Guy and Eitan go over Paul Randal's article of "Top Ten SQL Server Performance Tuning Best Practices" (published in last March), and add their own input.

We also talk about considerations of upgrading SQL Server to 2025, and we also learn something new about Temp Table Caching.

Relevant links:

• SQL101: Top Ten SQL Server Performance Tuning Best Practices - Paul S. Randal
• SQL Server 2016 Extended Security Updates: Stay Protected While You Modernize | Microsoft Community Hub
• Memory-optimized TempDB metadata | Microsoft Learn
• Limitations of Memory-optimized TempDB metadata | Microsoft Learn
• SQL Server 2022 addresses GAM and SGAM contention in TempDB
• Temporary Table Caching Explained
• SQL Server Temporary Object Caching

Guy talks about an interesting incident involving performance problems in a virtual environment.

And also, we talk about the SSMS StatisticsParser extension and the question of SSMS extensions in general.

Relevant links:

• vmware.com/docs/sql-server-on-vmware-best-practices-guide
• Hyper-V and SQL Server Best Practices: What We Wish You Knew - SQL Server Consulting - Straight Path Solutions
• Announcing the SSMS StatisticsParser Extension - Brent Ozar Unlimited®
• SSMS Extension List
• Statistics are not collected when creating new table and indexes and loading data after. · Issue #990 · olahallengren/sql-server-maintenance-solution

Guy and Eitan discuss a few new things in the latest SSMS update, and Eitan tells about a very peculiar use case involving transactional replication and AlwaysOn Availability Groups, and Guy talks about a use case involving deletion triggers.

Important note: The part about SQL Server 2025 CU4 adding automatic update was an April 1st joke :)

Relevant links:

• SSMS 22.5.2 Release
• Migrate SQL Server to Azure SQL | Microsoft Learn
• Introducing optimized locking v2 | Microsoft Community Hub
• SQL Server 2025 CU4 Adds Automatic Updates - Brent Ozar Unlimited® (April 1st joke)
• Hot Patching SQL Server Engine in Azure SQL Database | Microsoft Community Hub
• Configure Replication with Always on Availability Groups

Guy and Eitan discuss several very interesting new features recently announced by Microsoft.

Relevant links for more info:

• Stop defragmenting and start living: introducing auto index compaction | Microsoft Community Hub
• Automatic Index Compaction - SQL Server | Microsoft Learn
• Database DevOps (preview) in SSMS 22.4.1 | Microsoft Community Hub
• Manage SQL database schemas in VS Code: Publish dialog and item templates - Azure SQL Dev Corner
• Publish SQL Database Projects from Visual Studio Code - SQL Server | Microsoft Learn
• SQL code analysis in VS Code: Configure rules without editing your project file - Azure SQL Dev Corner
• SQL Projects Roadmap - DacFx Wiki
• Author Custom Code Analysis Rules - SQL Server | Microsoft Learn

Guy and Eitan talk about Erik Darling's new monitoring app, which reminds us of similar tools we had experience with long ago.

And, again, it's time to talk about AI. Specifically, a side-effect of it called "The Liar's Dividend".

Relevant links for more information:

• Free SQL Server Performance Monitor App by Erik Darling - Brent Ozar Unlimited®
• Free SQL Server Performance Monitoring | Darling Data
• The Liar's Dividend - When Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted - Eitan Blumin's blog
• Dear Copilot, can you help me with SQL? - Azure SQL Dev Corner
• Public Preview - Data Virtualization for Azure SQL Database | Microsoft Community Hub

Looks like it's that time of the year again, to face the impending death of the DBA role!

Or... Is it?

Guy and Eitan discuss the topic and raise several interesting points you should listen to.

Relevant links:

• sqlfingers.com: Death of the DBA (Again) (Reddit thread)

In this year's first episode of the new year, Guy and Eitan discuss the new Next-gen General Purpose tier of Azure SQL Managed Instance, which is now GA. They also discuss a few interesting customer stories, how they were resolved, and how they're not actually SQL Server's fault.

Relevant links:

• Generally Available: Azure SQL Managed Instance Next-gen General Purpose | Microsoft Community Hub
• The Bitmap Index query plan operator
• SQL Server on VMware best practices guide
• How to Save Money on Your SQL Server Hardware

Matan Yungman is our special host for today, who came especially to talk about his special project called "Rapido", which is capable of automatically tuning SQL queries at scale.

Perhaps there is some inspiration in it for us?

Relevant links:

• Matan Yungman | LinkedIn
• Matan Yungman (@MatanYungman) / X
• SQL Server 2025 is Now Generally Available | Microsoft Community Hub
• Intelligent Query Processing - SQL Server | Microsoft Learn