Understanding Scans And Seeks
Whether a query uses Scan or Seek can have a big impact on the cost of excuting that query. This article examines when each is used and which is optimal.
Using Star Join and Few-Outer-Row Optimizations to Improve Data Warehousing Queries
In this white paper we discuss two of the new features in SQL Server 2008, Star Join and Few-Outer-Row optimizations. We test the performance of SQL Server 2008 on a set of complex data warehouse queries designed to highlight the effect of these two features and observed a significant performance gain over SQL Server 2005 (without these two features).
Finding Passwords
There was a vulnerability announced in the SQL Server password system last week, but Steve Jones doesn't see this as much of an issue. Read his thoughts and see if you agree.
Returning full error details from SQL Server Agent jobs
Tired of the truncated error history that is available for SQL Server Agent jobs in SSMS, here is a way to get deeper information - easily!
EVA Partition Alignment
Partition alignment is a well documented best practice, but does it have any benefit on an HP EVA?
Finding Passwords
There was a vulnerability announced in the SQL Server password system last week, but Steve Jones doesn't see this as much of an issue. Read his thoughts and see if you agree.
Finding Passwords
There was a vulnerability announced in the SQL Server password system last week, but Steve Jones doesn't see this as much of an issue. Read his thoughts and see if you agree.
Finding Passwords
There was a vulnerability announced in the SQL Server password system last week, but Steve Jones doesn't see this as much of an issue. Read his thoughts and see if you agree.
Transact-SQL Formatting Standards
How should SQL code be formatted? What sort of indentation should you use? Should keywords be in upper case? How should lists be lined up? SQL is one of those languages that will execute however you treat whitespace and capitalization. However, the way SQL is laid out will effect its readability and the time taken to review and understand it. Standardisation of code layout is an important issue, but what standard should you adopt? Rob avoids a direct answer, but tells you the sort of answers you'll need to decide upon when creating a strategy for formatting SQL code.
Enforcing Data Quality while using Surrogate Keys
Data quality is important in a database, but so many people fail to implement good referential integrity. New author Marvin Elder brings us an article that looks at surrogate keys for ensuring data quality.
Blogs
No Shortcuts for the SQLCMD Batch Terminator: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
I was messing around with SQLCMD and I realized something I hadn’t known. I’ve...
Where Is My SQL Agent? Running Scheduled Jobs Against Azure SQL Database
By gbargsley
One of the first things I review when I inherit a new SQL Server...
AgentDBA vs Critical SQL Server
By Arun Sirpal
It’s 07:43. Someone’s already left a message. “Something’s wrong with the DB server.” You...
Forums
Increment a number in a SQL Query based on a value
I have an issue where I have a Bill of Material list of items...
Follow Your Hunch
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Follow Your Hunch
What Happens When You Ask a Local AI to Query Your Database?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item What Happens When You Ask...
Question of the Day
Detecting Characters
I have a SQL Server 2022 English default installation on a server. I want to detect if there are any upper case characters in rows and I have this code:
SELECT CustomerNameID,
CustomerName
FROM dbo.CustomerName
WHERE CustomerName = LOWER(CustomerName)
Here is the sample data I am testing with:
CustomerNameID CustomerName 1 John Smith 2 Sarah Johnson 3 MICHAEL WILLIAMS 4 JENNIFER BROWN 5 david jones 6 emily davis 7 Robert Miller 8 LISA WILSON 9 christopher moore 10 Amanda TaylorHow many rows are returned? See possible answers