Improve Query Performance when SQL Server Ignores Nonclustered Index
In this article, we look at why SQL Server may not use a non-clustered index over the clustered index and what you can do to improve performance.
2023-10-30
Database Performance
Explore Natively Compiled SQL Server Stored Procedure Execution Plans
In this article, we look at execution plans and performance of a natively compiled stored procedure versus a traditional stored procedure.
2023-10-16
The Complexity of Metrics
We need to monitor our servers, but individual metrics have more complexity than just setting simple limits for their readings.
2023-02-06 (first published: 2023-01-30)
317 reads
2022-08-05
452 reads
2020-11-13
122 reads
2020-11-12
516 reads
2020-06-23
853 reads
2020-06-22
494 reads
Set Statistics Time Examples for Tuning SQL Server Queries
The SQL Server set statistics time statement displays the number of milliseconds to parse, compile, and execute a T-SQL query statement. This set statement is widely used to assess times to implement a query statement. The set statistics time statement reports the CPU time and elapsed time for performance tuning.
2020-05-08
What Write Ahead Logging Is and Why It Matters
Kendra Little talks about write ahead logging in SQL Server, one of the basic concepts that developers and DBAs should understand.
2024-06-12 (first published: 2020-01-20)
4,739 reads
Blogs
PowerPoint to HTML with Claude AI
By Steve Jones
I had an idea for an animated view of a sales tool, and started...
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...
Forums
25 Years of SQL Server Central
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The Decoded Value
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Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition in Kubernetes: A Cost-Effective Alternative to RDS
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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