SQL Server

DISCLAIMER: this week, we learn that a naked Erik Darling looks like a bear covered in squid ink. Thankfully, we don’t learn that via the webcams. Aside from that, Brent, Richie, and Erik also discuss updating stats and rebuilding indexes, feature request for Paste the Plan, included columns’ effect on DML, CLR store procedures, SQL command and…

SQL Server 2017 Release Date: May 31?

Last Updated May 12, 2017

SQL Server 2017

At the SQLbits conference in the UK, Victoria Holt sat in on a session about the State of the SQL Nation. She writes: “SQL Server vNext will be launched this year with the UK launch 31 May 2017.” Keep in mind that “launch” is a marketing term, very different from “release.” (Even “release” is tricky…

[Video] Office Hours 2017/4/5 (With Transcriptions)

Last Updated April 10, 2017

This week, Erik, Tara, and Richie discuss altered tables and update statements, parameter sniffing issues, their issues with Azure, a resource for column store indexes, AlwaysON availability groups, killing sleeping connections, and fill factor value for indexes. Here’s the video on YouTube: You can register to attend next week’s Office Hours, or subscribe to our podcast to…

First Responder Kit Release: Now With 100% More Working Code Than The Irish Space Program

Last Updated April 7, 2017

First Responder Kit, SQL Server

Every April I think about this girl I grew up with named April who smelled like Cheez-Wiz. She died tragically in a home for the blind on Taco Tuesday. Special thanks to @jeffrosenberg , @mrthomsmith , @rwhoward for contributing this month. Your complimentary oxygen is now available. The rest of you can go download the First…

[Video] Office Hours 2017/03/26 (With Transcriptions)

Last Updated April 1, 2017

This week, Erik and Richie discuss truncating log files, reindexing, using sp_rename, query tuning, columnstore indexes, debugging parameter sniffing issues, query processing internals, and troubleshooting query performance issues. Here’s the video on YouTube: You can register to attend next week’s Office Hours, or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go. Enjoy the Podcast? Don’t miss…

Decrypting Insert Query Plans

Last Updated March 25, 2017

Execution Plans, SQL Server

We’ve all been there Staring at a simple query that has a three mile long execution plan. After the first time, you learn to always look to make sure there’s not a secret view involved. After looking at query plans for modifications involving indexed views, I decided to look at some other fairly common table…

CTEs, Views, and NOLOCK

Last Updated March 25, 2017

Humor, SQL Server

This is a post because it surprised me It might also save you some time, if you’re the kind of person who uses NOLOCK everywhere. If you are, you’re welcome. If you’re not, thank you. Funny how that works! I was looking at some code recently, and saw a CTE. No big deal. The syntax…

Confession: I recommended that a 5GB database get split up.

Last Updated April 5, 2017

Licensing, Microsoft Azure, SQL Server

Listen, I can explain. Really. Photo by Toa Heftiba We had a client with a 5GB database, and they wanted it to be highly available. The data powered their web site, and that site needed to be up and running in short order even if they lost the server – or an entire data center –…

[Video] Office Hours 2017/03/22 (With Transcriptions)

Last Updated March 27, 2017

This week, Tara, Erik, and Richie discuss statistics updates, in-place upgrades, row vs page compression, deadlocks, replacing SQL backup vendors, server load, ETL, and whether they think that database mail should be used by user applications to send their emails. Here’s the video on YouTube: You can register to attend next week’s Office Hours, or subscribe to…

This Is Your Backup Schedule On Drugs

Last Updated March 25, 2017

SQL Server

I’ve seen things Terrible things. I mean, not just working here (which, as I write this, I’m three days away from the two year mark, fingers crossed!), but also out there on the internet. Once you leave the safe confines of Brent Ozar Unlimited, you’re subject to the ravages of space. Strangers. Radiation. Strangiation. Your…

5 Signs Your SQL Server Isn’t Wearing Pants

Last Updated March 24, 2017

CHECKDB and Corruption, SQL Server

We see a lot of SQL Servers. During our sales process, prospective customers run sp_Blitz on their SQL Server, and we talk through the results. I see a lot of horrifying stuff. Over time, I’ve built up a pretty good sense of signs that a SQL Server is running around loose in the data center,…

From The Mailbag: DBCC CHECKDB And Read Only Databases

Last Updated March 23, 2017

CHECKDB and Corruption, SQL Server

We got an email!!! It was weird. It was from an Australian, and it was right side up. I could hardly believe it. Normally we encourage people to ask us questions during Office Hours, or over on Stack Exchange. That way lots of people can benefit from the answer. But since this reader is on…

First Responder Kit Release: We hired Brent back because he promised to fix his code

Last Updated March 21, 2017

Humor, SQL Server

March comes in like a 40 of Steel Reserve and leaves like your memory of the night after drinking a 40 of Steel Reserve. Get it here! sp_Blitz Improvements — #758 and #756 We made it less scary to run on Express Edition. Why? Because running Express Edition is scary enough. Coded by @Totty1973 and…

[Video] Office Hours 2017/03/15 (With Transcriptions)

Last Updated March 18, 2017

This week, Brent, Richie, and Erik discuss the requirements for getting a Senior DBA or Database Architect job, data migration, encryption, fragmentation, differences between SQL Server 2016 and 2014, update stats strategies for large tables vs small ones, what it takes to work for Brent Ozar Unlimited, and more. Here’s the video on YouTube: You…

Connect Item: Query Plan Hash in sys.dm_exec_query_stats vs Query Plan Hash in the query plan

Last Updated March 18, 2017

SQL Server

Shifty Henry said to Bugs You know those moments when you’re looking at something for so long, and it’s still not working, and you’re pretty sure you’re losing that final grip on your sanity? Well, that feeling was multiplied this week by an odd bug that I found, where Query Plan Hashes in system views…

[Video] Office Hours 2017/03/08 (With Transcriptions)

Last Updated March 13, 2017

This week, Erik and Richie discuss creating/updating statistics, tools for viewing large flat file tables, the worst code they have ever seen, high disk queue length, dealing with databases that store blobs, reindexing jobs, transparent data encryption, and more. Here’s the video on YouTube: You can register to attend next week’s Office Hours, or subscribe to our…

[Video] Office Hours 2017/03/01 (With Transcriptions)

Last Updated March 12, 2017

This week, Brent and Tara discuss Always On failure scenarios, partitioning without consulting vendors, multi-subnet clustering with AGs, licensing, long running queries, replication, improving index maintenance, avoiding deadlocks, index space usage, and much more. Here’s the video on YouTube: You can register to attend next week’s Office Hours, or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the…

New White Paper: How to Build an Always On Availability Group in Google Compute Engine

Last Updated March 17, 2017

Always On Availability Groups, Google Compute Engine, SQL Server

You’re a database administrator, Windows admin, or developer. You want to build a Microsoft SQL Server environment that’s highly available, and you’ve chosen to use Always On Availability Groups. Our newest white paper – download In this white paper we built with Google, we’ll show you: How to build your first Availability Group in Google…

[Video] Office Hours 2017/02/22 (With Transcriptions)

Last Updated February 25, 2017