How I helped a customer get better performance by setting the AUTO_CLOSE Database Option to OFF, and why this setting hurts busy databases.
SET NOCOUNT ON in SQL Server: How to Hide Rows Affected Messages
SET NOCOUNT ON stops SQL Server from sending a rows affected message after every statement. This post tests what it changes and what it doesn’t: @@ROWCOUNT, scope inside a procedure, timing and the text that sp_updatestats prints. It also covers client programs that depend on the count.
Change in Date Format: Why LEFT Turns GETDATE Into Text
A change in date format shows up when you apply LEFT to GETDATE: the date goes from year first to month name first. This puzzle explains the implicit conversion behind it, how language settings change the text, and how to get the date you want on purpose.
SQL SERVER – How to INSERT or SELECT Copyright Special Characters in SSMS?
A reader asked how to insert or select copyright special characters in SSMS. The answer is ALT codes, like ALT + 0169 for the copyright sign, plus two more.
How to Find Missing SQL Server Configuration Manager? – Interview Question of the Week #089
Question: I just installed the latest version of SQL Server and now I am not able to find SQL Server Configuration Manager. What should I do?
Resource Bottlenecks in SQL Server: A Wait Stats Script That Groups Them
Resource bottlenecks hide in the wait statistics, under a pile of idle waits and totals since startup. This post builds a script that removes the idle waits, measures an interval and groups the rest by resource. It also explains how to read each group and the signal wait.
SQL SERVER – Case of Different Default Collation on Two Servers
My client saw a different default collation on two servers installed with SQL Server 2012. Here is what decides the default collation during setup.