Find 32-bit dependencies in linked servers, Agent steps, SSIS execution choices, and Windows ODBC drivers before a server move.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
DMV Snapshot Deltas for a Query Activity Interval
DMV snapshot deltas show counter growth for cached statements that survive two observations. Compare their identities and report missing coverage before ranking activity.
Partition Stats Permissions: A SQL Server 2025 CU9 Counterpoint
A controlled SQL Server 2025 CU9 test separates partition metadata visibility from access to table rows. Compare the documented permission pair with observed grant behavior, and keep the build-specific result within its measured scope.
STARTUP_STATE: Check Whether an Extended Events Session Is Running
STARTUP_STATE controls automatic startup after SQL Server starts, while current session state tells whether an Extended Events session is running now. Compare both states and verify an event-file capture before assuming that a setting started the session.
SQL SERVER – Denali – ObjectID in Negative – Local TempTable has Negative ObjectID
On Denali I saw many negative ObjectID values in sys.all_objects. Here is how I found out that each local temp table gets a negative ObjectID.
Statistics Histograms Explained
Statistics histograms explained through steps, RANGE_ROWS, EQ_ROWS, and DBCC SHOW_STATISTICS help connect data shape to plan estimates.
STCurveToLine: Convert Curves to Linear Approximations
STCurveToLine approximates circular curves with linear geometry. Compare curve, polygon, point, empty and NULL results by their type and state.
SQL Server slow? Let's fix it together in about four hours.
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You keep every script, and the know-how to fix it yourself next time.
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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.

