Randy starts a multiple part series on tuning queries. We've asked Randy to really start from scratch and walk through the process. This week he takes a look at viewing query plans in Query Analyzer.
2019-11-11 (first published: 2003-08-19)
26,118 reads
In this article Randy Dyness shows you how to avoid temp tables whenever to maximize the performance of your queries.
2017-08-18 (first published: 2002-04-09)
69,794 reads
Building high performance applications with SQL Server can be a challenge if you do not understand how the query processor works and how the server uses indexes. SQL Server expert Randy Dyess brings a look at how bookmark lookups are used when satisfying a query and how this can impact the performance of your query.
2008-07-18 (first published: 2005-05-30)
38,918 reads
Did you know that you can obtain the execution plans for your SQL Server 2000 queries using Profiler? It is an interesting concept, especially when you need to troubleshoot the queries on a system that you did not develop and cannot obtain source code for. SQL Server guru andy Dyess brings us the technique you can use to find those queries and execution plans.
2005-04-18
16,770 reads
Understanding the different types of joins used by the optimizer will help developers and DBAs understand how the optimizer is routing their queries. Developers often create queries without knowing that it would only take a few tweaks to produce an execution plan that utilizes one optimizer join method over another. These small tweaks can have dramatic effects on the optimization of the query and the ultimate satisfaction of the query by the end-users.
2005-02-09
22,516 reads
Some good info on password changes in Yukon (SQL 2005). Based on the beta, but worth taking a look at.
2004-03-19
8,917 reads
Randy says that the biggest reason we have so many injection vulnerabilities is that all the asp books use inline sql for their examples! We STILL encounter developers who don't understand injection. Read and pass on to your dev team.
2004-02-24
15,781 reads
We've had a good run of jobs about job management lately, Randy sent us another one that looks at the job of job management and shows us how he tackled the problem.
2003-04-02
24,098 reads
This article explains how to use a simple batch file and script file to manage multiple databases on multiple servers.
2002-10-24
9,992 reads
This article briefly discusses SQL Server's data and procedure cache and shows you the common Transact-SQL statements/command and system tables that you can use to interact with the cache through Transact-SQL.
2002-08-15
14,206 reads
Next Monday, February 9, 2026, my one-day live online training SQL Server Query Tuning...
By Steve Jones
One of the features we advocates have been advocating for is a better way...
Microsoft fixed the AVX instruction issue in SQL Server 2025 CU1. The container now...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item 25 Years of SQL Server...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Decoded Value
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition...
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned from this code:
DECLARE @message VARCHAR(50) = 'Hello SQL Server 2025!'; DECLARE @encoded VARCHAR(MAX); SET @encoded = BASE64_ENCODE(CAST(@message AS VARBINARY(1000))); SELECT BASE64_DECODE(@encoded)See possible answers