I explain how SQL Server 2016 improves tempdb configuration and performance.
Tip : Search all string columns in all SQL Server databases
I add a few tidbits to follow up on a popular post on default cursor options in SQL Server.
Tip : SQL Server 2016 Row Level Security Limitations, Performance and Troubleshooting
Tip : Understand the Limitations of SQL Server Dynamic Data Masking
I follow up on Always Encrypted posts from T-SQL Tuesday with improved code and more information on performance and space usage.
Tip : Identify Candidate Tables for Stretch Databases
I investigate the observable overhead involved with using a new SQL Server 2016 security feature, Always Encrypted.
For this T-SQL Tuesday, I talk about a few of the limitations of Always Encrypted.
I discuss a couple of potential problems that can occur when you are inconsistent about case sensitivity.
These two things stop me in my tracks whenever I try to install SQL Server on a new VM.
Tip : Prepare for an Upgrade with the SQL Server 2016 Upgrade Advisor
I suggest a different approach to providing more data about service packs and cumulative updates than messing with @@VERSION.
I look at the tempting All Features With Defaults installation choice for this T-SQL Tuesday.
I share the settings file for the dark theme I use for presentations in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
I compare multiple date formatting techniques, demonstrating again that FORMAT() is not worth the convenience.
A new feature introduces function statistics very similar to what we've had for procedures for ages.
For T-SQL Tuesday #67, I describe a new way to track backup and restore operations using Extended Events in SQL Server 2016.
I take a quick look at a couple of things you should be careful about when calling natively-compiled Hekaton stored procedures in SQL Server 2014.
Tip : Protecting Yourself from SQL Injection in SQL Server – Part 2
Tip : Protecting Yourself from SQL Injection in SQL Server – Part 1
For T-SQL Tuesday, I discuss undocumented trace flags that provide additional diagnostics to troubleshoot slow backup or restore operations.
I walk through some of the new JSON-related Transact-SQL functionality that will be available in SQL Server 2016.
Tip : Convert Existing SQL Server Traces to Extended Events Sessions
For T-SQL Tuesday< #65, I give a little detail on something I learned this week about altering a column from NOT NULL to NULL.
A little advice on the use of MDF/LDF files for backups.
I discuss the benefits of explicitly referencing columns in a query.
I follow up on a question from a triggers presentation at SQLBits, addressing the impact of trigger overhead for T-SQL Tuesday.
I show DDL commands in Azure SQL Database that can now run as online operations instead of blocking, size-of-data operations.
I address a popular theory that NOLOCK can substantially reduce locking overhead against #temp tables.
I talk about a couple of subtleties of THROW, and how to avoid frustrating bouts of troubleshooting.
I describe a scenario where Common Criteria compliance was deemed the cause of high LCK_M_SCH_M waits for multiple customers.
I show some views I use to make metadata queries simpler.
I show how to use common table expressions (CTEs) to better optimize SQL Server pagination queries that use OFFSET / FETCH.
I examine various impacts on SQL Server – not just disk space – when choosing a GUID as a clustering key.
I walk through several potential causes for different plans and/or performance for the same database on two "identical" servers.
Tip: Finding views with (or without) a certain property
I discuss a handful of reasons "identical" queries might yield multiple plans, contributing to plan cache bloat.
Tip: Over 40 queries to find tables with or without a certain property
I show some tricks for getting row counts efficiently, and explain why an accurate row count for a large table is a pipe dream.