Firstly, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Secondly, is this not a task for the sysadmins? They are responsible for security. If they are happy that the server is nicely...

I wanted to make the point that one has to remember time-constraints.

Many problem-solvers are perfectionists and they want nothing but the perfect query. It may take them 2 weeks when...

PAH» Your comments "Better to listen and nod in most cases." remind me of a brief dip into the book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. one of...

I use the analogy of cost-based heuristics of the SQL Server query engine. It doesn't always choose the most efficient implementation of a query, rather just one that is fast...

In my experience, people who use DBs at least an SSMS level fall into several categories (and often they overlap) and they are:

• People who design DBs;

• People...

Hi Gail,

This query returns the number of threads per username, per title, per month, per forum within a specific timerange.

Since the limiting factors here are in the dbo.Threads table...

My thoughts on the issue of salary:

If salaries are to be revealed for one, they are to be revealed for all. As with others who work in public services,...

When asked once how long it would take to accomplish a new task, I answered that I didn't know. I was told that that was the wrong answer. I was...

Hi Steve,

I believe that they should have released it initially as an option they way that Reporting Services v1.0 for SQL Server 2000 was — with its own installer....

Hi Gilamonster,

It's not the space that is the problem, it's the inherent limitations of the In-Memory system. I have been given a 64GB system that I may use for...

Hi Steve,

How often do we get a version that can promise a 10x improvement to a system? I see In-Memory-OLTP as the biggest change, or, at least, potential change...

I'm trying out a converted form of our database with In-Memory-Tables and it is not easy. Especially the severe limitations on the natively-compiled procedures.

For example, several SPs take XML from...

Hi Sandeep,

Many thanks for this script. I have just the spent the last hour deep in BOL, sys.objects, sys.key_constraints and friends, trying to identify which tables in the DB have...

@call.copse

I am of the understanding that EF is perfect for simple and extremely quick queries that call no more than 2 tables and returned a few fields at most. This...

Hi Steve,

By code, I assume that you mean SQL. I am in no position to judge how efficient the C-sharp code in our application is.

As a DBA, I like...