Blogs

Should I change the locks configuration in SQL Server?

I recently got a fantastic question from a reader regarding lock usage in SQL Server:

One of my production databases has a total lock count around 25,000 (select count(*) from sys.dm_tran_locks). The configuration setting for locks is set to the default of zero. This lock count is due to multiple procedures which frequently run and use the same 2-3 tables, repeatedly taking out and releasing locks. Do I need to change the configuration for locks or look into the SP’s so they can finish more quickly, rather than creating locks?

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Should I Upgrade to SQL Server 2016? (Dear SQL DBA Episode 22)

It’s a big week for SQL Server! And it’s the perfect week to talk about this week’s question, which is about explaining to your management why it’s worth it to upgrade to SQL Server 2016, and which features you can use right away.

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SQL Server 2016 SP1: Features Added to Standard, Web, Express, Local DB Editions

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could develop your application for a small SQL Server using the same features that you intend to use for scale?

And wouldn’t it be more awesome if you could start using bleeding edge features like In-Memory OLTP on some of your less-risky, smaller databases first?

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Downgrading the SQL Server Edition of a Dev Environment

I got a great question about Edition downgrades recently.

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Filtered Indexes: Rowstore vs Nonclustered Columnstore

SQL Server has two types of filtered indexes:

1. The “classic” filtered nonclustered rowstore index, introduced in SQL Server 2008, available in all editions
2. The newfangled filtered nonclustered columnstore index, introduced in SQL Server 2016, available in Enterprise Edition

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Shrinking SQL Server Data Files - Best Practices, and Why It Sucks

I’ve gotten a few questions about shrinking SQL Server data files lately. What’s the best way to get shrink to run? And why might it fail in some cases?

Traditionally, every time you ask a DBA how to make shrinking suck less, they start ranting how shrinking is bad and you just shouldn’t do it. Sometimes it sounds kinda angry.

What people are trying to say is that shrinking data files is generally slow, frustrating, and painful for you.

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Adaptive Query Processing (Dear SQL DBA Episode 21)

Episode update, April 2017: Learn About Adaptive Query Processing from Joe Sack

Microsoft shared a great video about Adaptive Query Processing, and you can learn about this new feature from Microsoft Program Manager Joe Sack. My original post below is full of speculation. Joe’s video is full of actual facts!

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