Duraid Wadie

Head of M&A Architecture

Medium Article · 2 min read · Sep 25, 2017

When SQL Server Deadlocks Became Our Daily Standup Topic-and How We Fixed It

ObservabilityOrganizational CultureAPISystem Design ConceptsAI

Article summary

When SQL Server Deadlocks Became Our Daily Standup Topic-and How We Fixed It We didn’t plan on becoming database surgeons. But every morning, our standups started with the same words: “We hit another deadlock last night.” It wasn’t just annoying-it was dangerous. Jobs stalled. Requests failed. Data updates collided silently in the background. Here’s how we tackled MS SQL Server deadlocks head-on, why they kept happening, and how we finally designed our way out of the cycle. What Went Wrong Deadlocks weren’t just bugs-they were symptoms of deeper systemic issues: Inconsistent access patterns: Some services updated rows in ID order, others in timestamp order. Mixed read/write behavior: Transactions read a table, looped in app logic, then wrote elsewhere-holding locks for seconds.

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Practical takeaway

The main idea behind When SQL Server Deadlocks Became Our Daily Standup Topic-and How We Fixed It is to help teams move from broad theory to clear, repeatable decision making. When teams apply this thinking, they reduce ambiguity and focus on improvements that deliver measurable momentum.

Example scenario

Imagine a team facing competing priorities. By applying the ideas in When SQL Server Deadlocks Became Our Daily Standup Topic-and How We Fixed It, they can map dependencies, identify risks and choose the next move that produces progress without destabilizing their system.

Common mistakes to avoid

How to apply this in real work

Start by identifying where When SQL Server Deadlocks Became Our Daily Standup Topic-and How We Fixed It already shows up in your architecture or delivery flow. Then pick one area where clarity would reduce friction. Apply the idea, measure its effect and share the learning.

Signs you are doing it correctly

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