Advice to New Bloggers

PREAMBLE If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I travel and speak quite a lot. A frequent question I'm asked at these events is "I want to start blogging, but don't know where to start. What do you recommend?" This is a such a common and natural question as to be almost existential at it's root. In most every context where we move from the known to the unknown, from taking that first international trip to learning how to swim, we might first begin by saying "I'm uncertain. Where do I start?" Success in any of these situations can be distilled down to a single word - … [Read more...]

ICYMI: Troubleshooting CPU, Logging Myths, Missing Indexes, and Query Tuning Examples

Great Articles at SQLPerformance.com There are so many good articles from SQLPerformance.com this ICYMI article that it’s hard to know which are best to highlight in the limited space. So, I’ll be arbitrary and simply choose a few of my favorite entries as well look back: Troubleshooting SQL Server CPU Performance Issues This outstanding article from Joe Sack (b | t) of SQLSkills steps you through a methodical and insightful series of DMVs and queries that can pinpoint CPU issues on your SQL Server instances. Don’t just blindly create those “missing” indexes! Aaron Bertrand (b | … [Read more...]

ICYMI: Troubleshooting Availability Groups and the Schema Switcharoo – SQL Server Performance

Aaron Bertrand (b | t) is on a roll this month's SQL Server performance highlights with more great articles from SQLPerformance.com.   Troubleshooting AlwaysOn – Sometimes it takes many sets of eyes Aaron Bertrand (b | t) hit some obstacles recently when configuring an Availability Groups lab environment. This post shows how some assistance from the community helped him isolate and solve the issues. Another argument for stored procedures Learn the subtle ways that ad hoc queries can interfere with SQL Server performance by taking up more space in the plan cache than … [Read more...]

ICYMI: the Halloween Problem and DBCC CheckConstraints – SQL Server Performance

Don't miss these great articles on SQLPerformance.com from the industry’s top experts: A Look At DBCC CHECKCONSTRAINTS and I/O Erin Stellato (b | t) of SQLskills takes a deep look into the SQL Server performance impact, especially I/O, of running DBCC CHECKCONSTRAINTS, including explaining why some check methods may consume a lot more I/O than others. The Halloween Problem, Part 1 of a 4-Part Series Paul White (b| t) provides unique insight into a long-standing data modification issue, the infamous Halloween Problem.  Much has been written over the years about understanding and … [Read more...]

ICYMI: Ten Query Techniques Every SQL Programmer Should Know (Video)

Update 09-Mar-2015: The original PASS links I provided were behind a firewall. Thanks reader MMcDonald, we have a working link on YouTube. One of the benefits of joining PASS is that you get access to their expansive library of conference videos. (Membership is free. So join now. What'dya want, a hand-written invitation?!?) I want to take a moment to point out a good one that I think anybody who writes SQL code on SQL Server should watch. If you know anything about the staff here at SQL Sentry, then you’re probably expecting me and my colleague Microsoft MVP Aaron Bertrand (b | t) to be … [Read more...]

Troubleshooting full-day workshop in Richmond (March) and Configuration full-day workshop in Huntington Beach (April)

Want to learn more about SQL Server? Now's a good time to get a full day of inexpensive high-quality training on both the east and west coast, in March and April, respectively. I hope you'll join me for a full-day troubleshooting and performance tuning workshop on the Friday preceding the Richmond, VA SQL Saturday in March. And in April, I'll be on the west coast presenting a full-day high-performance configuration tuning workshop preceding the Huntington Beach, CA SQL Saturday. Here are the other events where I'll be speaking: Mar 04, 2015 - Mar 07, 2015, SQLBits XIV - London, … [Read more...]

ICYMI: Sequences, CPUs, and Trimming T-Logs – SQL Server Performance Topics

Have you read any of the great articles on SQLPerformance.com? The deep-dive technical info about SQL Server performance issues authored by the SQL Server industry’s top experts. Here are a few great articles from the early days of the website, January 2013:   Generate a set or sequence without loops Aaron Bertrand (b|t) provides detailed performance information about a variety of methods used to generate sets and sequences in this first in a three part series. Selecting a Processor for SQL Server 2012 Glenn Berry (b|t) of SQLskills.com sheds light on the best CPU to select … [Read more...]

DBTA – 6 Reasons to Think About Upgrading to SQL Server 2014

  If you’re an IT manager, the first thing I’d like to tell you is how invested Microsoft is in SQL Server. While earlier incarnations of executive leadership focused in other areas (anyone remember “Developers! Developers! Developers!”?), Microsoft’s new leadership is very bullish on SQL Server. And, why not? After Microsoft Office and Windows Server, SQL Server is Microsoft’s third biggest money-making product line. Check out the recording of the “Accelerate your insights” webcast, about SQL Server 2014, featuring appearances by CEO Satya Nadella, COO Kevin Turner and CVP Quentin … [Read more...]

SQL Injection – Why the Heck Does this Keep Happening?!

  I'm decidedly old-school in a few of my habits. My morning routine, barring anything out of the ordinary, is one such example. Typically, I'll get up between 6:30 to 7:00 am, grab my first cup of coffee, and then chat with my daughters for a few minutes before seeing them off to school. Next, I make a bowl of oatmeal (a great choice for diabetics like me), pour a second cup of coffee, and browse the local paper, The Tennessean, while I have breakfast. On the morning of August 5, I had the added pleasure of spewing said coffee and oatmeal all over my morning paper when I read the … [Read more...]

Listen to Lead

I've got a question for you. Where did you learn how to listen? Of all the coaching and consulting clients I have asked that question to, not one has had formal training to become a better listener. Some have pointed to the works of Stephen Covey and others like him who advocate, “seek first to understand and then to be understood.” But even those who know that often find it difficult to put the concept into practice. It seems that many people have the same view of listening that they were given in kindergarten: “sit still and be quiet." Read the rest of this article at … [Read more...]