Parse parameter default values using PowerShell – Part 1
I've started a new project to parse default values from stored procedures and functions.
Category: SQL Server
Please don't use sys.sp_columns!
If you ever use sys.sp_columns as shorthand for catalog views, please don't, and I'll tell you why.
When pigs fly : My first Windows PC build in over a decade
Whether you love or fear new PC builds, it's not every day a Mac person builds a Windows PC. See the parts I chose and how much more economical this option can be.
SQL Server 2019 Cumulative Update #7
SQL Server 2019 Cumulative Update #7 is available, with 56 enhancements. The build number is 15.0.4063.15.
Please stop using this UPSERT anti-pattern
There is a very common anti-pattern you should avoid, involving updating a row if it exists and inserting it if it doesn't. See how to avoid race conditions and deadlocks.
Sometimes you CAN upsize a column in-place
Altering a fixed-width column on a large table can often mean either a lot of planning or a lot of downtime, but in some scenarios there may be an easy out.
Altering a column ONLINE might still be a disruptive, size-of-data operation
We had a case where we increased a varchar column's size, ONLINE, but it caused significant downstream effects. See why.
Help improve STRING_SPLIT without threatening backward compatibility
There are some limitations with STRING_SPLIT that could be overcome, but the cleanest solution might be to add a new function altogether.
SQL Server 2016 SP2 Cumulative Update #14
SQL Server 2016 SP2 Cumulative Update #14 is available, with 18 enhancements. The build number is 13.0.5830.85.
SQL Server 2019 Cumulative Update #6
SQL Server 2019 Cumulative Update #6 is available, with 51 enhancements. The build number is 15.0.4053.23.
A reliable and flexible replacement for sp_MSforeachdb
Find out about the replacement I wrote for the undocumented, unsupported, and ill-advised system procedure, sp_MSforeachdb.
Troubleshooting Error 18456
Updated in 2020 with a few new entries, this is a fairly comprehensive list of the reasons behind various 18456 error messages.
SQL Server 2019 Cumulative Update #5
SQL Server 2019 Cumulative Update #5 is available, with 86 enhancements. The build number is 15.0.4043.16.
Keep relevant system_health data longer
See two ways you can make the relevant data in the system_health session last longer and not get drowned out by noise.
SQL Server 2016 SP2 Cumulative Update #13
SQL Server 2016 SP2 Cumulative Update #13 is available, with 29 enhancements. The build number is 13.0.5820.21.
Get to the system_health file target a little easier
Access the system_health file target without tedious string parsing gymnastics.
Index and Partition Space Usage – Part 3
This series shows how I determine the amount of data distributed across indexes, files, filegroups, and partitions.
Heaps, LOBs, and aggregates : A bad combination
Dig into an intermittent stack dump involving an aggregate query against a heap with a LOB column.
Bad Habits to Kick : Relying on undocumented behavior
Discover some undocumented or unsupported behavior you might not even realize you're relying on.
Happy Cinco de Mayo and Happy Taco Tuesday!
See a quick T-SQL script for determining how often Cinco de Mayo falls on Taco Tuesday.
Index and Partition Space Usage – Part 2
I continue a series where I dig into how data is distributed across indexes, files, and filegroups.