In the ever-evolving world of data management, new tools and functions are continually emerging to make our lives easier. One such tool is the DATETRUNC function, introduced in SQL Server 2022. Let’s take a journey to understand how this function can simplify date handling in your SQL queries. The DATETRUNC Story Imagine you are a data analyst working for a retail company. You have a massive database of sales transactions, and you need to generate reports that summarize sales data by different time periods—monthly, quarterly, and annually. Traditionally, this task might involve complex and re ..read more

In this blog post, we will discuss the relationship between Functions and Missing Indexes Hints in SQL Server. Functions can reduce query performance, especially when used on a column in the WHERE clause. However, we will explore even further to understand the significant impact on query hints. If you prefer a visual guide, you can watch my YouTube video embedded below. Functions and Query Performance Using functions on columns in the WHERE clause can significantly impact query performance. When a function is applied to a column, SQL Server often cannot use existing indexes efficiently. This ..read more

In this blog post, I will share three quick and effective methods to tune your SQL Server using ChatGPT Tricks. These tricks can help you optimize your queries and improve performance. If you prefer a visual guide, you can watch my YouTube video embedded below. 1. Optimize T-SQL Query One of the quickest ways to tune your SQL Server is by optimizing your T-SQL queries. You can provide your T-SQL query to ChatGPT, and it can suggest improvements. Here’s how: Input: Paste your T-SQL query into ChatGPT. Output: ChatGPT will analyze the query and provide optimization suggestions, such as rewritin ..read more

In the world of SQL Server performance tuning, it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing on trivial optimizations while overlooking the real performance killers. This approach not only wastes valuable time but also fails to address the root causes of poor database performance. In this post, we’ll explore how to avoid this common pitfall and concentrate on the areas that truly matter for significant performance improvements. One must avoid majoring in the minors. Understanding the Big Picture Before diving into optimization techniques, it’s crucial to understand that SQL Server performance t ..read more

In today’s data-driven world, mastering advanced querying, indexing, and data analysis in SQL Server is essential. Introducing my latest offering, the “Advanced Data Retrieval Techniques in SQL Server” course, designed to elevate your proficiency in handling complex SQL Server tasks. This is my 63th course at Pluralsight. Course Overview This comprehensive course dives deep into data retrieval techniques, ensuring you gain essential skills for efficient data handling and query optimization. Key Learnings Advanced Data Retrieval and Summarization: Learn to retrieve and summarize complex data u ..read more

In today’s data-driven world, mastering SQL Server for optimal performance and workload management is indispensable. Introducing my latest offering, the “SQL Server Data Manipulation Essentials” course, designed to elevate your proficiency in handling SQL Server environments efficiently. This is my 62nd course at Pluralsight. Course Overview This concise yet comprehensive course offers a deep dive into the fundamentals of SQL data manipulation. You’ll gain essential skills in SQL query writing, data filtering, and implementing JOIN operations, which are crucial for any SQL Server professional ..read more

Earlier, I hosted a TSQL2sDay on Has AI Helped You with Your SQL Server Job?. I had lots of fun reading various contributions to this topic by industry leaders of SQL Server. Here is the roundup of all the contributions. Using ChatGPT for T-SQL Code Reviews: Brent Ozar explores the use of ChatGPT for T-SQL code reviews, highlighting its efficiency in identifying security and performance risks, like SQL injection and the misuse of LIKE for string searches. Despite its rapid and helpful insights, Ozar notes ChatGPT’s limitations with more complex code, where advice can become vague and less usef ..read more

As a SQL Server professional, I’m always on the lookout for ways to improve my efficiency and effectiveness in my daily tasks. Recently, I’ve been exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can assist me in optimizing my SQL queries. I wanted to share my experience and insights as part of this month’s T-SQL Tuesday episode – Has AI Helped You with Your SQL Server Job? The Query Optimization Journey I had written a query to find products that hadn’t been sold: SELECT p.ProductID, p.Name FROM Production.Product AS p LEFT JOIN Sales.SalesOrderDetail AS s ON p.ProductID = s.ProductID WHERE s.Prod ..read more

Hello, SQL Server enthusiasts! It’s time for another exciting edition of T-SQL Tuesday, and I’m thrilled to be your host for this month’s episode – Has AI Helped You with Your SQL Server Job? As database professionals, we’re always looking for ways to improve our efficiency and effectiveness in our daily tasks. With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), many of us have started exploring how these technologies can assist us in our SQL Server jobs. Your task for this month: write a blog post about how AI has helped you in your role as a SQL Server prof ..read more

Facing the challenge of optimizing complex SQL Server databases for enhanced performance and scalability, my new 61st course, “Advanced Query Optimization Techniques in SQL Server,” is here to transform your approach to database management. This course will teach you how to effectively analyze, troubleshoot, and enhance SQL Server databases to address critical performance and scalability issues. Course Overview In this course, you’ll be able to expertly refine and elevate your SQL Server’s performance. You’ll explore the intricate process of refactoring complex queries for greater efficiency ..read more