It is increasingly likely that DBAs are now given responsibility for maintaining Azure SQL databases as well as conventional SQL Server databases. What is likely to be required by way of maintenence? What are the differences? Grant Fritchey covers what you need to know.  Read more...

Learn how to write a script for regular database backups using Powershell and SMO.  Read more...

There's more than one way to be green.  Read more...

Once you've prepared an SSRS report, it needs formatting to get it ready for the people who need to read it. This tip covers the basics of formatting SSRS Reports.  Read more...

Do you use version control for your databases? For your application code? Is there a time when you think it's not needed? Steve Jones asks the question today.   Read more...

This article shows how to change a SQL Server name after changing the Windows machine name.  Read more...

There's an idea of using false passwords with real accounts, honeywords, that can help us detect security issues with our servers. Is that worth implementing in SQL Server?  Read more...

There are several frameworks for assisting with the testing of SQL Server databases, but tSQLt is popular because it is written in TSQL and is simple for a database developer to set up and use. It doesn't get in the way. Rob Sheldon shows you how to get started.  Read more...

Learn how you can manipulat XML documents solely in memory. No file required.   Read more...

There is plenty of competition in the database platform space for SQL Server. There's a new NuSQL platform, whose vendor hopes will replace SQL Server as the platform of choice in the cloud. However Steve Jones isn't sure this will be the case.  Read more...

A free day of training this weekend in Atlanta, GA.  Read more...

When no clustered index is defined on a table, that table is said to be a Heap. Heaps are not ideal when it comes to performance but there are lots of instances where you have heaps.   Read more...

Eliminate pesky legacy TEXT, NTEXT and IMAGE data types with this handy script.  Read more...

Steve Jones sees a problem with the Azure platform. It's one that he thinks is limiting adoption, and may become a big problem for Microsoft at some point.  Read more...

A free day of training in Redmond, WA this weekend on May 18, 2013.  Read more...

Unfortunately SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) does not support differential backups and creating full backups for the servers might take too much time. In this tip we are going to show how to synchronize two SSAS servers in order to have a failover server in case something goes wrong with one of the servers.  Read more...

On Thursday May 16th 12PM Central time, Robert Davis will discuss public facing websites on a global scale when looking at Data Architecture.  Read more...

The way we write code impacts our users, but it can also impact our wallet, especially in cloud computing. Steve Jones wonders how many people bother to profile and test their code.  Read more...

Identify orphaned Database Users and differentiate them from "Loginless" Database Users.  Read more...

Phil Factor on three "sanity checks" that any data scientist must perform in order to prevent businesses from interpreting data analysis errors, or fraudulent activity, as real trends.  Read more...