced, pragmatic SQL Server help rather than general advice.

Read: Microsoft SQL Server Specialist

How to Archive SQL Server Data to a Serverless Database to Reduce Costs?

A practical guide to reducing costs and improving performance by archiving cold data into a serverless SQL environment.
This post reflects the growing interest in pragmatic cloud cost control strategies versus “lift and shift” migration.

Read: Archiving SQL Server Data to a Serverless Instance – A Practical Guide

What is SQL Server Configuration Manager and Why is it Important?

This article explains what SQL Server Configuration Manager actually does and why it is still important.
This is a reminder that many important SQL Server problems start with fundamentals that are often overlooked.

Read: Understanding SQL Server Configuration Manager

What is Cross-Database Chain of Ownership in SQL Server and Is it Safe?

A clear explanation of often misunderstood SQL Server security features, including why these features can be risky if misused.
Strong engagement shows that security-related “issues” continue to be a priority for the team.

Read: What is cross db ownership chain in SQL Server?

How Can Data Analysis Improve Fantasy Premier League Performance?

Stepping outside of pure SQL Server content, this post applies data analysis to Fantasy Premier League strategy.
Its popularity suggests there is a strong crossover interest between data skills and fun real-world applications.

Read: Best FPL Lineups 2024/2025: Data-Driven Guide to Maximize Your Points

How Do You Count Rows Across Multiple Tables in SQL Server?

One of the oldest posts on the site, but still widely read, this article solves a simple reporting problem that keeps coming up.
Its longevity highlights the value of clear, reusable SQL patterns that stand the test of time.

Read: How to Count the Number of Rows in Several Tables

What These Most Read Posts Tell Us Entering 2026

What stands out about this list is the clear demand for clear, actionable SQL Server advice based on real operational scenarios, not theory.
By 2026, I will continue to focus on practical guidance around SQL Server, Microsoft Fabric, data platforms, and analytics—helping organizations make better decisions with their data and get more value from the platforms they already run.