Imagine it. You've been asked to fix a dire performance problem with a SQL Server database. You find a severe case of 'Cache Bloat' due to ad-hoc queries, but you can't fix the code itself. What should you do? Specify forced parameterization? Perhaps a better idea would be to use guide plans.
2014-03-04
2,646 reads
SQL South West user group are running their second SQL Saturday on March 21st and 22nd and have another spectacular schedule of technical content from SQL Server professionals from the UK, Europe and USA including SQL Server MVPs and Microsoft staff. All the session details and how to register for the full-day pre-con sessions or the free-to-attend Saturday:
2014-03-04
1,702 reads
Follow along as this starter article on the SQL TABLE Type walks you through the various ways it can be used in T-SQL.
2014-03-03
10,165 reads
Occasionally I come across UPDATE and DELETE statements where the target SQL Server table is referenced with the NOLOCK hint. Does this hint help or hurt performance in this case?
2014-03-03
4,698 reads
SQL Saturday is coming to Exeter on March 22, 2014. Join Red Gate's David Atkinson and the rest of the speakers at this free day of SQL Server training and networking, organized by SQL South West.
2014-03-03
1,737 reads
Come see Grant Fritchey and Steve Jones (from Red Gate Software) and many more SQL Server experts while you enjoy spring in Orlando, FL at SQL Intersection.
2014-02-28
408 reads
There are a number of real-life reporting tasks in SQL that require a 'gaps and islands' analysis. There are a number of techniques around that work, but finding ones that scale well makes for a tougher, but interesting, challenge.
2014-02-28
3,824 reads
This article will help us identify the backup which was used to restore the database. This may seem simple when the database backup is from the same server but the complications begin when the backup is not from the same server.
2014-02-27
4,500 reads
In this tip, Sadequl Hussain will try to list a few areas DBAs need to cover when they are designing new systems or reviewing proposed solutions.
2014-02-27
5,421 reads
Views are a valuable tool for the SQL Server Developer, because they hide complexity and allow for a readable style of SQL expression. They aren't there for reasons of performance, and so indexed views are designed to remedy this shortcoming. They're great in certain circumstances but they represent a trade-off, and they come with considerable 'small print'. Jes Borland explains.
2014-02-26
4,674 reads
By Steve Jones
I don’t have SQL Server installed on my laptop. In an effort to keep...
Slow-running queries can degrade your Redshift cluster’s performance and lead to increased costs. Identifying...
Using PowerBI Version1.25.9508.3237(January 2026). Installed Microsoft Power BI Desktop (Optimized for Power BI Report...
Hi all Can I get some perspective from the community please on performing in-place...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How Long is a Long...
In SQL Server 2025, a long I/O is recorded in the error log with message 833. How long much an I/O request be outstanding before this message is written to the log?
See possible answers