An efficient and reliable method for reading CSV files with variable columns.  Read more...

Greg Larsen talks about how indexes that are not being used are costing you valuable resources and causing your update statements to run longer.  Read more...

This paper describes best practices for security, networking, and component architecture for building a hybrid business intelligence (BI) environment by using a combination of Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Azure, and on-premises data sources. Many organizations are taking advantage of the benefits of cloud computing such as lower capital expenditures and increased agility, while still maintaining data in on-premises data stores.  Read more...

Analyzing performance often requires you to understand what is normal and what is not. Steve talks about the importance of baselines.  Read more...

This article aims to save you days or weeks of troubleshooting when using SQL Server 2016 for large databases  Read more...

Phil Factor describes a few common mishaps that everyone working in SSMS will have experienced a couple of times, and how SQL Prompt “Tab Magic” (now more prosaically called Tab Color and Tab History) provides ‘insurance’ against their consequences.  Read more...

The Microsoft acquisition of GitHub doesn't worry Steve.  Read more...

In-Memory OLTP was introduced with SQL Server 2014 as a way to improve transaction performance. There are several scenarios that are not supported, such as some data types, and Darko Martinovic describes the issues and provides workarounds. He also has provided a tool to assist in migrating disk-based tables to In-Memory optimized tables.  Read more...

My struggles with a customer's database that used a different collation sequence. The easy way is never the right way, or is it?  Read more...

Is there a best way to comment code? Or maybe just different styles. Steve Jones asks what you think today.  Read more...

Watch in awe and wonder as Brent Ozar creates a deadlock, then uses sp_BlitzLock after the fact to show you which queries and tables were involved.  Read more...

The value of enterprise SSDs intrigues Steve today.  Read more...

Learn how containers can help with database development.  Read more...

In this tip Aaron Bertrand looks at how to generate scripts for triggers using simple T-SQL statements. This tip shows how to easily build scripts for disabling, enabling, dropping and creating.  Read more...

In this level, we will focus on optimization techniques to apply while building the nonclustered columnstore index, which is available in all versions of SQL Server from 2012 up.  Read more...

Steve Jones talks about how you might learn to tune your SQL Server.  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 Redgate's SQL Backup tool.  Read more...

Power BI has been available for a number of years, but new functionality is added regularly. In this new series from Robert Sheldon, you will learn about the latest developments or get started with Power BI if you are new to it. Robert provides an overview of Power BI, the services and tools available in this article.  Read more...

Steve talks about the DBA as an enabler of DevOps.  Read more...

An example of a database migration from SQL Server 2016 on Windows to MS SQL Server 2017 on Linux.  Read more...