Need to know parameters of stored procedure code quickly? Here are two methods, including sp_help, that list each parameter with its type and order.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
SQL Server – Error While Enabling CDC on a Table – The specified ‘@server’ is invalid (valid values are returned by sp_helpserver)
A reader got an error while enabling CDC on a table: The specified ‘@server’ is invalid. Here is what the message means and what caused it for him.
Hey DBA – Watch Your Vendors! Hey Vendors – Try a Little Harder! – Notes from the Field #077
Notes from the Field #077: Mike Walsh asks every DBA to watch their vendors, and asks vendors to try a little harder. Lessons for both sides.
How to Identify Cross-Database Transactions in SQL Server
To find cross-database transactions, search the code for references to other databases, watch a live transaction with a DMV, or read special records in the transaction log. This post tests all three on two demo databases. It also shows why a popular log script flags a brand new database.
SQL SERVER – Split Comma Separated List Without Using a Function
I have shown how to build a comma separated list many times. This time a reader wanted the reverse: split a comma separated list into rows without a function.
Dirty Pages in Memory: Count Them Before and After CHECKPOINT
Dirty pages in memory are changed data pages that SQL Server has not yet written to disk. This post counts them with sys.dm_os_buffer_descriptors on SQL Server 2025, before and after CHECKPOINT, and explains why the same script can show nothing on newer servers.
Interview Question of the Week #016 – How to Take Database Offline
Take a database offline with the right waiting policy, compare detach and SINGLE_USER, and verify SQL Server state before and after.
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