No, you do not want to overwrite anything, especially not previous backup before the new one is finished successfully.

It is a very strange requirement to hold a backup just one...

It's better to write a function, even better a table-valued inline function, and even better a view:

CREATE VIEW view_a as

SELECT a.email, a.membershipexpiry,

Expired = CASE WHEN a.membershipexpiry < GETDATE() THEN 1...

It indeed scans myindex for no obvious reason, except to make a query a bit slower (bug in optimizer?).

However, this:

set statistics io on

update mytable set max_length = 88 -- 789...

Indeed, you are making a crucial mistake by not using appropriate datatypes.

The penalty you give yourself is tons of problems you will experience now and in the future, and even...

Try executing the whole statement at destination db:

EXEC('MERGE ...') AT MYDBLINKNAME

What is remote server? Sql server, oracle or something else?

It updates (sets) variables to null.

No, backup will not truncate the log, nor it will...

Log truncation does not shrink the file size, it just marks the parts of the log file free for reuse. You have to explicitly shrink the log file. Don't shrink...

Are there other applications/sql instances on the server ? 8.5GB is too low if your instance is alone on the server.

Min server memory is not so important to set, especially...

Your @title is null (not set), hence function is returning NULL. Why quirky update? It is probably the last thing I would do.

Why, what are you trying to achieve?

Full and differential backup does not truncate transaction log, it is (almost) independent. Transaction log backup command can truncate transaction log, and usually is...

Search for sp_whoisactive

Search for "running total" on this site. In sql 2012 it is trivial with OVER() clause, but in sql 2008 or before you will have to use a self-join.

Always give...

Exactly what error it is throwing ?

Without a test case or at least error message I can give you only a rough guess:

"Table is cleared..."

Data change from execution to execution,...

Use STR function. E.g:

declare @x money=12345.69851

SELECT [STR]=STR(@x, 20, 2), [CONVERT_default]=CONVERT(varchar(20), @x), [CONVERT_format_1]=CONVERT(varchar(20), @x, 1), [CONVERT_format_2]=CONVERT(varchar(20), @x, 2)