Does a Clustered Index Give a Default Ordering?
I recently got a great question: if I order by a column where all rows in that column have the same value, will SQL Server then order the results by the clustered index key?
Watch my live session: When Partitioning Indexes Hurts Performance (and How to Fix It)
I’m very that my session on table partitioning from the 2017 SQL PASS Summit is being featured as one of the “Best of Summit” videos.
I had a terrific time presenting this session, thanks to everyone in the audience: you were awesome!
You can watch the video here, and follow the link above to see even more great videos from the conference for free.
Watch the first lesson in my new Repeatable Read and Serializable Isolation Levels course! (Video with transcript and captions)
Woo hoo! I’ve just added a new course: Repeatable Read and Serializable Isolation Levels in SQL Server.
Update: even better news… courses are now open and free for all :smile:
New Course: Indexing for Windowing Functions (with preview lesson)
I’ve just added a fresh new course: Indexing for Windowing Functions. Here’s the rundown: Windowing functions give you great flexibility for analyzing data in SQL Server. But how can you get the best performance for your windowing functions? In this 45 minute, demo-packed course, you will learn index design for windowing functions, when batch mode may be important, and how to compare the performance of Window Spool and Window Aggregate operators.
New free webcasts! How keys & includes work, dirty secrets of NOLOCK, and more
As we count down to the end of 2017, I’ve just scheduled a fresh batch of free, live webinars for 2018! Join me on Thursdays at 9 am Pacific / noon Eastern / 4 PM UTC.
Auto-Tuning and the #1 Mindset Problem I Had as a DBA
A few folks have asked: will auto-tuning and adaptive query plans mean the end of performance tuning jobs for SQL Server? In this week’s episode, I talk about why I’m excited about those features rather than afraid of them.
Digging into this problem, I share the #1 mindset problem I had as a DBA, why this mindset is so common among database professionals, and a daily habit that can change your approach to new technology.
In-Memory OLTP and Isolation Levels in SQL Server (Webcast Video with Transcript)
I had a great time this week talking about isolation levels with Hekaton – aka In-Memory OLTP – aka Memory Optimized tables. Here’s a video of the recorded webcast.
Where are key columns stored in a nonclustered index in SQL Server?
Last week’s Quizletter featured a quiz on keys vs included columns in SQL Server. I got a great question from a reader:
What do you consider a good reference and/or description of indexes for SQL Server? For example where would you have documentation that explains how the answer to #1 is right?
Slowing Down Your Motor Mouth - Presentation Tips for Fast Talkers
Are you worried that you talk too fast when you give a speech, talk, or presentation?
In this episode, I give you simple, practical tips that I’ve used to successfully improve the way I give presentations. Four years ago, I got frustrated feedback from listeners who had a hard time keeping up with my mouth; now I get congratulations that the pace was great.
Attempting to Force a Narrow Plan on an Update with Query Store
When you force a plan with Query Store, you may not get what you expect. Here’s an example.