Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)
How VSS and the SQL Writer Service interact with SQL Server backups, including supported operations, limitations around point-in-time recovery, and common troubleshooting steps.
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3 min read
Sql-Server
Vertical Partitioning
How vertical partitioning (row splitting) reduces page waste and improves query performance in SQL Server, with a one-million-row demo.
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6 min read
Understanding Storage in SQL Server
How SQL Server organizes data at the page and extent level, and why LOB, in-row, and row-overflow storage matter for performance and design.
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3 min read
Transaction Log Management
A practical Q&A on SQL Server transaction log internals: how transactions work, crash recovery, why logs grow, and the correct way to shrink and resize the log file.
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7 min read
SSMS Productivity Tips
Eight practical tips for working faster in SQL Server Management Studio, from block selection and split windows to color-coded connections.
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3 min read
SQL Server Corruption Post Mortem
A post-mortem guide for SQL Server database corruption: likely causes from I/O subsystem errors to firmware, early detection strategies, and recovery steps.
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2 min read
Row Structure in SQL Server
Understanding SQL Server row structure, including fixed and variable length columns, null bitmaps, and how trailing nulls affect storage efficiency.
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4 min read
Recovery Model Behavior
A comparison of SQL Server's Full, Simple, and Bulk-Logged recovery models, covering transaction log behavior, backup requirements, and disaster recovery implications.
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2 min read
SQL Server Maintenance Tasks
Essential SQL Server maintenance tasks for accidental DBAs: backup strategies, consistency checks with DBCC CHECKDB, index rebuilds, and understanding RPO/RTO.
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3 min read
Implicit Conversion in SQL Server
How to audit your database for implicit conversions, identify data type mismatches across columns, and find conversion warnings in the plan cache.
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1 min read
Understanding HEAP Tables
Why SQL Server heap tables cause performance problems through full table scans and forwarding rows, with a demo showing the I/O impact and how to fix them.
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6 min read
Database Design - Why Does It Matter
Why data type selection matters for SQL Server performance, memory usage, backups, and long-term scalability, with concrete byte-savings examples.
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3 min read
Database Design Part 1
An introduction to SQL Server database design covering data type selection, table structure, and why thoughtful design matters for long-term performance.
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2 min read
Database Table Size
A reusable SQL query to report row counts, total space, used space, and unused space per table and schema using sys.allocation_units.
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1 min read
Moving to SQL Server 2014/2016
Key considerations when migrating to SQL Server 2014 or 2016, including the new cardinality estimator, edition changes, and version downgrades.
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2 min read