Additional Articles


External Article

SQL Server Metadata Functions: The Basics

To be able to make full use of the system catalog to find out more about a database, you need to be familiar with the metadata functions. They save a great deal of time and typing when querying the metadata. Once you get the hang of these functions, the system catalog suddenly seems simple to use, as Robert Sheldon demonstrates in this article.

2016-03-28

6,652 reads

External Article

When AUTO_UPDATE_STATISTICS Doesn't Happen

When your SQL Server database is set to have its statistics automatically updated, you will probably conclude that, whenever the distribution statistics are out-of-date, they will be updated before the next query is executed against that index or table. Curiously, this isn't always the case. What actually happens is that the statistics only gets updated if needed by the query optimiser to determine an effective query plan.

2016-03-25

4,726 reads

External Article

Better Ways to Build a Database

The purpose of a database build is simple: prove that what you have in version control can successfully create a working database, and yet many teams struggle with unreliable and untested database build processes that slow down deployments and prevent the delivery of new functionality. Grant Fritchey explains how to achieve an automated and reliable database build that is only as complex as the database system it needs to create.

2016-03-22

5,439 reads

External Article

SQL Server Integration Services SSIS Package Configuration

As you develop, test and deploy SSIS packages, you need to specify different parameter values for things like database connection strings, file and folder paths, etc. without having to edit the individual SSIS packages to make these changes. Ray Barley looks at how you can accomplish this goal by taking advantage of the configuration capabilities that SSIS provides, in particular the SQL Server package configuration.

2016-03-21

5,914 reads

External Article

Documenting SQL Server with PowerShell

SQL Server instances are generally poorly-documented. How easily can you tell if something has changed? How easily can you check that there is adequate space for growth? Are you up-to-date with licenses? What errors are happening? Who has accessing the system? Before PowerShell, it was difficult to be on top of all this. Now you can, with the help of Sander's database documenter.

2016-03-17

5,004 reads

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Question of the Day

Upgrading Admin Queries

I have a query from a former DBA that we run on SQL Server 2025 to check on database metadata. This query references sys.sysaltfiles. I want to refactor this code to be more modern. Which DMV should I reference instead?  

See possible answers