An ISSERVER assembly error during a SQL Server upgrade needs the surrounding SSISDB messages before you choose a repair. The tests here trigger both errors in a throwaway database, show how they differ and run the catalog checks safely when SSISDB is missing or unreadable.
Index Key Columns and Included Columns in SQL Server
Index key columns and included columns show what each index really stores. This post builds one query that lists them for every index, then a second query that finds indexes with the same keys or a shared leading key. It ends with the rules for merging them safely.
Running Several SQL Server Instances on One Machine
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.