Reading the default trace can reveal recent object and configuration changes while its rolling files still retain the evidence.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
Baselines: Knowing What Normal Looks Like
Build a SQL Server baseline with timestamped workload, wait, and IO samples so you can compare a slowdown with a similar period of normal work.
SQL SERVER – Delete Backup History – Cleanup Backup History
SQL Server keeps backup history in msdb forever. Use sp_delete_backuphistory to delete backup history older than 30 days, or any number you pick.
SQL SERVER – Check Database Integrity for All Databases of Server – DBCC CHECKDB
A quick script to check database integrity for all the databases on a server with DBCC CHECKDB and sp_msforeachdb, and how to read its output.
Why WHERE Runs Before SELECT
Learn logical query processing to understand WHERE, SELECT aliases, grouped filters, and ordering without confusing syntax with execution.
Why One Query Has Two Cached Plans: SET Options and plan_attributes
Investigate two cached plans with plan_attributes, decode differing SET options, and match application settings before diagnosing skew.
SQL SERVER – Refresh Database Using T-SQL
Can you refresh database in Object Explorer using a T-SQL query? No. But if cached objects changed, DBCC commands can clear the cache for you.
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