What is Index Fragmentation and how do page splits cause it? How to measure it with DBCC SHOWCONTIG in SQL Server 2000 and sys.dm_db_index_physical_stats in 2005.
SQL SERVER – Explanation and Comparison of NULLIF and ISNULL
NULLIF returns NULL when two expressions are equal and the first one when they are not. Here is how it compares with ISNULL and the matching CASE expression.
A Simple Dashboard From DMVs
A dashboard from DMVs can show live requests, database state, waits, and backups when its queries refresh without adding load.
SQLAuthority.com News – Journey to SQL Authority Milestone of SQL Server
My 200th post, a thank you to my readers and a look at the Journey to SQL Authority milestones: interview questions, coding standards, jobs, humor and more.
SQL SERVER – De-fragmentation of Database at Operating System to Improve Performance
Why does de-fragmentation of database files at the operating system level skip MDF files? SQL Server has them open, so stop the services first.
SQL SERVER – Easy Sequence of SELECT FROM JOIN WHERE GROUP BY HAVING ORDER BY
The sequence of SELECT, FROM, JOIN, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING and ORDER BY that I gave my new hires. Since then they ask me far fewer questions.
How to Read a SQL Server Build Number
Learn how a SQL Server build number identifies the engine release, maps to a cumulative update, and explains differences between two instances.