SQL Server 2019 Configuration Manager provides an interface for instant file initialization. My lab also used it with SQL Server 2017.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
How to Map Network Drive as Fixed Drive? – Interview Question of the Week #258
Question: How to Map Network Drive as Fixed Drive in SQL Server?
love little problems like this one as they are indeed a lot of fun to resolve.
Table Variable Deferred Compilation: Before and After SQL Server 2019
Compare table variable deferred compilation at compatibility levels 140 and 150, then decide when a temporary table gives better estimates.
Msg 3169: Managed Instance Backup Fails to Restore On-Premises
Msg 3169 told a client that a backup from SQL Azure Managed Instance was incompatible with their on-premises SQL Server 2019, even though both showed version 15. Managed Instance backups can only be restored to another managed instance, so we used a BACPAC instead.
ISNUMERIC Function Returns 1 for 12e5: What to Use Instead
The ISNUMERIC function returns 1 for strings that are not plain numbers, such as 12e5, a lone dollar sign and a lone plus. This post shows what it accepts, why, and which tests to use instead. It covers TRY_CAST and its blank string quirk, TRY_PARSE, and the digit pattern checks readers suggest.
Parameter Sniffing Fixes Compared: Which One to Use
Parameter sniffing fixes compared on one table show a clear order, from a cheap guess to a better index. This post runs the plain procedure, a local variable, OPTIMIZE FOR UNKNOWN, a scoped setting, OPTION (RECOMPILE) and a covering index on the same skewed table, and prints the page reads of each in both call orders.
OPTION (RECOMPILE) Hint: When a Fresh Plan Pays Off
The OPTION (RECOMPILE) hint tells SQL Server to build a new plan every time a statement runs. This post measures the page reads it saves on skewed data, the compile cost it adds, the filtered index it unlocks, and how to apply it to one statement of a procedure.
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