After my MONTH() contest, here is a puzzle with YEAR function: what do MONTH and YEAR return for the date 0001-1-1, and why? Take a guess first.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
SQL SERVER – Know Your Backup Before Deleting Database
Dropping a database in a demo is fine, but on production be careful. Here is how to know your backup before deleting database, so you can undo mistakes.
Interview Question of the Week #023 – Error Handling with TRY…CATCH
Use error handling with TRY…CATCH, XACT_STATE, explicit rollback, and THROW, while recognizing errors that escape the current scope.
SQL SERVER – FIX: Msg 3102, Level 16, State 1 – RESTORE cannot process database ‘Name’ because it is in use by this session
Msg 3102 says RESTORE cannot process the database because it is in use by this session. The fix is simple: switch to master before you restore.
SQL SERVER – FIX – Error 3702, Level 16, State 3 – Cannot Drop Database “DB_Name” Because it is Currently in Use
Error 3702 says you cannot drop the database because it is currently in use, and even speakers get stuck on it. Here are simple ways to get past it.
SQL SERVER – Basic Statistics Maintenance – Notes from the Field #083
Statistics help the SQL Server engine pick an optimal plan. This Notes from the Field episode covers the basics of statistics maintenance every DBA should know.
SQL SERVER – Finding Out Identity Column Without Using Column Name
Did you know SELECT $identity finds the identity column without using column name? Here is how it works, and how to check if a table has one.
SQL Server slow? Let's fix it together in about four hours.
In my Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check, you share your screen, I guide you, and we fix your biggest performance troublemakers. No passwords. No remote access.
You keep every script, and the know-how to fix it yourself next time.
Want your whole team to learn it?
My Practical Workshop has no PowerPoint, just live demos. My AI Enablement Workshop shows your team where AI saves hours, and where it quietly costs them.
Over 400 customers have worked with me this way, and not one shared a password. See all consulting options.
Who We Are
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 19 books and 125 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 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.
Shaivi Pinalkumar Dave is a book author and a women’s artistic gymnast.

