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Copilot to the Rescue -Simplifying DBA tasks in SSMS 22

#fabcon2026 #session #learning #microsoft #fabcon2026-session

Description

Unlock faster, smarter database management with Github Copilot in SSMS 22. This session shows how AI-driven guidance simplifies everyday DBA tasks from faster troubleshooting, writing better T-SQL, boosting productivity and reducing errors.

In this session you will see practical demos and learn how Github Copilot becomes your essential assistant.

Key Takeaways

My Notes

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Copilot to the Rescue
Simplifying DBA Tasks in SSMS 22
AI-powered guidance inside SSMS • Real demos • Real scenarios • No hype
Warwick Rudd
Kelly Broekstra
Warwick Rudd
• SQL Masters Consulting | MVP, MCM
• Principal Consultant
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/warwickrudd/
Kelly Broekstra
• Freelance Consultant | MVP
• www.linkedin.com/in/kellybroekstra/
Warwick is a SQL Server Data Platform
MVP, Microsoft Certified Master - SQL
Server, Consultant & trainer with 25+
years of experience specialising in SQL
Server technologies, providing SQL
Server Database Consultancy, Support &
designing solutions.
Kelly is a SQL Server Data Platform MVP and data
engineer with 20+ years of experience delivering
enterprise-scale BI and data platform solutions. I
have a Proven track record of driving data
strategies, implementing Azure and Power BI
environments, and leading cross-functional
teams to achieve measurable business
outcomes.
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Abstract
Unlock faster, smarter database management with Github Copilot in
SSMS 22.
This session shows how AI-driven guidance simplifies everyday DBA
tasks from faster troubleshooting, writing better T-SQL, boosting
productivity and reducing errors.
In this session you will see practical demos and learn how Github
Copilot becomes your essential assistant.
Session Agenda
What we’ll cover today …..
The DBA Pressure Problem
Why AI matters now
Copilot Walkthrough
Constitutions & Instructions
Customize your environment
Code Completions & Chat
Improve productivity
Using Copilot as your assistant
What? Why? How?
How to make this work for you
Key Takeaways
What to try after this
The Modern DBA Challenge
More pressure. Fewer mistakes. Faster delivery
3×
67%
40%
More tasks
expected per DBA
DBA errors happen
under time pressure
Time lost to
repetitive T-SQL
GitHub Copilot in SSMS 22 is designed to help DBAs work smarter — not just
faster.
GitHub Copilot in SSMS 22
AI meets the DBA’s everyday environment
What is it?
› AI pair programmer built into SSMS
› Powered by large language models
trained on code & documentation
› Understands your database schema
for context-aware suggestions
› Chat, inline completions & natural
language → T-SQL
› No external tools
Constitutions,
Instructions &
Completions
Inline Chat
& Explain
Context-Aware
Suggestions
Improve
productivity
Constitutions, Instructions & Completions
Constitutions
Instructions
Code Completions
Set specific behaviour rules
Define coding standards & naming
conventions
Describe desired output in plain
English
Copilot generates schema-aware TSQL
Works with your actual table & column
names
Copilot respects your team's style
Use: Copilot Chat panel in SSMS
Inline suggestions appear as you type
T-SQL
Tab to accept, keep typing to dismiss
Understands partial queries in context
Copilot respects your team's style
Shows: Ghost text in the query
editor
Ask: ‘Get top 10 customers by
revenue this month'
Type: SELECT * FROM Orders
WHERE… and watch suggestions
Copilot respects your team's style
Where: SSMS → Copilot Settings
→ Instructions
Set an instruction: 'Always use
CTEs instead of subqueries'
Chat, Explain & Refactor
Understand Unfamiliar Code
Highlight a legacy stored procedure → Ask Copilot
'What does this do?' → Get plain-English explanation
with risk notes.
Diagnose Errors
Paste an error message into Copilot Chat → Get
immediate root-cause analysis and fix – no Stack Overflow
needed.
Refactor T-SQL
Paste old-style T-SQL → Ask Copilot to modernize
using CTEs, window functions & best practices →
Review + accept.
Execution Plan Analysis
Execution plans are powerful but complex. Identifying costly operators takes experience and time - Copilot helps you
get there in seconds.
Run the Query
Execute the slow query
with ‘Include Actual
Execution Plan’
Right-click → Include Actual
Execution Plan or press Ctrl+M
Ask Copilot
Get Recommendations
Open the execution plan
as Show XML. Ask Copilot
to analyse
Copilot identifies scans,
sorts, key lookups and
suggests indexes and rewrites
Prompt: ‘Analyse this execution
plan and explain the most costly
operators’
Copilot Output: Missing index
hints, re-write suggestions, stats
updates etc.
Reducing Human Error with AI Assistance
Copilot as your safety net
Common Error Patterns
Missing WHERE clause on
UPDATE/DELETE
Wrong index on wrong table
Suboptimal data types causing implicit
conversions
Blocking caused by forgotten
transactions
Copy-paste errors in stored procedures
Not considering execution plan cost
before deployment
How Copilot Catches them
Flags missing WHERE and prompts for
confirmation
Analyses query and suggests
appropriate index strategy
Recommends explicit casts and
optimal data types
Warns when an implicit transaction may
cause blocking
Detects structural duplication and
suggests refactoring
Generates execution plan summary
before you run in prod
Key Takeaways
What to try back at work
Start Today
GitHub Copilot is in SSMS 22 now —
download and enable it. The setup
takes minutes.
Set Instructions
Invest 5 minutes in custom instructions to
align Copilot with your team's standards.
Use Chat First
Decode Execution Plans
Copilot Chat is the fastest win — paste any
query and ask it to explain or improve.
Paste execution plan XML into Copilot
Chat for instant, actionable analysis.
It's a Tool, Not a Replacement
Copilot amplifies your DBA expertise —
always review suggestions before
deploying.
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Questions
Thank you for joining us today!
Warwick Rudd
Kelly Broekstra