Alexander Chigrik

Here are twelve helpful tips for ensuring that you’ve constructed your SQL Server stored procedures to perform in the most efficient manner possible. 1. Use stored procedures instead of heavy-duty queries. This can reduce network traffic as your client will send to the server only the stored procedure name (perhaps with some parameters) instead of […]

Here are twelve helpful tips to ensure you are performing SQL Server backup/restore operations in the most efficient manner possible. 1. Try to perform backups to the local hard disk first, while copying copy backup file(s) to tape later. When you perform a backup, some SQL Server commands cannot be made; for example, during backup […]

Should you have problems with backup/restore, review this troubleshooting checklist to find potential solutions. 1. Ensure that you are using the latest SQL Server service pack. To check which SQL service pack are you running, see this link: How can I check what SQL service pack am I running? 2. Ensure that you have the […]

Here are fourteen little known tips to help ensure you are using SQL Server Data Transformation Services (DTS) in the most efficient manner possible. 1. Avoid using DTS if it is possible to use a Transact-SQL distributed query such as a SELECT INTO statement to transfer data. Using Transact-SQL is the fastest method to move […]

Introduction General Concepts Full-text Indexes vs. Regular SQL Indexes Maintaining Full-text Indexes SQL Server 2000 Full-text Search Enhancements Step-by-step Example Literature   Introduction In this article, I want to tell you about some general full-text search concepts, including software requirements, the Microsoft Search Service, maintaining full-text indexes, the comparison of full-text indexes with regular SQL […]

Should you have problems with Data Transformation Services (DTS), review this troubleshooting checklist to find potential solutions. 1. If you receive an error that the license for the installation of SQL Server does not permit the use of DTS to transform data, switch SQL Server to “per-seat” mode. This error means that you cannot perform […]

Here are twenty little known tips that you can use to ensure your replication operations are performing in the most efficient manner possible. 1. Avoid publishing unnecessary data. Try to restrict the amount of published data. This can result in significant performance benefits as SQL Server will publish only the amount of data required. At […]

Should you have problems with replication, review this troubleshooting checklist to find potential solutions. 1. Check the hardware requirements. For SQL Server 7.0, you should have: Alpha AXP, Intel or compatible platform Pentium 166 MHz or higher 64MB RAM or more (recommended) 180MB hard disk space For SQL Server 2000, you should have: Intel or […]

Here are fourteen little known tips that you can use to ensure your SQL Server Full-Text Search queries are performing in the most efficient manner possible. 1. Set the virtual memory size to at least 3 times the physical memory installed in the computer, and set the SQL Server “max server memory” server configuration option […]

Should you have problems with full-text search, review this troubleshooting checklist to find potential solutions. 1. Check the hardware requirements. For SQL Server 7.0, you should have: Alpha AXP, Intel or compatible platform Pentium 166 MHz or higher 64MB RAM or more (recommended) 180MB hard disk space For SQL Server 2000, you should have: Intel […]

Here are seventeen little known tips you can use to ensure your SQL Server environment is performing in the most efficient manner possible. 1. Try to perform backups at the local hard disk first, and then copy backup file(s) to the tape later. When you perform a backup, some SQL Server commands cannot be made, […]

Here are fourteen little known tips that you can use to ensure your Transact-SQL queries are performing in the most efficient manner possible. 1. Try to restrict the queries result set by using the WHERE clause. This can result in a performance benefit, as SQL Server will return to the client only particular rows, not […]