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Two frying pans on a stove, butter sizzling in the hot one and sitting solid in the cold one.

Cold Cache vs Warm Cache: Testing Query Speed Fairly

January 9, 2023
Pinal Dave
SQL Performance
SQL Cache, SQL Memory, SQL Performance, SQL Server, Testing

Compare cold cache and warm cache query tests using isolated buffer clearing, logical and physical reads, and controlled measurements.

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Nonclustered Primary Key Test: Last Page Insert Waits

May 11, 2020
Pinal Dave
SQL Performance
Primary Key, SQL Constraint and Keys, SQL Identity, SQL Wait Stats, Testing

A nonclustered primary key test shows whether a heap fixes last page insert waits. On SQL Server 2025 it doesn’t, because the key index still rises. A lane layout that spreads the inserts removes the latch wait, and the post shows the cost of that layout.

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Testing with oStress

Stress Testing with oStress – SQL in Sixty Seconds #087

May 7, 2020
Pinal Dave
SQL Video
SQL Download, SQL in Sixty Seconds, SQL Performance, SQL Server, Testing

One of the things which we cover in my  Comprehensive Database Performance Health Check is how to do Load Testing or Stress Testing with oStress.

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OPTIMIZE_FOR_SEQUENTIAL_KEY: Test the Last Page Insert Fix

May 6, 2020
Pinal Dave
SQL Performance
Primary Key, SQL Identity, SQL Server 2019, SQL Wait Stats, Testing

OPTIMIZE_FOR_SEQUENTIAL_KEY is an index option that targets last page insert contention. This post tests it with 32 connections that insert into a clustered identity key, with the option off and on. The option changes the kind of waiting, and the post shows how to decide whether it helps your table.

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Illustrated cover: Last Page Contention

SQL SERVER – Last Page Insert PAGELATCH_EX Contention Due to Identity Column

May 5, 2020
Pinal Dave
SQL Performance
Primary Key, SQL Constraint and Keys, SQL Identity, SQL Scripts, SQL Server, SQL Server Management Studio, SQL Wait Stats, Testing

Today’s goal is to understand what is the Last Page Insert PAGELATCH_EX Contention Due to Primary Key. Let us start understanding it together.

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Recovery Model Insert Test: FULL vs SIMPLE Under Load

May 4, 2020
Pinal Dave
SQL Performance
Best Practices, SQL Backup and Restore, SQL Log, SQL Wait Stats, Testing

A recovery model insert test compares FULL and SIMPLE under a load of 16 connections. The log written is almost the same in both, and the elapsed time depends more on the server than on the model. The real difference is when the log can be reused, and this post shows that step by step.

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Insert Workload Waits: WRITELOG and PAGELATCH_EX

May 2, 2020
Pinal Dave
SQL Performance
Best Practices, SQL Log, SQL Scripts, SQL Wait Stats, Testing

Insert workload waits come down to two names, WRITELOG and PAGELATCH_EX. This post runs 16 connections that insert one row at a time and reads their waits with a tested script. It explains what each wait means and where to look for a fix.

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