The heap or clustered index choice changes the reads of every scan. The demos measure forwarded records in a heap, a range query on both kinds of table, and the size of a nonclustered index on a wide key, and says when a heap is the right choice.
Challenges and Opportunities for DBAs in the Next 5-10 Years: How to Prepare
DBA challenges and opportunities call for skills we can practice now. I focus on recovery, performance and judgment as tools change.
sp_delete_database_backuphistory: Prune msdb Backup History
The sp_delete_database_backuphistory procedure removes the backup and restore history of one database from msdb, and sp_delete_backuphistory does it by age. The demo counts the rows of a database before and after the delete and previews the delete by age. The last sections explain how to keep the history small.
SQL SERVER 2022 – Last Valid Restore Time – Improved Backup Metadata
One significant addition to the backup metadata is the inclusion of the last valid restore time. In SQL Server 2022, a new improved backup metadata feature.
Finding Permissions Granted Directly to Users Instead of Roles
Find permissions granted directly to users, generate role-based review statements, and preserve DENY, column, and grant-option distinctions.
Configuring Parallel Index Operations in SQL Server
MAXDOP limits supported parallel index operations without changing unrelated instance settings. I choose the ceiling from the maintenance workload.
Query Store Wait Stats: Why a Query Was Slow, Not Just That It Was
Read Query Store wait stats by query, plan, interval, and category, then compare matched windows with execution counts and capture coverage.