How to find table cardinality from the execution plan? I answer this health check question in two different ways, using a simple AdventureWorks query.
Does Parallel Threads Process Equal Rows? – Interview Question of the Week #211
Do parallel threads process equal rows? Usually no, and a simple AdventureWorks query with its actual execution plan proves it in a few seconds.
Implicit Conversions That Quietly Turn Seeks Into Scans
Find implicit conversions in SQL Server plans, compare parameter and column types, and fix type contracts without losing Unicode data.
Finding the Plan That Changed: Query Store Plan History
Read Query Store plan history, compare duration by interval, find plan changes, and review a temporary force with an exit plan.
The Ascending Key Problem: Estimates for Today’s New Rows
Diagnose ascending key estimates with histogram boundaries, modification counts, and controlled comparisons before updating statistics.
SQL SERVER – Performing IF…THEN In T-SQL With IIF Expression
IIF is one of the most underused SQL Server features. Here is how to perform IF…THEN logic in T-SQL with IIF Expression, and why people still prefer CASE.
Multi-Statement Table-Valued Functions and Interleaved Execution
See how interleaved execution corrects estimates for multi-statement table-valued functions and when an inline rewrite wins.