Heaps in SQL Server: Part 4 PFS contention

When inserting rows into a heap, SQL Server must sometimes update the PFS page which can PFS contention and affect performance. In this article, Uwe Ricken demonstrates how to measure PFS contention.

Normal Forms

To prevent data change anomalies, a database should be normalized. Did you know that there are 10 normal forms? In this article, Joe Celko reviews normalizing databases including commonly used normal forms.

Hands-On with Columnstore Indexes: Part 4 Query Patterns

All queries run fast against columnstore indexes, right? In this article, Edward Pollack demonstrates some query patterns that don’t perform well and how to get around the issues.

Heaps in SQL Server: Part 3 Nonclustered Indexes

Uwe Ricken continues his series on heaps. This time he demonstrates a common scenario where the query against a heap is faster than a clustered index.

Heaps in SQL Server: Part 2 Optimizing Reads

In the second article of this series, Uwe Ricken discusses ways to affect the performance of queries involving heaps, including the TOP operator, compression, and partitioning.

Beginner Guide to In-Memory Optimized Tables in SQL Server

Microsoft added the In-Memory OLTP (aka memory optimized tables) feature to SQL Server 2014. Operations to this type of table do not need locks, therefore eliminating blocking and deadlocking. In this Article, Monica Rathbun demonstrates how to get started using memory optimized tables.

9 Tips for Faster SQL Server Applications

Wanna make your SQL Server applications go faster? Here are 9 simple tips that will give you a better chance for success. They’re not carved in stone, but they’re a good place to start.

Automating the Setup of the Local Developer Machine

On both Windows and Linux, the chore of setting up a development workstation can take several days, and there always seem to be a few configuration settings that get missed. You can reduce the time and tedium dramatically by automating the process by using Vagrant to set up the operating system, followed by your choice of provisioning, configuration management and orchestration applications such as Puppet, Chef, Ansible, Salt, Docker, Chocolatey and Boxstarter. Vishwas shows how to make it easy to do with Vagrant, Chocolatey and Boxstarter.

Development Delusions: That it is Enough to Build a Better Mousetrap

You've written a superb, clever, application that you are trying to encourage your colleagues to use. They're not interested. Why? You've neglected the documentation. Surely, the saying goes 'Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door'? Nope, not without comprehensive and complete documentation and marketing, it won't. Documentation is the secret of ensuring that good software will succeed.

Extended Procs