Ad Hoc SQL Server Help
I just need a few hours of your time… We get a variation of this request a LOT. So now it’s time to do something about it! Ad Hoc...
2026-03-02
20 reads
Dallas DBAs
SQL Server Upgrades: In-Place or New Server?
This isn’t a religious debate. I have a client right now debating how to handle SQL Server upgrades across all of their dev and test environments. And it’s...
2026-02-18 (first published: 2025-12-31)
420 reads
SQL Server Reliability: Clearing the Fuzzy Thinking
The terminology around reliability is a mess If you’ve ever said, “We’re covered, it’s replicated,” you’re in good company. SQL Server is a massive, 35+ year-old product that...
2025-11-19
20 reads
Data Conferences – Worth Every Dollar
Some of the best career enhancers you can buy. Why I Go to Conferences I go for two big reasons: Learning from the best. The folks teaching at...
2025-12-01 (first published: 2025-11-12)
282 reads
SQL Server Versions: Out With the Old, In With the Supported
If your production SQL Servers are still running 2016 (or older) you’re basically banking on inertia. Sure, it’s been stable. But that doesn’t guarantee it’ll stay safe or compliant....
2025-10-29
31 reads
SQL Server Migration Overview
It’s Not Just Backup / Restore At some point every company faces it: the SQL Server that’s been quietly running for years is due for retirement. Maybe the hardware...
2025-10-22
20 reads
SQL Server Alerts
Don’t Let Trouble Sneak Up on You Most SQL Servers run quietly. Until they don’t. By the time someone notices an application outage or a failed backup, you’re...
2025-11-03 (first published: 2025-10-15)
341 reads
“SQL Server Is Slow” Part 4 of 4
Parts 1, 2 and 3 got you to the (SQL) engine room. Now we use community-trusted tools to find what’s going on, fix it safely, and hopefully keep it...
2025-10-07
194 reads
SQL Server is Slow, part 3 of 4
In parts 1 and 2 of this series, we’ve gathered info and done the triage just like anyone in almost any industry does At this point you’ve: Defined what...
2025-10-27 (first published: 2025-10-01)
1,743 reads
SQL Server Is Slow – Part 2 of 4(?)
The 10-Minute Outside-In Triage Don’t Blame SQL First It’s 9:05 AM and your helpdesk lights up: “The SQL Server is down. Nothing works.” By 9:07, everyone is staring at...
2025-09-24
27 reads
Blogs
Programmatic Tool Calling with the Claude SDK
Programmatic Tool Calling with the Claude SDK Every morning somebody on the team runs the...
A New Word: Mauerbauertraurigkeit
By Steve Jones
mauerbauertraurigkeit – n. inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends whose company...
Methodology for dealing with bad data in production
By Brian Kelley
Pinal Dave wrote up his methodology for what to do when you discover bad...
Forums
Why SQL Server Database Attach fails and how to repair it
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Why SQL Server Database Attach...
Fixing P1 Queries
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Fixing P1 Queries
Question of the Day
BIT_COUNT() IV
In SQL Server 2025, I run this code:
select bit_count('A')
What is returned? See possible answers