An update to the cardinality estimator feature in SQL Server 2022 will be one of the biggest changes to the database engine since its inception. Database engines like SQL Server are incredibly complex ...

Often, designing databases and speeding up SQL Server queries are treated as a kind of abstract problem: A just "Find this problem, apply this solution" approach to problem solving. In practice, ...

As I discussed in an earlier column, SQL Server keeps a plan cached for each query it sees (assuming the query requires planning in the first place, of course). That's great for speeding up processing ...

Perhaps a bit of an esoteric problem but... I have a SQL Server 2008 instance on EC2 (running on 2008 R2) under heavy load. I'm trying to optimize I/O performance and after a couple iterations I'm ...

Microsoft has just added support for query hints to Azure SQL Database, giving database administrators a powerful tool to manage the performance of ISV application code. Here's how it works. Database ...

Unlock the full InfoQ experience by logging in! Stay updated with your favorite authors and topics, engage with content, and download exclusive resources. Dany Lepage discusses the architectural ...

From AI-driven attacks to cutting-edge vector search capabilities, 2026 is redefining how we secure, optimize, and manage SQL databases. New SQL Server features, evolving threat landscapes, and modern ...

SQL is a convenient way to manage and query your data, but badly written queries can tie up your database. Here are seven common SQL traps and how to avoid them. Database developers have it tough.