Blogs

Free Session! DBA vs Deadlock: How to Out-Index a Deadly Blocking Scenario

May 22, 2018

DBA vs Deadlock: How to Out-Index a Deadly Blocking Scenario June 14, 2018 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM PST <- This is past, but no worries, it was recorded Deadlocks strike fear into the hearts of even seasoned DBAs — but they don’t have to! In this session, you’ll get the code to cause a sample deadlock in SQL Server. You’ll see how to interpret the deadlock graph to find out where the conflict lies, and how to design an index to make the deadlock disappear.

What is Deferred Name Resolution, and How Can It Go Wrong?

May 21, 2018

I got a question recently about why a particular bit of code was failing when running.

My first thought: oh, that’s probably related to… whatsitcalled.

Dear SQL DBA: Dealing With a Lack of Control

in dear-sql-dba

May 18, 2018

This week I discuss a question that I’ve gotten in many forms over the years - a lot of the scenarios are so specific that it’s hard to keep them anonymous, but they can be generalized as a bigger problem: how do I deal with being responsible for things that I can’t fully control?

Fake News about Auto Parameterization/Simple Parameterization

in query-tuning

May 4, 2018

I saw a question on Twitter today that took me down a little rabbit hole. And when I go down rabbit holes, I like to blog about it! There’s a TLDR at the bottom of this post if you’re short on time.

Dear SQL DBA: Do DBAs Need a College Degree?

in community, dear-sql-dba

May 3, 2018

Our question this week comes from a database administrator who’s excited to be on a healthy career path, building their work experience, getting certified, and working with a more experienced mentor.

But they’re worried: will lacking a college degree block their career growth down the line?

Dear SQL DBA: How Do I Prepare for Certification Exams? (video)

in dear-sql-dba

April 23, 2018

In this episode, I talk about how to strategize for and prepare for Microsoft Certification exams, using the Database Fundamentals exam as an example.

Query Store Cleanup Can be Part of a Blocking Chain

in query-store, sql-server-technical-posts

April 18, 2018

Forgetfulness can lead to learning something new. This is a bit of a nightmare when it happens in production, but a treat when it happens in an isolated test system– and that’s how I learned this.

I left a bit of blocking open on my test VM, and forgot about it.

Dear SQL DBA Q&A: A Poorly Indexed ISV Database

in community, dear-sql-dba

April 16, 2018

At a recent conference, two speakers reminded me of something important: when you put effort into learning something or helping folks, don’t simply put your words in private emails or post-it notes on your desk. Whenever possible, blog it as well. It can help other people, and it can also help you remember it in the future!

A Case of Inconsistent Wait Stats and Query Duration

in execution-plans, query-tuning

April 11, 2018

You know how they say “don’t sweat the small stuff”?

That’s good advice for lots of things, but when it comes to query tuning - I WANT TO KNOW MORE when something is inconsistent. I just can’t let it go. I go total X-Files: The Truth Is Out There.