Handy TSQL for Azure SQL Database

I do not always use the Azure portal to make database changes or to check for certain information. I use it a lot of for blogging purposes but for some tasks I rather just run code via SSMS – SQL Server Management Studio.

Like what?

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Azure SQL Extended Events – Using Azure Storage

Last year I wrote about Azure SQL Database extended events (https://blobeater.blog/2017/02/06/using-extended-events-in-azure/)  and gave an example where I was capturing deadlocks via the ring buffer. Ever since then I wanted to do a follow-up post but using Azure storage as the target for my XEL files.

This is more complicated than using the ring buffer as the target and requires a couple of things:

  • Azure storage account where you create a dedicated container for the files.
  • SAS key.
  • Database master key.
  • Database scoped credential.

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Extended Events – Using Azure Storage

Last year I wrote about Azure SQL Database extended events (https://blobeater.blog/2017/02/06/using-extended-events-in-azure/)  and gave an example where I was capturing deadlocks via the ring buffer. Ever since then I wanted to do a follow-up post but using Azure storage as the target for my XEL files.

This is more complicated than using the ring buffer as the target and requires a couple of things:

  • Azure storage account where you create a dedicated container for the files.
  • SAS key.
  • Database master key.
  • Database scoped credential.

Continue reading

Azure SQL Database and Columnstore Indexes

I have come to understand the importance of using columnstore indexes when my queries are aggregating and scanning across many millions of rows.

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Azure SQL Database and Cost Threshold for Parallelism

We all know that the magic figure for cost threshold for parallelism is 5 by default, meaning if the estimated cost of a query is greater than 5 it may very well generate a parallel plan.

Does this apply to Azure SQL Database? Let’s check.

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