Review agent jobs not run recently or lacking schedules, combine history and activity, and disable approved candidates for review.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
Slow Running Query – SQL in Sixty Seconds #146
One of the most popular questions I receive during Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check is if I have a script that lists Slow Running Query.
Unquoted Procedure Parameters: Are Single Quotes Optional?
Unquoted procedure parameters work in SQL Server when the value is one plain word. This post builds a small procedure and tests which values fail without single quotes. It also shows how NULL, DEFAULT and numbers change the value.
Convert Integer to Date in SQL Server: ddMMyyyy Values
To convert integer to date values such as 09122020, split the number into day, month and year and build the date from the parts. This post compares four methods on tested data, shows why a lost leading zero and the session language break two of them, and times them on a million rows.
Change Database and Table Collation – SQL in Sixty Seconds #145
I discussed the method to change the database and table collation with my client during the Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check.
Slowest Cached Queries in SQL Server: Time, Reads and Plan
To find the slowest cached queries in SQL Server, rank each statement by its average elapsed time and keep its plan beside it. This post builds a small workload, reads sys.dm_exec_query_stats with the plan, and shows why a database filter on the sql text hides every ad hoc query.
sp_updatestats and Disabled Indexes: What Gets Updated
sp_updatestats and disabled indexes: the procedure updates statistics on disabled nonclustered indexes and skips a table whose clustered index is disabled. This post proves both, times the cost of disabled indexes against dropped ones on a million rows, and generates a targeted update that skips them.
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.

