Beware of Generic SQL Server License Keys (What to Use Instead)
I (think) realize that content here is probably more applicable to mid-to-large organizations than small...
2026-04-27 (first published: 2026-04-22)
37 reads
PowerShell Remoting for SQL DBAs: WinRM + SSH Guide (Updated 2026)
Originally published in 2023, this post never made it into Google's index, so I'm republishing it...
2026-04-03 (first published: 2026-03-26)
413 reads
Fix Slow, Bloated MSDB: Purge Old History And Add Missing Indexes
After tempdb, msdb is often the most abused system database, growing unchecked until it tanks...
2026-02-11 (first published: 2026-01-30)
524 reads
Reality (And Limits) of Instant File Initialization for Transaction Logs in SQL Server 2022
If you’ve spent any time tuning SQL Server, you’ve probably heard “Turn...
2026-02-09 (first published: 2026-01-27)
312 reads
Dry-run xp_delete_file Before Actually Deleting Files?
xp_delete_file doesn’t really have a built-in dry-run option to preview which files it would remove. But there’s a simple workaround,...
2025-12-10 (first published: 2025-11-27)
489 reads
Writing Better Dynamic SQL
This updated and "sort" of a style guide is for SQL developers and, to some extent, DBAs, essentially anyone daring (and sometimes...
2025-11-18
304 reads
Set Theory vs. Batch Mode in SQL Server
Not long ago, a colleague of mine was completely shocked when he first heard about SQL Server’s Batch Mode feature. His immediate...
2025-10-15 (first published: 2025-09-23)
583 reads
Measuring and Improving SQL Server Query Plan Cache Efficiency
The query plan cache hit ratio in SQL Server indicates the percentage of queries that are executed...
2025-07-11 (first published: 2025-06-24)
645 reads
15 Characters or Less: The Challenge of SQL Server Listeners Name
There is a hard limit on how long your AlwaysOn listener name can be. That...
2025-01-27 (first published: 2025-01-14)
372 reads
How to clear the SSMS cache?
If you are reading this, it's probably because you too have this rare need to clear the SSMS cache for...
2025-01-13 (first published: 2025-01-10)
2,797 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...
By gbargsley
If you've been here before, you know this blog is usually about SQL Server,...
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...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item T-SQL Trigonometric Functions in SQL...
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