Why SQL Server Database Attach fails and how to repair it
This article covers a few common errors when attaching database files to an instance, with some information on how to resolve the issues.
2026-07-31
719 reads
Articles
Big data: what it is, why projects fail, and how to get value from it
Although ‘Big Data’ (and more specifically, the analysis of it) offers several benefits, organizations often fail to derive the correct insights – the data that could help them make better business decisions. So, in this article, I’ll reveal exactly how organizations can take full advantage of these large datasets to make those better business decisions and improve operational effectiveness.
2026-07-31
The “Successful Login” Dilemma: Why Your Login Auditing Strategy Might Be Hurting Your Server
From bloated error logs to risky logon triggers, a guide to auditing connections without killing performance.
2026-07-29
1,811 reads
Time Series Data Mining Example with T-SQL when Adding New Data
Please demonstrate the steps for updating an existing time series dataset used in a prior data mining project with a fresh batch of data. Then, repeat the mining performed for the original dataset with the freshly updated dataset.
2026-07-29
CROSS APPLY Fundamentals: Part 1
Learn the basics of the CROSS APPLY operator with a few examples in this short piece.
2026-07-27
3,252 reads
5 T-SQL features that should already exist (2026 SQL Server wish list)
2026 T-SQL wish list covering native Parquet imports, arrays, OVERLAPS, simpler licensing, and cloud storage
2026-07-27
SQL Agent Job Automated Change Capture Process
Build a process that captures your SQL Agent job history and changes across time.
2026-07-24
1,356 reads
SQL Server Data Warehouse Concepts, Schema Design, and Implementation
A Data Warehouse acts as a centralized repository, is subject oriented, time variant and non-volatile repository. This article covers some concepts that will help you better design these structures.
2026-07-24
Can You Really Downgrade from Enterprise to Standard and Save Thousands? Here's What Happened
A real world story of how someone moved from Enterprise Edition to Standard for not only the SQL Server database engine, but also with SSRS, SSIS, and SSAS.
2026-07-22
3,136 reads
Exposing a SQL injection vulnerability you’ve never heard of
This article documents a SQL injection vulnerability I discovered in sys.sp_dbmmonitorupdate, a Microsoft-signed system stored procedure. For other SQL Server security vulnerabilities I’ve discovered, see the full series here.
2026-07-22
Blogs
Programmatic Tool Calling with the Claude SDK
Programmatic Tool Calling with the Claude SDK Every morning somebody on the team runs the...
A New Word: Mauerbauertraurigkeit
By Steve Jones
mauerbauertraurigkeit – n. inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends whose company...
Methodology for dealing with bad data in production
By Brian Kelley
Pinal Dave wrote up his methodology for what to do when you discover bad...
Forums
Why SQL Server Database Attach fails and how to repair it
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Fixing P1 Queries
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Question of the Day
BIT_COUNT() IV
In SQL Server 2025, I run this code:
select bit_count('A')
What is returned? See possible answers