Set LOCK_TIMEOUT to bound lock waits, reproduce error 1222, clean up the transaction, and retry safely without confusing client timeouts.
What to Collect When SQL Server Is Slow
Collect SQL Server diagnostic data in a useful order: waits, active requests, blockers, execution plans, and file IO during the slow period.
What Is a Cursor in SQL Server, and When to Avoid One
A cursor in SQL Server took 260 milliseconds where one SELECT took 4. Why the gap exists, how to turn a loop back into a set, and the three cases where a cursor really is the right answer.
SQL SERVER – NTFS File System Performance for SQL Server
A reader asked how to tune the NTFS File System for an 80 GB SQL Server box. I start a list of best practices, like disabling disk indexing; help me finish it.
SQL SERVER – Video – Beginning Performance Tuning with SQL Server Execution Plan
Performance tuning is a long journey, and the Execution Plan is its map. A video on how to begin tuning queries with SQL Server execution plans.
SQL SERVER – A Quick Look at Logging and Ideas around Logging
What comes to mind when you hear logging? I asked five SQL Server friends and got five answers, from the OUTPUT clause on. Here are our ideas around logging.
Changing an Index In Place With CREATE INDEX and DROP_EXISTING
Use DROP_EXISTING to change an index definition in one operation, inspect its columns, and check online availability and dependencies.