Databases are platforms that are designed to securely store and retrieve your data. Perhaps that’s why they’re called a data “base”? So if your data is in a base, you’d want to lay it out in some logic way.
Category: Tools
How to display more text in SSMS
Today’s blog post is going to be a short one but can be very helpful if you’re new to SQL Server. From time to time you may find the need to use the text result instead of the default grid result. You can change this by using CTRL-T for text and CTRL-D for grid. Read More »
Time saving trick for PowerShell and CMD
Real quick and simple post for today. Having grown up with a computer since the 80’s, I can tell you I still love DOS. In fact, I even have MS DOS mobile on my #WindowsPhone.
SQL Server Monitoring: Creating your own metrics
The one and only important factor in monitoring is data. How much of x and how little of y? If you don’t know these values then you’re shooting in the dark. Microsoft has done a great job adding critical data points over the years; but, what happens when the data you need doesn’t exist?
DBA 101: Comparing two SQL plans
Simple post today: How to compare two plans in SSMS.
This task is a task that is often done by a DBA or developer who is wanting to compare changes of an index or perhaps even comparing queries between DEV and PROD.
T-SQL Tuesday: Finding issues with your query plan
This is my first time blogging with a T-SQL Tuesday topic. If you follow my blog you’ve probably noticed that one of the topics I enjoy the most is performance and query tuning.
While at Microsoft, I learned a lot from a lot of great people, such as Joe Sack, David Pless, and Tunji O. I try to pay forward the knowledge that these great people have bestowed on me.
Wait Stats, Here and gone again?
Microsoft recently introduced a handy new feature to query plans: waitstats. That’s right, you can get actual runtime waitstats for a query you run.
New SSMS bug?
It seems like SSMS has seen better days. Many developers I have worked with recently complain about Out of Memory issues and other bugs and I personally miss the days of Query Analyzer.
DBA 101: What you may be missing with “Missing indexes”
If you’ve read my blog, I’m sure by now you know that I have no love for GUI tools. I will say they are improving every day and maybe, just maybe, we will see the day when you can click happily away and do everything you want. Sadly, this is not the day.
A while back, SSMS added the “Missing Index” data to the graphical query plan. They even made it really easy to add.
DBA 101: Altering a column
People always ask me what tools I use. Mostly this question comes from the topic of monitoring. I can honestly say that I don’t love any tools and you shouldn’t either.
My time at Microsoft placed me at nearly 300 different clients. As a Microsoft employee I never liked saying, “Go grab this tool so we can look at your problem because SSMS isn’t good enough.”
