What is the SQL Server transaction log, why do we need it and how does it work? A beginner’s first step toward reading transaction log file content.
Getting the Most From a Conference
Get the most from a conference by planning sessions, meeting people with useful questions, and turning notes into tested action.
Extended Security Updates Explained
Extended Security Updates give eligible older SQL Server releases limited critical security coverage while you complete a migration.
Finding Hot Tables With sys.dm_db_index_usage_stats
Identify hot tables with index usage, lock and latch counters, table sizes, and retained snapshots that describe a real workload interval.
SQL SERVER – GROUP BY Columns with XMLPATH – Comma Delimit Multiple Rows
How do you group by a column and comma delimit multiple rows of names into one value? It is a popular question, and I answer it with FOR XML PATH.
SQL SERVER – UPDATE FROM SELECT Statement with Condition
An old college friend asked how to UPDATE one table from another with a condition. Here is his sample and the UPDATE FROM SELECT statement that solves it.
What Is a Data Type, and Why the Wrong One Costs You
A data type decides what a column holds, what it costs in bytes, and how SQL Server compares it. Why NVARCHAR doubles your storage, why float will not compare cleanly, and the conversion that quietly kills an index.