Erik Darling joins Kendra Little to rate different SQL Server Performance Tuning Techniques in episode 81 of the Dear SQL DBA podcast. We share our opinions of... (deep breath) Recompile hints, Query Store hints and plan forcing, CTEs, Resource Governor, the legacy cardinality estimator, Table Variables, Automatic Plan Correction, Batch Mode, index rebuilds, Hekaton, NOLOCK, page compression, partitioning, filtered indexes, columnstore, join hints, PSPO, indexed hints, indexed views, optimize fo...
May 20, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 81
Eugene Meidinger stops by to chat about Power BI Performance Tuning with Kendra. We talk about the various engines and languages used in Power BI and big-picture strategies for getting performance from the start. Eugene then talks about the community of tools and techniques that can be used to dig in and solve performance problems in Power BI. Eugene's new Pluralsight course on Perf tuning Power BI launches on February 5th, 2024. The first 50 sales will be only $20. If you don't get one of those...
Jan 15, 2024•54 min
In this episode, Michael J Swart joins the Dear SQL DBA podcast to talk about databases, automation, and how he’s come to illustrate some of the coolest blog posts ever to be written about data. Check out Michael’s art and blog posts at michaeljswart.com, and explore his posts by illustration at https://michaeljswart.com/browse-articles-by-illustration/ .
Sep 26, 2023•1 hr 5 min
SQL Server has a new feature that’s currently only available in Azure SQL Database: Optimized Locking. Jeremiah Peschka joins the podcast to talk through the docs and nerd out on locks, blocks, and how to pronounce the acronym “LAQ”. Learn more about this feature online: Optimized locking article from Microsoft Learn Transaction locking and row versioning guide <– A much longer read on Microsoft Learn Kendra's Sketchnote diagram of Optimized Locking...
Sep 04, 2023•29 min
Ever wondered what it's like to be a VP or Director of Engineering? Kendra chats with Alex Robson about leadership in technology, what you can get out of coaching or an MBA program (should you be interested), and what makes a high performing team. We'll also chat about recommended content to hone your tech leadership skills. Alex Robson's site and blog: https://robsonconsulting.services Alex's content recommendations for folks who want to think more about technical leadership: "I believe Camille...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr
SQL Server performance tuning expert Erik Darling joins the podcast today to chat about how good queries can go bad, how bad queries can get better, and the question on everyone's mind: if he was a database, what database would he be? This episode contains some mildly explicit language. Erik's blog: https://erikdarlingdata.com/blog/ Erik's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ErikDarlingData
Aug 21, 2023•53 min
Tech interviews are weird and wacky. How did they get this way, and how SHOULD they be? Jeremiah Peschka joins us to discuss.
Aug 11, 2023•29 min
There are lots of jobs for data folks. In this episode, I'm discussing three hot job titles: Database Administrator (DBA), Database Reliability Engineer (DBRE), and Data Engineer (DE) To see the venn diagrams I made for these roles, visit https://catalyzesql.com/blog/1/01/01/dear-sql-dba-data-roles-dba-dbre-de/
Aug 04, 2023•25 min
I wrote a blog post inspired by Stephen Vakil 's excellent suggested interview question, but I inverted it: When should you NOT choose SQL Server to store your data? My thoughts: * When you don't actually need a database * When you're not using structured data * When you want pure analytics, or something other than a workload involving OLTP * When you need to write to multiple nodes for a single database * When your team wants a PAAS solution (lil pedantic on this, the hosted versions are slight...
Jun 22, 2023•14 min
It's Down Tools Week at Redgate. I share what "Down Tools Week" is, what I'm working on this week, and why I think it's a terrific experience for fostering creativity, innovation, and teamwork. In closing I share some thoughts on variations of this kind of project which you might use in your own organization, whether you are a developer, DBA, or have another role.
Aug 05, 2020•10 min
Many people use entrenched processes for database development that have been in place so long that it's hard to imagine doing it any other way. In this episode, I share three things that should NOT be normal for database development-- but which are incredibly common. This episode is inspired by the book, "The Unicorn Project", by Gene Kim.
Jul 23, 2020•28 min
I'm not an expert on collation in SQL Server, but there are a few important facts which I've had to learn the hard way. In this episode I share the basics, along with helpful resources to learn more. One small localization correction: the default collation on a SQL Server install will be "the oldest available version that's associated with each specific locale." So if your Windows installation has a different localization than mine (which are generally English USA), then you'll see a different d...
Jul 16, 2020•14 min
Learning Git can be daunting for DBAs. In this 20 minute episode, I discuss why learning a VCS is necessary for DBAs, then give three tips on scoping your project, choosing the right tools, and making sure the project is successful. The cheat sheet I mention in the episode is at https://littlekendra.com/2019/11/27/my-git-cli-cheat-sheet/
Jul 08, 2020•19 min
You're a DBA, and your development team is all-in on doing DevOps, and they want to include the database. Should your DBA team limit the permissions or options for automation? Or should you instead re-think how your two teams work together? In this episode, Kendra discusses DevOps team topologies, the changing role of DBA teams in DevOps, and the opportunities available in creating communities of practice around database development.
Jun 12, 2019•41 min
I've been working as an 'Evangelist' at Redgate for close to six months now, and one question keeps coming up: what exactly does an Evangelist do at a software company? In 21 minutes, I explain the core mission of Evangelists, and why I think being part of the sales process is an important part of the future of software evangelism.
Jan 29, 2019•21 min
Jobs change over time, and database administrator jobs are no different. In this 35 minute recorded Twitch livestream (my first ever!) I talk about threats to DBA jobs and the related opportunities.
Jan 17, 2019•35 min
In this session, I discuss scrum, continuous deployment, test driven development, DevOps, and related concepts. I close with a quick discussion of why Database Administrators and Developers should care about DevOps.
Oct 02, 2018•20 min
So you've got an employee agreement in front of you: now what? In this 23 minute episode, I talk about practical steps you should take to make sure that you understand the terms of your contract, and how to potentially negotiate the terms.
Aug 29, 2018•23 min
When you take a new job in software engineering or in IT, within the paperwork there often lurks an employee agreement: a contract between you and your employer. In this half-hour live episode we'll talk about why these contracts exist, and multiple anti-patterns you should avoid. This is the first of a two part series. In the next episode, we'll talk best practices for understanding and negotiating the contract.
Aug 11, 2018•31 min
What makes a person a DBA Hero? In this episode, I talk about how Robert Davis made a huge impact on the SQL Server community, and the traits that Robert displayed that I hope to emulate.
Aug 01, 2018•20 min
I've gotten a few questions about whether I recommend learning Service Broker, and recently I was asked if I'm planning to make any courses on Service Broker. In this episode, I talk about why I personally haven't become an expert with Broker, the factors that I believe play into Service Broker adoption, and other resources online for learning Service Broker in SQL Server.
Jul 19, 2018•23 min
New to learning SQL Server? Get the scoop on free online resources to look up information, ask questions of community members, and learn SQL Server from the ground up. Links from the episode are at: https://sqlworkbooks.com/dear-sql-dba/training-resources-for-sql-noobs/
Jun 13, 2018•29 min
This week I discuss a question that I've gotten in many forms over the years - a lot of the scenarios are so specific that it's hard to keep them anonymous, but they can be generalized as a bigger problem: how do I deal with being responsible for things that I can't fully control? DBAs have huge responsibilities, so this is a common, frustrating scenario. In this episode, I talk about a few times that I've experienced this in my own life, what techniques didn't work, and what strategies were mor...
May 18, 2018•35 min
Our question this week comes from someone who's excited to be on a healthy career path, building their work experience as a DBA. They're worried: will lacking a college degree block their career growth down the line? I talk about my experience and also check out current job listings to answer the question.
May 03, 2018•31 min
In this episode, I talk about how to strategize for and prepare for Microsoft Certification exams, using the Database Fundamentals exam as an example.
Apr 23, 2018•30 min
Our question this week comes from an IT pro who would like to be self-employed. In this episode, I talk about three big things you need to think about to start working for yourself, and two possible paths to get there.
Apr 05, 2018•32 min
A few folks have asked: will auto-tuning and adaptive query plans mean the end of performance tuning jobs in SQL Server? In this week's episode, I talk about why I'm excited about those features rather than afraid of them. Digging into this problem, I share the #1 mindset problem I had as a DBA, why this mindset is so common among database professionals, and a daily habit that can change your approach to new technology.
Dec 01, 2017•18 min
Are you worried that you talk too fast when you give a speech, talk, or presentation? Is fear being a fast-talker one of the concerns that keeps you from getting started with public speaking? In this episode, I give you simple, practical tips that I've used to successfully improve the way I give presentations. Four years ago, I got frustrated feedback from listeners who had a hard time keeping up with my mouth; now I get congratulations that the pace was great.
Nov 17, 2017•18 min
In this week's episode, I'm not answering a reader's question. Instead, I'm talking about my personal experience with anxiety. This episode touches on on healthcare, religion, and squishy emotions -- and there's at least one curse word. I don't talk tech in this episode. (Don't worry, there's more of that coming in future weeks.)
Nov 08, 2017•44 min
SQL Server Service Packs are going away, starting with SQL Server 2017. I talk about why I think this is a good thing, and discuss Cumulative Updates, Service Packs, and the process of updating SQL Server.
Oct 05, 2017•12 min
