In multi-user database environments, ensuring the integrity and consistency of data is essential. One common challenge is preventing multiple instances of the same stored procedure from executing at the same time, which can lead to data conflicts, race conditions, and unpredictable results. To address this, SQL Server provides a powerful tool called sp_getapplock. This post explains what sp_getapplock is, what you are actually locking when you use it, how to implement it to prevent concurrent executions of a stored procedure, and the difference between transaction-level and session-level locks.
Category: SQL Developer
Exploring Programming Constructs in T-SQL – Part 3: Error Handling and Transaction Management
Welcome back to our series on programming constructs in T-SQL! In the previous installments, we explored variables, conditional IF statements, loops, and CASE expressions. These tools have helped us write dynamic and efficient SQL scripts. In this third part, we’ll focus on two essential concepts for writing reliable SQL code: Error Handling with TRY…CATCH Blocks and Transaction Management.
Archiving Old Transactions in SQL Server Using PowerShell
Archiving old or obsolete data is an effective strategy to maintain optimal performance. In this post, we’ll explore how to archive old transactions from a SQL Server database using PowerShell. We’ll walk through creating the necessary database and tables, populating them with sample data, executing a PowerShell script to automate the archiving process, and verifying the results.
Exploring Programming Constructs in T-SQL – Part 2: Loops and CASE Expressions
Welcome back to our series on programming constructs in T-SQL! In Part 1 of this series, we explored the fundamentals of variables and conditional IF statements, laying the groundwork for dynamic and efficient SQL scripting. In this second installment, we’ll delve deeper into T-SQL by examining two more powerful constructs: Loops (specifically the WHILE loop) and CASE Expressions. Understanding these constructs will enable you to handle repetitive tasks and implement conditional logic directly within your SQL queries, further enhancing the flexibility and capability of your scripts.
Testing Always Encrypted with Parameterized Queries in SQL Server
It’s more important than ever to be vigilant in protecting and securing our data. Always Encrypted is a feature in SQL Server designed to protect sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers or credit card information. In this guide, we’ll focus on testing Always Encrypted using parameterized queries to ensure data remains secure during common operations like searching, inserting, and updating.
Avoiding Recompiles in Dynamic SQL: Best Practices for SQL Server
Dynamic SQL is a powerful feature in SQL Server that allows you to build and execute SQL statements on the fly. It’s especially useful when you need flexibility in your queries based on varying conditions. However, a common issue with dynamic SQL is that it can lead to frequent recompilations of execution plans, which can hurt performance. In this post, I’ll explain why this happens, how you can avoid unnecessary recompiles, and provide scripts you can use to test these concepts yourself.
Automating Database Restoration Between SQL Server Availability Groups Using PowerShell
In this post, I’ll walk you through a PowerShell script that automates the restoration of a database from one AG to another. The script handles everything—from performing a COPY-ONLY backup on the source AG to restoring the database on the target AG’s primary and secondary replicas, applying transaction logs, and rejoining the database to the new AG seamlessly.
Using Query Hints to Solve SQL Server Performance Issues
As professional DBAs, we’re often tasked with balancing query performance against resource consumption. While SQL Server’s query optimizer generally does an excellent job at selecting execution plans, there are times when we need more control. This is where query hints come into play. These hints provide a powerful way to override the default behavior of the query optimizer, allowing us to directly influence how queries are executed to solve performance bottlenecks. In this post, we will explore how query hints can be leveraged to address common performance issues and fine-tune your SQL Server workloads.
Efficient Batch Insertion in SQL Server Using ADO.NET and C#
When dealing with large datasets, the efficiency of database operations becomes crucial. Inserting records one by one into a SQL Server database can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. Fortunately, ADO.NET provides a solution in the form of the SqlBulkCopy class. This tool allows for batch insertion of records, significantly improving performance and reducing overhead. In this post, we’ll explore how to use SqlBulkCopy in C# to efficiently insert large volumes of data into SQL Server.
Ensuring Smooth SSRS Subscriptions in an Always On Availability Group
SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a powerful tool for managing and delivering reports in an enterprise environment. When configuring SSRS within a SQL Server Always On Availability Group, it’s essential to take specific steps to ensure that SSRS subscriptions continue to function properly during failovers. This blog outlines the key actions required to maintain seamless SSRS operations in such a setup.