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Step-by-step instructions for downloading and installing SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) for SQL Server 2016.  Read more...

Are you purging the old database mail items stored in msdb? In this tip, Greg Larsen shows you how to purge database mail.  Read more...

Redgate are running a survey to better understand trends in adoption of different technologies and platforms. Completing this survey will take just a few minutes, and as a thank you for your time, they will be giving away a $100 Amazon gift card to one randomly selected participant who completes the survey by October 10.  Read more...

Automate your Data Lake with PowerShell! Learn how PowerShell can be used to execute U-SQL scripts, as well as a few other little tricks.  Read more...

Every day, out in the various online forums devoted to SQL Server, and on Twitter, the same types of questions come up repeatedly: Why is this query running slowly? Why is SQL Server ignoring my index? Why does this query run quickly sometimes and slowly at others? My response is the same in each case: have you looked at the execution plan?  Read more...

Any DBA who is trying to find the cause of an intermittent problem with a server or database dreams of being able to use a query or procedure take a snap of the relevant variables at the point when the problem occurred. Laerte takes an example of a slow-running query hogging resources to show that you can run queries when a WMI alert is fired, and save the results for later inspection, whenever it happens.  Read more...

Principal components analysis is a standard, but usually terrible, technique for visualising complex data. We're using network diagrams to solve this problem.  Read more...

Sometimes there is a need to find if a string value exists in any column in your table. Although there are system stored procedures that do a "for each database" or a "for each table", there is not a system stored procedure that does a "for each column".  Read more...

Whether you’re only just starting to explore the advantages of DevOps or you’re already fully immersed in the journey, including the database brings additional advantages. Take a few minutes to complete our Database DevOps Maturity Assessment and you’ll better understand how advanced your current processes are, receive recommendations for improvements, and see how your maturity level compares with that of your peers.  Read more...

This article will explain how to fix "The Instance ID 'MSSQLSERVER' Is Already In Use By SQL Server Instance 'MSSQLSERVER.INACTIVE' Error.   Read more...

This year I decided to take “someday” to heart and do something that has been on my mind for awhile...  Read more...

If you’ve been following along with the previous 10 Database Fundamentals blog posts, you have a SQL Server installed and...  Read more...