Data Efficiency in SQL Server: DATETIME
This is the first in a short series of posts about how I assign efficient data types when designing a new table or database. Use less space with DATETIME2 We all know that the DATETIME column…
What is your SQL Server 2005 Upgrade Plan?
SQL Server 2005 will no longer be supported by Microsoft as of 12 April 2016. One of the services I offer my customers is an upgrade from any* version of SQL Server to the latest…
Lazy Loading and Tries
This post has nothing to do with SQL Server, but if you like performance tuning, stick around. I learn technology by using it, pushing it to its limits, finding out how it breaks. I jokingly…
The ongoing saga of a slow tempdb on a fast server
Last week, I wrote about what should have been a fast system but was performing very poorly, weighing heavily on tempdb I/O performance. Our original changes did not make much of a difference, but now…
98% of I/O is taken up by tempdb
During a recent engagement, the customer explained that the performance on their relatively small system was especially slow on Monday morning, but generally bad that entire day. The SQL Server 2008 R2 instance, which runs…
Professionalism doesn’t mean a collared shirt and tie
Working from home, consulting with companies all over the world, has changed how I interact with customers. The last time I was physically on site was seven months ago. We deal almost exclusively with each…
Max Server Memory Matrix
When we perform diagnostics on an existing SQL Server instance, or if we are setting up a new machine, it’s very important to make sure that we change the Max Server Memory setting to an…
Update to Azure Blob Storage Sync and Restore
Blob Storage Sync tool updated During a SQL Server migration this month, I found some inconsistencies in my Azure Blob Storage Sync tool, so I made several improvements, and fixed an outstanding bug. As you…
Basic Availability Groups in SQL Server 2016
One of the new features in SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition, which may appeal to users of the deprecated Database Mirroring feature, is Basic Availability Groups, a variation of Availability Groups found in the Enterprise…
Filmmaking as a Metaphor for the DBA
I worked on four films in 2015, three shorts and one feature-length movie, all shot in Calgary where I live. That has resulted in seven IMDb credits for me, someone who earns a living as…
Survey: Light or Dark
This week I am continuing with the simple survey series. Today my question is, do you prefer using a dark or light background when writing code? I like a light background with dark text (usually…
Survey: Tabs or Spaces
This is my second survey for the month of December. Last week I asked about join predicate order. This week, it’s a simple question: Do you prefer tabs or spaces to indent your T-SQL, and…
Temporal Tables – When To Use Them
Last edited on 18 December 2019. This is the final part of my Temporal Table series. You can read parts one, two and three here. Last week I demonstrated how to modify temporal tables in…
Modifying Temporal Tables – A Primer
This is part three of the Temporal Tables series. You can read parts one and two here. Last week I demonstrated how temporal tables in SQL Server 2016 work. If you have implemented a history…
Temporal Tables Under The Covers
(This is a more technical post than last week. If you are not familiar with SQL Server internals, I will not be upset if you skip it. Otherwise, let’s dive in.) Last week I introduced…