Start learning Powershell (PoSh) for SQL Server and improve your ability to write utilities that will make your job easier.  Read more...

Today Steve Jones is looking for database design resources.  Read more...

Jonathan Kehayias discusses SQL Server on VMware, and how to monitor CPU performance – with or without access to vCenter.  Read more...

The Execute Package Task is an essential tool for any SSIS developer. Learn how to get the most from it.  Read more...

Steve Jones talks about the changes that AI may bring to our jobs.  Read more...

There are multiple ways to accomplish a database restore. But if you wanted to restore a database from a script how might you accomplish that task quickly and accurately?  Read more...

"There have been, and, in our increasingly connected and interconnected world, will continue to be, a large number of spectacular failures with technology. I want to point the finger at all of us for these failures. It’s not Development. It’s not Operations. It’s us. We’re in it together. If we don’t communicate with each other, share our knowledge, we’re going to mess up horribly."  Read more...

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A look into clustering to detect outliers in R. An extension on univariate statistical tests to include multivariate data.  Read more...

Fundamentals of SQL Server 2012 Replication provides a hands-on introduction to SQL Server replication. The book introduces you to the technologies that make up replication, and then walks you through setting up different replication scenarios. When you've finished reading, you should be able to implement your own multi-server replication setup while following the principle of least privilege.  Read more...

TSQL Code must work properly and efficiently. That's not enough though. Unless you are working alone, have perfect memory and plan to never change job, then you need to comment and document your code, it must be inherently readable, well laid out, use informative and obvious names, and it must be robust and resilient; written defensively. It must not rely on deprecated features of SQL Server, or assume particular database settings. Robert Sheldon starts a series of articles that explains the basics.  Read more...

A holiday in the US has Steve Jones thinking about compromise and communication.  Read more...

SQL Server Memory in Task Manager - Should I be Worried?  Read more...

In this post, Tim Smith looks at the different options you can use to audit your SQL Server extracts and loads during the ETL process.  Read more...

This article shows how to download sqlserverbuilds.blogspot.com to build your own automated sql patch level check.  Read more...

Today we look at SQL, celebrating its 43rd birthday today.  Read more...

This week Steve asks you to make sure you practice your restore skills periodically.  Read more...

There are many reasons for wanting to know how data is distributed. Sometimes you just want a rough idea of the way that data is distributed in a column. You may think, wouldn't it be nice to have a SQL function that just showed you roughly what the distribution was, graphically, in the results pane. Phil Factor thought that was well and turned the vague wish into reality.  Read more...

What does the future of IT Operations look like in a DevOps world? As more businesses rely on virtualisation, containers, cloud, Infrastructure as a Service, and Microservices, is there still a place for it? How do these teams change to continue to deliver value when supporting Agile Operations techniques?  Read more...

Steve Jones saw a database design test for developers, but he's never been given one.  Read more...