To convert integer to date values such as 09122020, split the number into day, month and year and build the date from the parts. This post compares four methods on tested data, shows why a lost leading zero and the session language break two of them, and times them on a million rows.
Change Database and Table Collation – SQL in Sixty Seconds #145
I discussed the method to change the database and table collation with my client during the Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check.
Slowest Cached Queries in SQL Server: Time, Reads and Plan
To find the slowest cached queries in SQL Server, rank each statement by its average elapsed time and keep its plan beside it. This post builds a small workload, reads sys.dm_exec_query_stats with the plan, and shows why a database filter on the sql text hides every ad hoc query.
sp_updatestats and Disabled Indexes: What Gets Updated
sp_updatestats and disabled indexes: the procedure updates statistics on disabled nonclustered indexes and skips a table whose clustered index is disabled. This post proves both, times the cost of disabled indexes against dropped ones on a million rows, and generates a targeted update that skips them.
Top N Plus Others: Grouping the Rest Into One Row
Create top N plus others summaries with deterministic category ranking, one remainder total, stable labels, and explicit display ordering.
Infinite Loop – SQL in Sixty Seconds #144
Lots of people wrote feedback about it and wanted me to explain in this video so I have built this new Video where I discuss Infinite Loop.
SQL SERVER – Change Database and Table Collation
To Change Database collation, I separate its default from existing character-column settings. The customer moved from case-insensitive to case-sensitive behavior.