This is a post about a SQL Server cheat sheet, but not yet. First comes the history of the cheat sheet, from the first cave wall to the recipe card that cheats you, and the five laws every cheat sheet obeys. Then the new 2025 edition.
What Is Locking and Blocking in SQL Server?
Locking and blocking are not the same thing, and the difference is the whole subject. I blocked a session on purpose and read it from the DMVs. Why short blocking is healthy, and why NOLOCK fixes nothing.
SQL SERVER – Enable Identity Insert – Import Expert Wizard
An SSIS package failed with an identity error because both tables had identity columns. Checking Enable identity insert in the Import Expert Wizard fixed it.
float vs decimal: Why Money Should Never Be float
Compare float vs decimal for currency, inspect approximate arithmetic, and use explicit decimal precision and rounding rules.
SQLAuthority News – Fun Quotes about Technology
SQL Server can be a boring subject at times, so here are some fun quotes about technology from Thomas Edison, Douglas Adams and others to lighten the day.
Storing and Querying Locations in SQL Server
Work with spatial data in SQL Server using geography, geometry, matching SRIDs, distance queries, and an index designed for location searches.
SQL SERVER – Introduction to Extended Events – Finding Long Running Queries
After reading Jonathan Kehayias on Extended Events, I added them to my performance tuning course. An introduction, with a way to find long running queries.