Business Intelligence architect, Analysis Services Maestro, and author Bill Pearson exposes the DAX ISBLANK() function, and then provides some hands-on exposure to its use, particularly in combination with other DAX functions, in managing empty values underlying our PowerPivot model designs.  Read more...

Our major goal in terms of log maintenance for all databases under our care is to optimize for write performance, in order to support all activities that require SQL Server to write to the log, including data modifications, data loads, index rebuilds, and so on. However, it's also important to keep an eye on possible log fragmentation, which, as described previously, can affect the performance of processes that need to read the log, such as log backups and the crash recovery process.  Read more...

This level takes a deeper look at how log fragmentation can affect the performance of operations that need to read the log, such as log backups, or the crash recovery process.  Read more...

Indexes are the database objects that enable SQL Server to satisfy each data access request from a client application with the minimum amount of effort, resulting in the maximum performance of individual requests while also reducing the impact of one request upon another. Prerequisites: Familiarity with the following relational database concepts: Table, row, primary key, foreign key  Read more...

Learn how to incrementally load new rows into a database from an Integration Services package. MVP and SSIS guru Andy Leonard continues his series on learning SSIS.  Read more...

You should be on your way with PowerShell with the previous levels and now the topic shifts to using Functions and Assemblies built in to .NET for use with automation. This topic will be used in your PowerShell adventures throughout your career and this Stairway.  Read more...

Business Intelligence architect and author Bill Pearson exposes the DAX BLANK() function, and then provides some hands-on exposure to its use in managing empty values underlying our PowerPivot model designs.  Read more...

This article walks through a sample dashboard, highlighting sparklines, databars, and indicators.  Read more...

Bill Pearson, Business Intelligence architect and author, exposes the DAX DISTINCT() function, and then provides some hands-on exposure to its use in generating distinct counts. Moreover, he further explores working with measures in the PivotTable in this, the third Level of our new Stairway to PowerPivot and DAX series.  Read more...

This article shows how to group information, adjust for dynamic column and row groups, and generally use the tablix in Reporting Services.  Read more...

The first part of our stairway series on SQL Trace examines the overview of this subsystem in SQL Server, it's architecture and the kind of information it returns.  Read more...

In this Level, we look at how to convert string values to XML and how to convert XML to character types.   Read more...

In this level, Andy Leonard goes into advanced logging techniques for your packages.  Read more...

In this Level, we’ll look at how to use XML methods within user-defined functions to return XML fragments and values from your target XML instance.   Read more...

Now that we've seen the basics of indexing, and taken a deeper dive into Nonclustered Indexes, this Level will focus on searching the table, which will, in turn, will lead us to a discussion of clustered indexes.  Read more...

In this article, MVP Jessica Moss talks about data sources and how to connect them to your report. Learn how to add the reusable data sets and data sources for your reporting projects.  Read more...

The final level of this stairway looks at the MERGE statement in detail, focusing on how to perform insert, update and delete logic using the MERGE statement.  Read more...

In this level, Rob Sheldon explains what XML is, and describes the components of an XML document, Elements and Attributes. He explains the basics of tags, entity references, enclosed text, comments and declarations  Read more...

Learn the basics of data flow in SSIS with the data pump in this second installment of our series designed to teach you about Integration Services.  Read more...

SQL Server Agent is a Microsoft Windows service that allows a DBA to automate administrative tasks. SQL Server Agent can run jobs, monitor SQL Server, and process alerts. The SQL Server Agent service must be running before any jobs scheduled to execute automatically can be run  Read more...