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
17,671 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
9,503 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
12,171 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
8,413 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
24,331 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
7,472 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
10,866 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
8,375 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
13,152 reads
Blogs
Experimenting with CHOOSE: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
I was looking over the CHOOSE() function while editing an article at SQL Server...
Fighting Procrastination?
By Brian Kelley
Here is another short video (~ 15 minutes). This is by the author of...
A Fun Prize at the PASS Data Community Summit
By Steve Jones
I had a briefing for the 2026 PASS Data Community Summit, which is just...
Forums
SQL Server 2025 Server-level Roles
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Stairway to DAX and Power BI - Level 29: The DAX Combine & Aggregate Functions
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AI Is Improving Security
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Question of the Day
SQL Server 2025 Server-level Roles
In SQL Server 2022+, what does the ##MS_DatabaseConnector## role allow?
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