Articles

SQLServerCentral Article

SQL Server Execution Plans, Second Edition by Grant Fritchey

Every Database Administrator, developer, report writer, and anyone else who writes T-SQL to access SQL Server data, must understand how to read and interpret execution plans. This book leads you right from the basics of capturing plans, through how to interrupt them in their various forms, graphical or XML, and then how to use the information you find there to diagnose the most common causes of poor query performance, and so optimize your SQL queries, and improve your indexing strategy.

(20)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2017-02-02

19,109 reads

SQLServerCentral Article

The Effect of NOLOCK on Performance

Using hints in a query is something that most DBAs don't ever seem to bother with, but when they do, NOLOCK seems to be their hint of choice. Wayne Fillis brings us a detailed examination of how this particular hint actually affects the performance of your system.

(20)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2017-02-02 (first published: )

72,413 reads

SQLServerCentral Article

Understanding Graphical Execution Plans - Part 3: Analyzing the Plan

Learn how to examine and read a SQL Server execution plan in this article. This is the third part of a short series from Darren White that examines execution plans and imparts the basics on an important skill for DBA's and SQL developers alike.

(51)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2017-02-02 (first published: )

20,301 reads

External Article

Planning for Successful Data Management

It is the data, in particular, that sets Database Lifecycle Management apart from the mainstream of application delivery. Data entities, and the way that organisations understand and deal with them, have their own lifespan. If we neglect the management of data, we risk disaster for the organisations that use it. If we take data management seriously, databases become a lot easier.

2017-02-01

5,732 reads

Blogs

Flyway Tips: AI Helps with Commit Messages

By

At Redgate, we’re experimenting with how AI can help developers and DBAs become better...

Startup scripts in SQL Server containers

By

I was messing around performing investigative work on a pod running SQL Server 2025...

Using SQL Compare with Redgate Data Modeler

By

Redgate recently released SQL Compare v16, which included a new feature to work with...

Read the latest Blogs

Forums

Encoding Strings

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Encoding Strings

Deep Learning and Craftsmanship Matter

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Deep Learning and Craftsmanship Matter

Building a Real-Time Analytics Pipeline with Azure Stream Analytics and SQL Server

By AR

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Building a Real-Time Analytics Pipeline...

Visit the forum

Question of the Day

Encoding Strings

I have this code in SQL Server 2025. What is the result?

DECLARE @message VARCHAR(50) = 'Hello SQL Server 2025!';
DECLARE @encoded VARCHAR(MAX);

SET @encoded = BASE64_ENCODE(@message);
SELECT @encoded AS EncodedResult;

See possible answers