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Is your SQL Server running slow and you want to speed it up without sharing server credentials? In my Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check, we can work together remotely and resolve your biggest performance troublemakers in less than 4 hours.

Once you learn my business secrets, you will fix the majority of problems in the future.

SQL Server Performance Tuning Expert frontimage2

Have you ever opened any PowerPoint deck when you face SQL Server Performance Tuning emergencies? SQL Server Performance Tuning Practical Workshop is my MOST popular training with no PowerPoint presentations and 100% practical demonstrations.

Essentially I share my business secrets to optimize SQL Server performance.

For SQL Server Emergency Help, you can reach out to me at pinal@sqlauthority.com with words URGENT in the email subject line for other services mention “Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check“.

SQL SERVER – Finding The Oldest Query Plan From Cache

Pinal Dave
SQL Tips and Tricks
SQL Cache, SQL DMV, SQL Scripts, SQL Server
1 Comment

Often people ask where do I come up with a new blog idea everyday. Well, answer is that I am not the one who comes up with new idea, it is all of you who inspire everyday with a new idea. Recently one of the healtch check client Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check asked me if there is anyway can see the oldest query plan from the cache for his server.

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SQL SERVER – SQL Server Agent Missing in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

Pinal Dave
SQL
SQL Error Messages, SQL Scripts, SQL Server, SQL Server Agent, SQL Server Management Studio, SSMS
16 Comments

Learning never stops when you are a consultant. While doing my recent Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check my client asked an interesting question. He informed that he is not able to see SQL Server Agent node in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). What could be the possible cause? I was able to provide him answers and sharing it here. First, let us understand what he meant.  If you look closer at two SSMS connection. Do you notice a difference? Yes. As the title says – SQL Server Agent is missing in the second image. So, what are the possible causes?

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Data Privacy – Are Your Database Processes Fully Compliant?

Pinal Dave
SQL
GDPR Compliance, Redgate
No Comments

This year has been filled with data privacy and protection concerns. From the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the exposure of data breaches at Cambridge Analytica, Facebook and Under Armour, to new legislation springing up in the US, including New York’s Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (SHIELD) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Stories about the value of data – and the risks associated with it – are everywhere. As data professionals, the pressure is there to achieve a balance between compliance and the need to deliver faster than ever.

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SQL SERVER – 5061: FIX Error: ALTER DATABASE failed because a lock could not be placed on database ‘Database Name’. Try again later.

Pinal Dave
SQL Tips and Tricks
sp_who2, SQL Error Messages, SQL Scripts, SQL Server
2 Comments

Every consulting engagement is different and I get to learn new things. In this blog post, I will share what I learned during my recent Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check. During health check to demonstrate one of the scenarios we had created a test database in our environment. However, after the test was complete we wanted to take the database offline so we eventually can drop it or bring it online if needed, however, as soon as we ran the command to take database offline, it gave is an error related to alter database failed because a lock could not be placed on database.

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SQL SERVER – OLE DB Provider ‘Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0’ for Linked Server ‘(null)’ Returned Message ‘Unspecified Error’

Pinal Dave
SQL
Excel, Linked Server, SQL Error Messages, SQL Scripts, SQL Server
3 Comments

There are many situations where you have to create a linked server to Microsoft Excel and read data from there. While doing that, I encountered an error and in this blog, we would discuss how to fix OLE DB provider ‘Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0’ for linked server ‘(null)’ returned message ‘Unspecified error’

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How to Grow All Files in a File Group Equally? – TRACE FLAG 1117 – Interview Question of the Week #201

Pinal Dave
SQL Interview Questions and Answers
SQL FileGroup, SQL Scripts, SQL Server, SQL TempDB, TraceFlags
No Comments

Question: How to Grow All Files in a File Group Equally?

Answer: If you are a regular reader of this blog, you would have read my earlier blog post writing about this subject over here: SQL Server 2016 – Introducing AutoGrow and Mixed_Page_Allocations Options – TraceFlags. However, let us try to get an answer to our question in this blog.

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Pinal Dave is an SQL Server Performance Tuning Expert and independent consultant with over 24 years of hands-on experience. He holds a Masters of Science degree and numerous database certifications.

Pinal has authored 14 SQL Server database books and 92 Pluralsight courses. To freely share his knowledge and help others build their expertise, Pinal has also written more than 5,800 database tech articles on his blog at https://blog.sqlauthority.com.

Pinal is an experienced and dedicated professional with a deep commitment to flawless customer service. If you need help with any SQL Server Performance Tuning Issues, please feel free to reach out at pinal@sqlauthority.com.

Pinal is also a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer (CF-L1) and CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2).

Nupur Dave is a social media enthusiast and an independent consultant. She primarily focuses on the database domain, helping clients build short and long-term multi-channel campaigns to drive leads for their sales pipeline.