Budget several SQL Server instances on one Windows host, inventory services, assign memory and ports, and monitor shared resource pressure.
SQL SERVER – How to Invoke SSMS Help From Command Prompt?
A workshop attendee asked how to invoke SSMS help from Command Prompt. Here is how to open SSMS from the command line and list all of its parameters.
SQL SERVER – Windows Authentication or System Admin Account (SA)
Windows Authentication or the SA account? A client asked me in a Health Check, and here is why my advice is Windows Authentication wherever you can.
How to Find Table Cardinality from the Execution Plan? – Interview Question of the Week #213
How to find table cardinality from the execution plan? I answer this health check question in two different ways, using a simple AdventureWorks query.
PostgreSQL – Storing Unicode Characters is Easy
PostgreSQL varchar can store Unicode with suitable database and client encodings. My example stores ЯНВАРЬ, the Russian word for January.
Update Statistics With FULLSCAN and MAXDOP in SQL Server
To update statistics with FULLSCAN in parallel, add MAXDOP to the statement. This post builds a table of 3 million rows, times the update with MAXDOP 1, the instance default and 8, and shows which statistics speed up and which do not.
Tracking Backup Throughput and Duration From msdb History
Track backup throughput and duration from msdb history, compare recent trends, and keep striped devices from duplicating backup totals.