The right tools for the job.  Read more...

The article show a simple way we managed to schedule index rebuild and reorg for an SQL instance with 106 databases used by one application using a Scheduled job.  Read more...

SQL Server Express Edition does not include SQL Server Agent in order to schedule the SQL Server database backups. Here's how to automate the backups for SQL Server Express Edition and make sure the old backup files are deleted.  Read more...

If your code uses temporary tables, variable tables or dynamic cursors, this metric can help identify whether you have contention on tempdb allocation. Tempdb is shared by all databases and is used for many operations in a SQL Server instance, so it is common for tempdb to cause performance problems.  Read more...

We still have problems with SQL Injection. Steve Jones has a few thoughts on why.  Read more...

Quick and easy way to monitor server activity and be notified from alerts.  Read more...

Constructing a test environment for your databases can be a difficult task at the best of times. Once you’ve actually acquired the hardware needed and architected the environment, you still have to arrange and securely transport the data. And with the rising demand for fast feedback and continuously integrated processes, having all of this automated and operating at speed is a challenge all of its own.  Read more...

Could you spare 3 minutes to do us a quick favor? Redgate’s running this short survey on how our readers develop and deploy databases. It’s just 12 multiple choice questions, so if you’ve got a couple of minutes to spare, we’d love to hear from you.  Read more...

Experience matters in setting your salary, but Steve Jones reminds us there are different types of experience, and there's more to life than money.  Read more...

The law seems to be failing to with the boons and pitfalls of technology.  Read more...

This week Steve Jones wonders where you would work if you had the chance.  Read more...

Understanding execution plans is a good basic skill for all DBA's and SQL developers. Darren White gives us an overview of what execution plans are in SQL Server and how they are used.  Read more...

You have a reporting requirement where a user has two or more parameters for a single report, but the values for one parameter depend on the values chosen in a previous parameter. Ghanesh Prasad explains how to create cascaded parameters in SQL Server Reporting Services to solve this issue.  Read more...

SQL Saturdau is coming to Tampa on February 28, 2015. This is a free training event for those wanting to learn about SQL Server. Register while space is available.  Read more...

Steve Jones talks about starting a new job and the need to get up to speed quickly, perhaps by being prepared on day 1.  Read more...

SSRS includes multiple functions that can be used in within an expression. This article hopes to just show an example of how to use the IsNothing function in an SSRS report.  Read more...

SQL Bits is Europe's largest SQL Server conference. They have experts teaching beginners, and beginners questioning experts, providing feedback and improving the event every year. Register with the code SSC-HERO to get a 15% discount on the ticket price!  Read more...

What better way to learn how to construct complex CHECK CONSTRAINTs, use the SQL 2012 window frame capability of the OVER clause and LEAD analytic function, as well as how to pivot rows into columns using a crosstab query? Create the SQL code to score Ten-pin Bowling, of course. Dwain Camps explains the how, what and why.  Read more...

How can we ship safe, and ship often? Steve Jones has a few comments on the need for better engineering.  Read more...

In Level 5 of this stairway, we help you understand and deploy a Failover Cluster Instance (FCI).  Read more...