This article explores the 'shadow copy' and 'disk virtualization' services built into the Windows operating system and explains a basic solution demonstrating how the technology is used to copy the data and log files for a live SQL Server database into an 'image', from which we can create multiple, lightweight copies, or clones, of the original database.
2025-10-22 (first published: 2021-04-29)
5,957 reads
Learn how indexes can help you with more than just querying data.
2025-10-22
9,103 reads
I’ve seen the SQL EXISTS keyword in Microsoft SQL Server T-SQL code and don’t understand it well. What does it do? How do I use it? Are there best practices around SQL IF EXISTS?
2025-10-22
Learn how ledger databases and ledger tables work in SQL Server 2022.
2025-10-20
12,212 reads
VIEWs are an undervalued and underused feature in SQL. They basically consist of a query that has been given a name, and a parameter list, so can be used like an inline macro. Technically, you’re supposed to think of it as a virtual table.
2025-10-20
This article shows how to use Python to create a REST API for your application that developers can use to access the database.
2025-10-17
4,245 reads
Most SQL bulk insert and SQL Server openrowset tutorials skip file access issues that can stop imports cold. Both the bulk insert statement and openrowset function rely on the SQL Server service account to read a source file. The SQL Server service account must have read permission on the file or its folder. It is also convenient to have read & execute as well as list folder content permissions.
2025-10-17
This article presents a way to discover those tables that are unused over a period of time, along with suggestions on how to get rid of these tables.
2025-10-15
12,612 reads
I have never seen a T-SQL feature that people love as much as NOLOCK.
2025-10-15
Learn how to migrate SSRS reports to a new server using SSRS Reports Migration Wizard. Step-by-step guide to move reports, data sources, and datasets in just a few clicks.
2025-10-13
3,515 reads
By Steve Jones
I needed to test a striped backup, so I decided to ask the AI’s...
By gbargsley
In SQL Server environments where transactional replication runs alongside Always On Availability Groups (AGs),...
Disable the sa login in SQL Server (and sleep better)If you run SQL Server...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Create an HTML Report on...
The SQLPS.exe file has gone AWOL on 2 of my 4 SQL servers, ie,...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Be Wary of Data
You have a table [dbo].[orders] without a Clustered Index (Heap). The table does not have any other nonclustered indexes! You rund the following command in Read Committed Isolation Level:
SELECTo_orderdate,
o_orderkey,
o_custkey,
o_storekey
FROMdbo.orders
WHEREo_orderkey = 3877;