Phil Factor ponders a cull of some of SQL Server's worst-behaving functions.  Read more...

Although many professions require judgement and skill, they also require the ability to do many repeated standard procedures in a consistent and methodical manner. For DBAs, standardization involves providing and following checklists, notes and instructions so that the results are predictable, correct and easy to maintain.  Read more...

Agile Alliance is holding a conference July 28 - August 1 in Orlando, Florida. If you're interested in Agile development, whether your initiative is mature or brand new, enterprise-wide or team-centric, you will find the finest knowledge, resources and people at Agile2014. This conference is for Teams, Developers, Managers and Executives. Register while space is available.  Read more...

Today we have a guest editorial from Andy Galbraith that looks at the ways in which he has helped others in his career.  Read more...

No one wants to use more keystrokes than they have to when they write a chunk of T-SQL code. To help with minimizing the number of characters a T-SQL developer needs to type the Microsoft team introduced three new shortcuts operators when they release SQL Server 2008. These shorts cuts are the String Concatenation, Add EQUALS, and the Subtract EQUALS operators.  Read more...

In this free eBook Shawn McGehee offers advice on query tuning, cutting stored procedures, and system process design and implementation for high availability. Discover how to perform backup and restore operations using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), basic T-SQL scripts and Red Gate's SQL Backup tool.  Read more...

Michael Collier takes a look at the key aspects of configuring the diagnostic agent in Microsoft Azure to collect the data you want, and transfer that data to storage on a schedule you define.   Read more...

When facing a problem you aren't sure you can solve, keep working on it and believe in yourself.  Read more...

SQL Server 2014 has a number of new DMVs, and some changes from SQL Server 2012. What are the new views and changes, and how can be useful to you?  Read more...

What happens if your database deployment goes awry? Grant Fritchey has some troubleshooting advice to get you out of a bind.  Read more...

The cloud is going to be important for the future of SQL Server.   Read more...

We want to make sure we're covering the things that are relevant to you, so we're asking for some feedback on what you use on SSC, where we need to improve, and what you'd like to see. It should only take a few minutes, and three randomly-selected people will win a $50 Amazon gift card for their efforts.   Read more...

A quick introduction of how to create memory-optimized tables in SQL Server 2014  Read more...

Louis Davidson on why DBAs ought to do one thing, every day, that is scary.  Read more...

Tim Smith describes a number of ways to tell which Stored Procedures are in use, DMVs, a SQL Server Trace, and his preferred method, the Source Code and PowerShell.  Read more...

A holiday in the US and Steve is briefly writing something on his sabbatical.  Read more...

Learn the basics of Reporting Services, what it is, and what it can do from you. From MVP Jessica Moss, we have a new series that can help you get started with this part of SQL Server.  Read more...

Many people have used a "Numbers" or "Tally" table without really knowing what it does. This is an introduction as to how a Tally table replaces a loop.  Read more...

Arshad Ali demonstrates granular level encryption in detail and explains how it differs from Transparent Data Encryption (TDE).  Read more...

Do other departments know what you do? One on one discussions is a great way to make sure.  Read more...