From what you described, it doesn't sound like you need a plan guid. Just add the query hint directly to the query.

Creating plan guides, every single bit of white space,...

You could use merge replication to ensure that the same data goes to all three servers, regardless of which one inputs the data. But that requires changes to your table...

If you're working in 2008 or better in SQL Server, I strongly recommend you use Extended Events. That's the least intrusive way to gather metrics. There's no GUI available unless...

You're getting deadlocks from your backup software? That's really not good. Contact the vendor. If they don't have an immediate fix, find another vendor. I have a suggestion on...

Monitoring the server generally means gathering different kinds of performance metrics. SQL Server comes with four tools that allow you to set this up on your own, Performance Monitor, Server-Side...

You will have to use T-SQL and set it up to execute in a dynamic manner as noted above. Use GETDATE() to get the date and time and format it...

Another topic shift:

WHOOP! I'm getting to publish my article on catastrophic data loss wherein I get to call companies out by name! Yippee! Includes one link to my favorite,...

Dev (4/25/2012)

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I feel interim table is unnecessary here. We can simplify the relationship between person & address as one-to-many. With this we will lose the flexibility to map one address...

Free pages isn't really a great performance counter for monitoring the server. It just indicates how the buffer manager is moving stuff around. You'd be better off looking at page...

Using NOLOCK can reduce blocking (and introduce all kinds of cool errors) but it doesn't eliminate resource contention. If you have other queries on the system that are using up...

Totally different.

If the inserts have already happened, the only...

Agree with what everyone said regarding the clustered index on the ID column. I don't think it's the way to go.

As far as getting index scans goes, it really comes...

You can get a generated query. Within SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) right click on the table and select "Script Table As" from the context menu. You'll see a second...

You'll get an error. Whether or not it stops the process, I can't say, not knowing what kind of code you have, error trapping, etc.

I would suggest that it's more...

Since that data type isn't supported in 2005, you need to get all the data to filter first on the 2008 server. Have you tried running the same query using...