The Erdős unit distance problem asks how many pairs of points can sit exactly one unit apart. Paul Erdős guessed the answer in 1946, and the guess stood for eighty years. In May 2026, an OpenAI model found a counterexample. I checked the grid trick behind it in SQL Server, spatial queries included.
Counting Objects by Type in Every Database With One Query
One loop and one pivot give you tables, views, procedures and functions for every database. A planted demo database proves the counts.
Finding Long Open Transactions With sys.dm_tran_database_transactions
A forgotten BEGIN TRAN can pin your log for hours. Here is how to find the owner, read its age, and confirm the transaction is the reason.
Recording Who Granted What With a Database Audit Specification
Current permissions never say who changed them. Set up a small audit, run a grant, a revoke and a failed attempt, and read the events back.
Restoring a Database That Has a Memory-Optimized Filegroup
The container behind a memory-optimized filegroup is a folder, and a restore must place it. Here is the error you get when you forget, and the fix.
Reverting a Failed Deployment With a Database Snapshot
A snapshot can undo a bad release in minutes. See what comes back, what is lost for good, and why your log backups need a fresh start.
Database Scoped Configurations Changed From Their Defaults
One column in sys.database_scoped_configurations finds every setting that differs from its default. I show how to use it, and where it goes blind.