Advice on using COUNT( )
In this article new columnist Christoffer Hedgate offers his advice on what performs better, COUNT(*) or COUNT(column).
2002-09-23
17,658 reads
Performance Tuning
Performance Adding Hints
During the process of performance tuning queries and stored procedures there comes a time when you will notice that the execution plan selected by SQL Server is not the best plan. On occasion, everything you try doesnt cause SQL Server to choose the best way to execute your code. These are the times when hints can improve performance.
2002-09-10
9,487 reads
Using Bitwise Operators to Boost Performance
Bitwise operators can be challenging to manage at first. However, with practice and patience, and under the right conditions, these operators can provide remarkable performance improvements in production environments. This article will compare two methods of accomplishing the same output, one with a normalized model and the other with bitwise operators.
2002-09-05
12,143 reads
Relational Database Without Relations
The strength and holy grail of relational databases lies in the very name: relations. Microsoft has put a good deal of intelligence and cunning into query optimizations, caching, indexing and execution plans to make the process of finding related records even smoother and faster. This small article, however, will try to shatter the very sacred notion of relational databases.
2002-07-29
8,408 reads
Understanding Execution Plans Part 1
The purpose of this article is to give you a working knowledge of how to view and understand query execution plans for SQL Server. This is part 1 in a series of articles that will walk you through understanding execution plans to help you improve your queries.
2002-07-26
24,320 reads
Using Interface-Based Programming Techniques in SQL Server
Programmers can most commonly relate to interface-based programming in their programming language. This is harder to accomplish in SQL Server though. In this article by Chris Cubley, he shows you how to build interfaced-based SQL.
2002-07-19
7,457 reads
How 11GB of SQL Server Data Mysteriously Disappeared
What would you do if your SQL Server database mysteriously lost 11GB of data? Find out what happened to me. This story has a happy ending.
2002-07-03
1,149 reads
How Dynamic SQL Can Be Static SQL Part 2
This article shows you how to use the CASE function to design single query solutions that have changing results depending on the values you assign to variables. These techniques are extremely useful as alternatives to dynamic SQL.
2002-05-14
10,861 reads
Review of SQL Server 2000 Performance Tuning
This book from Microsoft Press has a lot of good information that will help you do capacity planning and performance tuning. Is it worth buying though? Andy just finishing reading it and writing the review, see what he thinks!
2002-05-03
8,372 reads
Making Dynamic Queries Static
Building and executing dynamic sql in a stored procedure - is it the only way to solve problems like supporting a simple search function? Leon offers a couple alternatives that let you continue to provide the functionality in a stored procedure without using dynamic sql. Interesting ideas worth exploring!
2002-05-02
13,137 reads
Blogs
The SUM of Nothing: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
I caught this interesting item over on Pinal Dave’s blog: Eleven Interview Questions that...
How to Move the SSMS Status Bar to the Top and Color-Code SQL Server Connections
By Hemantgiri
I use color-coded connections in SSMS to distinguish Production, Pre-Production, UAT, and Development. But...
Forums
Building a SQL Server Fleet Audit That Leadership Actually Reads
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Building a SQL Server Fleet...
Smart AI Agents and Data Security
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Smart AI Agents and Data...
RegEx Functions IV
Comments posted to this topic are about the item RegEx Functions IV
Question of the Day
RegEx Functions IV
I have this data in a table in a SQL Server 2025 database:
EmailAddressID EmailAddress 7 dylan0@ADVENTURE-WORKS.COM 8 Diane1@ADVENTURE-WORKS.COMIf I run this query, which row(s) are returned?
SELECT top 10 * FROM person.EmailAddress WHERE REGEXP_LIKE(EmailAddress, '^D', 'i') AND BusinessEntityID IN (7,8)See possible answers