Accurate statistics about the data held in tables are used to provide the best execution strategy for SQL queries. but if the statistics don't accurately reflect the current contents of the table you'll get a poorly-performing query. How do you find out if statistics are correct, and what can you do if the automatic update of statistics isn't right for the way a table is used?
2013-04-15
6,631 reads
The performance of 'extract, transform, load' (ETL) processes for large quantities of data can always be improved by objective testing and experiment with alternative techniques. The cause of poor performance can sometimes be surprising.
2013-04-12
4,801 reads
The concept of a sliding window scenario is to manage and keep the same number of partitions on a partitioned table over time. Learn how in this step-by-step from Arshad Ali.
2013-04-11
2,684 reads
We need to exclude SQL Server database files from Antivirus and Third Party Backup Software (to make sure that files are not accessed directly). How can we be sure that all of our SQL Server file extensions are using the standard file extensions for database files?
2013-04-10
2,438 reads
Alex talks through a simple practical example of a database deployment, First creating a empty database and then upgrading it through three steps by writing T-SQL scripts, adjusting configuration files and the change log, before generating a full build script containing all schema objects.
2013-04-09
3,749 reads
You, as a SQL Server data professional, are looking for ways to improve your queries. You've done the usual - avoided cursors and loops, used locks effectively, examined execution plans - what else can you tweak? Check out this tip to learn more.
2013-04-08
6,542 reads
The new SQL Server 2012 Sequence Object can be used to generate unique numbers that can be automatically incremented based on an increment value. Greg Larsen discusses the different features of the sequence object and how you can use it to generate sequence numbers.
2013-04-05
2,967 reads
For some time, Microsoft had a few window functions, but not the full set specified in the SQL 2003 standard. Now, in SQL Server 2012 we have the whole range, and extremely useful they are too. There's no longer an excuse to avoid them, particularly now you have Rob Sheldon's gentle introduction.
2013-04-04
5,033 reads
Normally, the query Optimiser won't consider 'bushy' plans, where both operands to a join operator could be intermediate results from other joins. This means that it won't produce good query plans for some types of query. Hints, by themselves won't do it. More powerful magic is required.
2013-04-03
3,486 reads
n a database I currently support, the application makes use of db_datareader and db_datawriter to give permissions to the tables. In a different database, it's even worse as the application uses db_owner. We're adding new tables to both databases and we don't want the application to have access to these tables. How can I deal with the use of these three roles?
2013-04-02
3,632 reads
A while back I wrote a quick post on setting up key mappings in...
By Steve Jones
In 100 years a lot of what we take to be true now will...
At Saturday the 21st of February I’m presenting an introduction to dimensional modelling at...
Hello, I inherited a number of tables with like 20-30 column using nvarchar(256) in...
Hi, i'm running vs2022. I'm trying out a c# script that i'd like to...
I upgraded a SQL Server 2019 instance to SQL Server 2025. I wanted to test the fuzzy string search functions. I run this code:
SELECT JARO_WINKLER_DISTANCE('tim', 'tom')
I get this error message:Msg 195, Level 15, State 10, Line 1 'JARO_WINKLER_DISTANCE' is not a recognized built-in function name.What is wrong? See possible answers