Posts tagged with "sql-server"

A practical benchmark of month-as-columns vs month-as-rows using SQL Server IO, time, plans, and storage.

Taking a database with one MDF and several NDFs, and gradually moving all data back into a single data file using `EMPTYFILE`.

Use dbatools to install sp_WhoIsActive with a single script

Quick reference for installing dbatools with PowerShell

How Monty Hall helped me understand SQL Server’s bad plan choices.

A practical SQL Server benchmark showing how returning more columns changes payload size and affects throughput.

Standardize SQL Server autogrowth settings across all databases with a simple script. Learn why setting consistent filegrowth sizes helps control VLF fragmentation, improves performance, and avoids legacy misconfigurations.

Learn how to shrink a SQL Server transaction log file with DBCC SHRINKFILE, understand the risks, and discover best practices for log file management to maintain database health.

Migrate your SSRS ReportServer database safely by backing up and restoring—covering encryption key export, login and service-account configuration, portal validation, and manual data-source reconfiguration.

A guide to running SQL Server 2022 on macOS using Docker.

Learn how to categorize SQL Server 2022 wait statistics into actionable groups using sys.dm_os_wait_stats and GROUPING SETS to uncover hidden performance bottlenecks in minutes.

A practical guide to selecting and configuring the Max Degree of Parallelism (MAXDOP) setting in SQL Server for optimal parallel query performance.

By testing six different date-filtering patterns—using BETWEEN, >=/< with precise and simplified formats, and applying CONVERT to datetime columns—this post reveals how non-sargable expressions trigger scans and inflate logical reads, and recommends best practices for clean, efficient filters.

This deep-dive shows you how to query system catalog views with a CTE that lists index key and included columns, detect exact duplicates across indexes, and generate DROP statements so you can reclaim storage and speed up write operations.

Exploring the impact of key lookups on logical reads, this post demonstrates how to use SET STATISTICS IO and execution plans to identify missing columns in nonclustered indexes and then create covering indexes with INCLUDE clauses to eliminate extra I/O.

This article explains how to locate and download the most recent cumulative update (CU) for your SQL Server version, prepare for maintenance with backups and downtime, and run the update installer to apply the CU safely to your instances.

This guide walks you through obtaining the official SQL Server 2022 installer, choosing between Developer and Express editions, and completing a straightforward installation using the Basic or Custom options in the setup wizard.

In this post, you’ll learn where to find the latest SSMS installer on Microsoft’s site, how to run it as administrator, and what to expect during the installation wizard so you can start managing your SQL Server instances with the official GUI tool.

When migrating databases with mismatched collations, this walkthrough covers scripting out server configurations, logins, jobs, and master objects; using setup.exe to rebuild system databases with the correct collation; and restoring all settings and user databases afterward.