Clik here to view.
The case for Query Store in tempdb
Query Store is so cool Billed as a flight data recorder for SQL Server, the Query Store is a repository of execution plan information, like the plan cache, except a bit more actionable. And it has a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Trace Flag 2330: Who needs missing index requests?
Hey, remember 2005? What a great year for… not SQL Server. Mirroring was still a Service Pack away, and there was an issue with spinlock contention on OPT_IDX_STATS or SPL_OPT_IDX_STATS. The KB for it...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tracking tempdb growth using Extended Events
Everyone knows tempdb is a wierd [sic] place Brent refers to it as a public toilet. I agree with that sentiment. It will let anyone in to do whatever they want. Recently I was trying to track down what...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Filtered Indexes: Just Add Includes
I found a quirky thing recently While playing with filtered indexes, I noticed something odd. By ‘playing with’ I mean ‘calling them horrible names’ and ‘admiring the way other platforms implemented...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Improved diagnostics for query execution plans that involve residual...
I love stuff like this! Even though it’s not on my list of dream features, it’s pretty neat. Getting new views into what SQL is doing when queries execute is pretty cool. You can read the short and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What happens to transaction log backups during full backups?
TL;DR Unless you’re on SQL 2000, don’t worry about scheduling log backups during full backups Log backups during full backups won’t truncate the transaction log You want to keep taking log backups in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Does index fill factor affect fragmentation?
Everybody wants to know about index fragmentation It is an inescapable vortex of malaise and confusion. Like that swamp in The Neverending Story that killed the horse. Sorry if you haven’t seen that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Still Serial After All These Years
With each new version of SQL comes a slew of new stuff While some changes are cosmetic, others bewildering, and the rest falling somewhere between “who cares about JSON?” and “OH MY GOD TAKE MY...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Another reason why scalar functions in computed columns is a bad idea
As if there weren’t enough reasons In my last blog post I talked about different things that cause plans, or zones of plans, to execute serially. One of the items I covered was computed columns that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A funny thing happened on my way to set up Mirroring…
I’ve set up Mirroring about a billion times I’m not bragging about that. I’d rather say that I set up a billion AGs, and not one of them ever failed. But then I’d be lying to you; those things fail...
View ArticleNew York City: The Data That Never Sleeps
I love living in the city Blog posts about people’s favorite data sets seem to be popular these days, so I’m throwing my hat in the ring. NYC has been collecting all sorts of data from all sorts of...
View ArticleNo but really, how big should my log file be?
Most of you are going to hate this And TL;DR, there’s a script at the end of the post. But like The Monster At The End Of This Book, it’s worth it not to skip the middle. There are about a billion...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Getting Started With Oracle: Working With Dates
Contrary to popular belief You will not burst into eternal flames if you’re a SQL Server guy or gal, and you happen to be within 100 feet of an Oracle database. You might feel lost and confused for a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Getting Started With Oracle: Date Math
As soon as you store a date value Someone is going to want to do something with it. Bucket it into a 30/60/90 day window, figure out how many times something happened between it and current, filter on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Getting Started With Oracle: Working With Strings
The almighty string It’s so good for holding all sorts of things. Chicken roulade, beef roulade, salmon roulade. It’s also the way you should store phone numbers. If I could go back in time to when I...
View ArticleGetting Started With Oracle: Working With Numbers
Math is math is math I haven’t found any tremendous differences working with numbers between Oracle and SQL Server. Both offer pretty standard functions to calculate your calculations. Oracle has...
View ArticleSQL Server 2005 End Of Support: Keep Calm And Do This Stuff
Ask not for whom the bell tolls It tolls for SQL Server 2005. Which means in a few short months, you’ll need to get out of Dodge. I’m sure you all have your upgrade ducks in a row, you’ve studied the...
View ArticleHow often should I run DBCC CHECKDB?
There’s an old DBA saying… May you already have a backup restored A half hour before your boss knows there’s corruption What? There’s no such thing as old DBA sayings? Well, maybe if you all said...
View ArticleMoving Databases with ALTER DATABASE
True story A long time ago, I had to actually do stuff to databases. One thing I had to do was move data files around. Maybe some knucklehead had put system databases on the C: drive, or a LUN was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Changes to auto update stats thresholds in SQL Server 2016
TL;DR As of CTP 3.3, it’s the same behavior as Trace Flag 2371, in 2008 R2 SP1 and onward. That basically means that the bigger your table is, the fewer rows need to be modified before an automatic...
View Article