Grant Fritchey

Grant Fritchey is a SQL Server MVP with over 20 years’ experience in IT including time spent in support and development. Grant has worked with SQL Server since version 6.0 back in 1995. He has developed in VB, VB.Net, C# and Java. Grant has authored books for Apress and Simple-Talk, and joined Red Gate as a Product Advocate in January 2011. Find Grant on Twitter @GFritchey or on his blog as the Scary DBA.

SQLServerCentral Editorial

The DBA is Dead! Long Live the !

I'm sure I've never mentioned this before, but I'm a little aged. I'm not real far from 40 years in IT, and I got started a little late in life. Regardless, I've heard this tale of woe before. And no, this isn't going to be a rehash of all the old stories ("self-tuning" SQL Server […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-10-14

5 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

It's Never Just One Thing

I was reading about a recent security failure when I saw the phrase "...a series of missed opportunities...". Made me giggle and say to myself "No Kidding Kojak" except I used Sherlock Holmes and a different word. Fact is, security failures, and hey, let's face it, process failures, almost never come down to a single […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(2)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-10-12

52 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Let's Talk Certifications

In just over a week, I'm going to be in Valencia, Spain, for pgConf.eu. While there, I'm planning to take the first certification to come out of the Open Alliance for PostgreSQL Education. I'm more than a little nervous because I'm not sure I'm ready. However, I've been studying and reading, watching videos, practicing my […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(2)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-10-10

62 reads

SQL Server 2022 Query Performance Tuning

Troubleshoot slow-performing queries and make them run faster. Database administrators and SQL developers are constantly under pressure to provide more speed. This new edition has been redesigned and rewritten from scratch based on the last 15 years of learning, knowledge, and experience accumulated by the author. The book Includes expanded information on using extended events, automatic execution plan correction, and other advanced features now available in SQL Server.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(1)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-10-07 (first published: )

4,771 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Looking for New Blood

You may not be old, but I sure am. As I travel around to all the different conferences to speak, whether we're talking a dev conference, SQL Server, or PostgreSQL, one of the topics that keeps coming up is age. The age of the organizers. It's mostly the same people putting on events for the […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(1)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-09-05

307 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Learn From History

I've just spent a week in the UK visiting the Redgate HQ with my fellow advocates. I'm really blessed to get to work with such a great bunch of people. A couple of the conversations we had stuck with me and I'd like to share them here. Sitting in the midst of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK, […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(1)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-08-15

210 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

VACATION!

Yeah, I've got the Go-Go's running in my head because I'm going on vacation tomorrow (holiday for you UK types). I've been slogging through a really dense book, War in Human Civilization. Total recommendation. Get it. Read it. However, I'm right near the end and there's been a lot of discussion about the impact of […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-08-01

165 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Even When You Know What You're Doing, You Can Screw Up

There I was, walking around Amsterdam, radio in hand (OMG! He's talking about radios again!), automatically transmitting Active Packet Report System (APRS) signals every 90 seconds. Same radio I had used in Chicago a couple of weeks ago and in Poland last week. I was on the correct frequency and, as I say, I had […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(2)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-05-23

187 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Don't Panic

And bring a towel. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you have homework. You know with that lead in I'm going to talk about AI. Sorry, can't help it. It's on my mind quite a lot. It's in the news, oh, a whole lot. The majority of those stories can be summed up […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-04-11

160 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

You Have Homework

I'm very humbled and honored to be able to type this next sentence. My friend, Buck Woody, sometimes gives me book recommendations. Except, with Buck, you have to understand, it's not really a recommendation. It's an assignment. There'll be a test later. You had best have studied. Failing, well, let's not discuss that, it's too […]

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

(1)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2026-01-31

130 reads

Blogs

T-SQL Tuesday #203: Risk and Reward

By

This is timely, as I’m currently on a boat in the Adriatic taking a...

dataMinds Connect 2026 – Slides & Scripts

By

You can find the slides and SQL scripts for my session “Spice up your...

How to Clear the SSMS Cache (SSMS 21 and Later)

By

How to Clear the SSMS Cache (SSMS 21 and Later) Updated...

Read the latest Blogs

Forums

Alamat BCA KCP Pasar Kenari Telp:08218200203

By layanan_Bca88

Telp/Wa 628218200203 Gedung Sutrado, Jl. Kenari 2 No.5 Lt. 1, RT.2/RW.3, Kenari, Kec. Senen,...

Alamat BCA KCP Biak Telp:08217555651

By R4nt4u

Telp/Wa 628218200203 Jl. Biak No.44 AB, RT.8/RW.11, Cideng, Kecamatan Gambir, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah...

Alamat BCA KCP Plaza Index Telp:08217555651

By m4rt1n4

Telp/Wa 628217555651 Gedung Plaza Bank Index Ground, Jl. M.H. Thamrin No.57 Floor Suite GF-21,...

Visit the forum

Question of the Day

Using CHOOSE()

We have this code that sets some status values and then queries them using the CHOOSE() function in SQL Server 2025.

CREATE TABLE Status
(
    StatusID INT,
    StatusDescription VARCHAR(20)
);
GO
INSERT dbo.Status
(
    StatusID,
    StatusDescription
)
VALUES
(0, 'Uncategorized'),
(1, 'Active'),
(2, 'Inactive'),
(3, 'Temp');

GO
SELECT CHOOSE(StatusID, 'Unknown', 'Active', 'Inactive', 'Temporary')
FROM Status;
When the SELECT runs, what is returned?

See possible answers