Category: Hints

• Merge Wonders – Insert or Use

  

  2013-02-05 - General, Hints, MERGE, Performance, T-SQL Statements

  One of the most often encountered concurrency problems in T-SQL code happens in the Insert or Use scenario in which a new row is inserted if it does not exist yet and afterwards the primary key of the existing or the new row is returned. One of the easiest and safest ways to get this right is provided by the MERGE statement.

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• A Join A Day – Join Hints

  

  2012-12-20 - A Join A Day, Fundamentals, General, Hints, Performance, Series

  SQL Server cannot do an exhaustive search of all possible execution plans when compiling a query. On its quest to find the best plan, it sometimes misses the mark. See how join hints and query hints can help in a situation like that. But be aware, using join hints can backfire. Know the risks before you start using them.

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