SQL Server Configuration Manager missing from the Start Menu? Open it directly from C:\Windows\System32 with the SQLServerManager msc file for your version.
Hypothetical Indexes in SQL Server: Find and Drop Them All
Hypothetical indexes are leftovers from the Database Engine Tuning Advisor. They hold a name and statistics but no data. This post lists them, shows they cannot serve a query, and drops them in two steps: a list you read first, and a drop second.
SQL SERVER – SQL Service Not Getting Started Automatically After Server Reboot While Using gMSA Account
My first gMSA test: SQL Service was not started automatically after server reboot, even with automatic startup set. Here is what the event log showed.
SQL SERVER – Error: 18456, State 149 – Login-based Server Access Validation Failed With an Infrastructure Error. Login Lacks Connect Endpoint Permission
Connecting to the DAC with SQLCMD, I got Error 18456, State 149: Login lacks connect endpoint permission. Here is what the ERRORLOG showed and how to fix it.
Fix Error 3637: Backup Fails on a DAC Connection
To fix error 3637, find out why your backup runs on a dedicated administrator connection. This post reproduces the message with sqlcmd and its -A switch, shows the same backup working on a normal connection, and lists where a DAC hides in scripts and scheduled tasks.
How to Extract Alphanumeric Only From A String? – Interview Question of the Week #214
A reader wanted only the values that mix letters and numbers from a column. Here is how to extract alphanumeric values from a string with simple pattern matching.
Eager Index Spool: When the Plan Builds Its Own Index
Investigate an eager index spool, read seek keys and output, and compare a supporting index with the cost of rebuilding temporary storage.