Every Database Administrator, developer, report writer, and anyone else who writes T-SQL to access SQL Server data, must understand how to read and interpret execution plans. This book leads you right from the basics of capturing plans, through how to interrupt them in their various forms, graphical or XML, and then how to use the information you find there to diagnose the most common causes of poor query performance, and so optimize your SQL queries, and improve your indexing strategy.

Handling Errors in SQL Server 2012

by Additional Articles

SQLServerCentral

Error Handling

The error handling of SQL Server has always been somewhat mysterious. Now at last, the THROW statement has been included in SQL Server 2012 that, when combined with the TRY...CATCH block, makes error handling far easier. Robert Sheldon explains all.

Message Queues in Software

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

Steve Jones talks about Service Broker and messaging and how these techniques can help you build a more robust application.

SQL Server T-SQL Tuning – NOT IN and NOT Exists

by Additional Articles

SQL Server Performance

T-SQL

Following on from the previous TSQL performance tuning article in this series, we now focus on the important topic of T-SQL “Not IN” And “Not Exists “

Cramming for Interviews

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

Today Steve Jones talks about the questions people ask on the Internet about interviews. Are they ok? Should you cram for an interview this way?

SQLServerCentral Runs sp_Blitz - Reliability

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

The second article that examines the output of the sp_Blitz script™ run against SQLServerCentral's database servers.

Creating SSIS Package Templates for Reusability

by Additional Articles

MSSQLTips.com

Integration Services (SSIS)

We often need to create similar SSIS packages which contain some common components such as connection managers, data flow components, log providers, event handlers, etc... So do we really need to create a package from scratch each time and add all these commonly used components in each package again and again. Is it possible to create a SSIS package with a basic structure/workflow and common components which can be used as template to create subsequent packages?

How to write a custom metric

by Grant Fritchey

SQLServerCentral.com

SQL Monitor

You can extend SQL Monitor to track whatever you need to watch on your own system with custom metrics. Grant Fritchey shows us how.

Global Insecurities

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

The various security scans of 2012 reported lots of potential problems in companies. Why don't vendors make it easier for us to install and configure their software securely?

The Java Danger

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

This week a vulnerability in Java has prompted a large scale notice to the general public.

Free eBook: SQL Server Execution Plans

Handling Errors in SQL Server 2012

Message Queues in Software

SQL Server T-SQL Tuning – NOT IN and NOT Exists

Cramming for Interviews

SQLServerCentral Runs sp_Blitz - Reliability

Creating SSIS Package Templates for Reusability

How to write a custom metric

Global Insecurities

The Java Danger

Blogs

Are you getting value from your reporting?

The Book of Redgate: SQL Server Central

Git forked

Forums

Microsoft Security Changes and SQL Server

Expanding into Print

Downtime Caused by the Postgres Transaction ID Wraparound Problem

Question of the Day

The String Distance I