DATE_BUCKET groups timestamps into hourly, weekly, and custom intervals, with an origin that determines where every boundary lands.
SQL SERVER – Difference Between EXEC and EXECUTE vs EXEC() – Use EXEC/EXECUTE for SP always
What is the difference between EXEC and EXECUTE? None. The real difference is EXEC vs EXEC(), and I show why EXEC belongs before every stored procedure call.
COUNT_BIG: Count Rows and Non-NULL Values as bigint
COUNT_BIG helps me name the counting rule before reading the result. Compare rows, supplied values and distinct readings. Then check empty results and the bigint return type.
SQL SERVER – Frequency of SQL Server Reboot and Restart
How often should you do a SQL Server reboot? From my experience there is no need, though our network team reboots all our servers every 15 days.
FORMATMESSAGE: Build a Message Without Raising an Error
FORMATMESSAGE returns formatted text without raising an error. Match placeholders to typed arguments and keep formatting separate from control flow.
RIGHT: Zero Padding Can Remove Significant Digits
RIGHT can make zero padding look correct while quietly removing significant digits. I validate the allowed numeric range before creating a fixed-width label. The suffix expression alone cannot tell whether the input fits.
Doing Remote DBA Work Well
Remote DBA work succeeds with controlled access, current runbooks, agreed change windows, and communication that makes every action visible.