Color coding the SSMS status bar helps avoid mistakes, but on a big screen it is easy to miss at the bottom. Here is how to change the Status Bar Location.
Interview Question of the Week #051 – Actual Execution Plan vs. Estimated Execution Plan
Do you use the actual or the estimated execution plan? A candidate asked me this in an interview. I always use the actual plan, and here is why.
SQL SERVER – Getting to understand SQL Server Activity Monitor in SSMS
My notes on the lesser used parts of Activity Monitor in SSMS, like Resource Waits, and how the tool builds them from sys.dm_os_wait_stats at each refresh.
Free Tools Worth Knowing for SQL Server Work
Free tools for SQL Server work include Microsoft editors, built-in diagnostics, and community scripts; learn the job each handles and its limits.
SQL SERVER – Save and Send Execution Plan Via Email
A reader wanted to send a big graphical execution plan via email to a friend. Here is a quick step by step way to save it, and what to do if it is over 20 MB.
SQL Server: What to Record Before Tuning a Slow Query
What to record before tuning a slow query starts with the original execution. Keep its SQL, inputs, connection settings, measurements, and plan together before testing a change.
SQL SERVER – Trick – Running SSMS With Different Windows Account
Many admins have a regular and an admin login. Instead of logging off, here is a trick for running SSMS with a different Windows account on the same desktop.