#query performance

Introduction Hey there, fellow SQL Server enthusiast! Have you ever found yourself wondering, “When should I start adding indexes to my tables?” Well, you’re not alone. As someone who’s spent countless hours optimizing databases, I’ve learned that the answer isn’t always straightforward. But fear not! In this article, we’ll dive into the fascinating world of SQL Server index size and explore…

Learn when it makes sense to update statistics more often than the default for busy tables in SQL Server to improve query performance.

Introduction Hey there! If you manage busy SQL Server databases, you’ve probably wondered at some point – is it worth tinkering with the statistics auto-update settings for those really high activity tables? Will sampling the data more frequently actually lead to better query plans and performance? As someone who’s experimented with this myself, I’m happy to share my experiences and insights. By…

Introduction Have you ever found yourself staring at your screen, drumming your fingers impatiently while waiting for a SQL Server query to finish? Slow query performance can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you’re under pressure to get results fast. But fear not, dear reader! Today, I’m going to share a powerful technique that can supercharge your query performance and make those…

Introduction Hey there, SQL Server fans! In this article, we’ll address a recurring question: under what circumstances, if any, is it acceptable to create a non-clustered index where the leading column of the index key is searched using an inequality operator, and the subsequent column is searched using an equality operator? The answer might surprise you! In this article, we’ll dive into when…

Introduction Hey there, fellow data enthusiasts! Today, I want to share with you an incredible feature in SQL Server that has completely revolutionized the way we work with external data sources. It’s called PolyBase, and trust me, it’s a game-changer! In this article, we’ll dive deep into the world of PolyBase, exploring its capabilities, benefits, and how it can take your data querying to the…

Introduction As a SQL Server developer or administrator, you’re always looking for ways to optimize query performance and ensure your databases are running smoothly. One powerful tool that can help you achieve this is the LAST_QUERY_PLAN_STATS feature. In this article, we’ll dive into what LAST_QUERY_PLAN_STATS is, how it works, and whether it’s safe to enable in your SQL Server…

Introduction Want to supercharge query performance on your large SQL Server tables? Non-clustered columnstore indexes are a powerful tool for achieving blazing-fast analytics queries. But to get the most benefit, it’s crucial to choose the optimal column order when creating the index. In this post, you’ll learn the key principles for determining the best column order, with concrete examples to…