Implicit transactions make SQL Server open a transaction on the first data statement and keep it open until a COMMIT or ROLLBACK. This post shows what starts one, how @@TRANCOUNT counts it, why a second session waits, and how to find and clear the sessions that left work open.
Adapting to the Evolving Role of the DBA with SQL DM
The evolving role of the DBA includes proactive monitoring. See how SQL DM can highlight risk, help prioritize issues and support the team.
Data Quality Asserts in T-SQL: Failing a Load When Rules Break
Write data quality asserts in T-SQL to reject invalid staging rows, preserve check results, and record each load attempt.
Column-Level Permissions: Hiding One Column From Some Users
Apply SQL Server column-level permissions, test DENY and SELECT behavior, inspect explicit grants, and compare views with data masking.
Cross-Database Ownership Chaining: Why It Is Off and What to Use
Understand cross-database ownership chaining, inspect its scope, and use signed procedures for narrow access between SQL Server databases.
Finding Oversized Data Files With Lots of Free Space
Identify oversized data files with FILEPROPERTY, separate internal free space from disk capacity, and review one-time shrink choices.
VLF Growth Rules: How Many Virtual Log Files One Growth Adds
The VLF growth rules say how many virtual log files one log growth adds: one up to 64 MB, eight up to 1 GB, sixteen above. This post measures them on a demo database, shows a log with 68 VLFs from 1 MB steps, and repairs it by shrinking and growing once.