Quick tip: Querying database metadata with DBCC DBINFO
Page 9 in file 1 (of the primary filegroup) in a SQL Server database is the header page and contains...
2012-09-11
2,118 reads
Ctrl-alt-geek
Quick tip: Using DBCC SQLPERF(‘LogSpace’)
A lot of a DBA’s time is spent managing and investigating transaction log files.
A commonly used tool is the command:
DBCC...
2012-09-10
2,782 reads
Deploying and processing SSAS cubes
In SSAS we build what’s known as a UDM, or Unified Dimensional Model, over the top of a database schema,...
2012-08-01
7,080 reads
Restores in SQL Server Analysis Services
“You’re only as good as your last restore”
I’ve no idea who originally said that – but it probably qualifies as DBA...
2012-08-01
1,026 reads
Backups in SQL Server Analysis Services
Analysis Services databases should be backed up at regular intervals like any other database. Here are the basics.
Using the GUI:...
2012-07-24 (first published: 2012-07-19)
2,754 reads
Quick tip: configure SQL Server authentication mode using T-SQL
SQL Server stores its authentication mode in the registry. The registry can be read and updated using the T-SQL commands...
2012-07-11
1,286 reads
Don’t believe everything you read: Reconfigure flushes the plan cache
I’ve been doing a fair bit of research and investigation into the behavior of the plan cache recently. So I was concerned...
2012-06-28 (first published: 2012-06-25)
3,784 reads
Corrupt Model database
An interesting case arose at work the other day. SAN issues had caused SQL Server to shutdown and it was...
2012-06-20
751 reads
Service Broker: What does a DBA need to know?
Service Broker is SQL Server’s internal messaging system. It has been designed as an asynchronous, reliable and transactional messaging system...
2012-06-13 (first published: 2012-06-07)
10,602 reads
Plan cache in SQL Server 2008R2
I was curious to look at the effect of database options, on the SQL server plan cache.
I have restored the...
2012-05-23
1,167 reads
Blogs
Don’t Miss Out – SQL Server Query Tuning Fundamentals Starts Next Monday!
Next Monday, February 9, 2026, my one-day live online training SQL Server Query Tuning...
Monday Monitor Tips: SQL Auditing Preview
By Steve Jones
One of the features we advocates have been advocating for is a better way...
SQL Server 2025 CU1 Fixes the Docker Desktop AVX Issue on macOS
Microsoft fixed the AVX instruction issue in SQL Server 2025 CU1. The container now...
Forums
25 Years of SQL Server Central
Comments posted to this topic are about the item 25 Years of SQL Server...
The Decoded Value
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Decoded Value
Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition in Kubernetes: A Cost-Effective Alternative to RDS
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition...
Question of the Day
The Decoded Value
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