SQL Server 2025 is out at last and we are continuing our journey into some of the new features this version brings.

The latest version of SQL Server continues to evolve some of the features we first saw in SQL 2022 and one of those features is ‘DOP Feedback’…

This month, Mike Walsh is hosting T-SQL Tuesday and has put forward a really inspiring topic for T-SQL Tuesday #193

When I saw his post on LinkedIn announcing the topic, I just knew I had to get involved because it stopped me in my tracks and made me go back to Lee 10 years ago…

I have finally started looking deeper into some of the new features of SQL Server 2025 and this post will cover the first of many planned posts around all that is new and shiny within SQL 2025

I just love it when there are new features to dive into and explore…

In the previous post, we covered the basics of parameter sniffing with a simple demo to show what actually happens.

We took a basic stored procedure and illustrated how the first plan to get cached can have severe performance implications…

A while ago, I was working with a client who was experiencing performance issues on SQL Server 2019.

We quickly isolated the problematic procedure and they asked ’this normally runs fine, why is this a problem now?’ A fair question…

This year I attended SQLBits 2025, which is not exactly unusual for me. What was unusual, however, was that I was one of the many helpers at the event.

The conference was held at ExCeL London and was bigger, brighter and more jam-packed with speakers than ever before…

Within the professional world, I’m a firm believer in putting oneself in uncomfortable, but healthy, situations.

Uncomfortable situations are where development and growth occur. Sure, it’s nice knowing exactly what you’re doing some days, and you complete tasks so easily…

As part of Redgate SQL Test, you get SQLCop
(although the tests themselves are freely available to use).

SQLCop is a set of over 100 open-source tests for your databases.
The tests were originally maintained by George Mastros but are now managed by Redgate Software

Some of the defaults in earlier versions of SQL Server are less than ideal, particularly Cost Threshold For Parallelism (CTFP) and Max Degree Of Parallelism (MAXDOP).

Sure, things have improved in later versions. For example, since SQL Server 2019 the installer now prompts you to change MAXDOP. However, its still a problem for many workloads…

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in performance tuning is the importance of breaking queries tasks into smaller, more manageable sections. Who knew? The experts were right all along when they said, “If you’re confused by the query, SQL probably is too”.