Windows Server 2012 introduces native deduplication functionality. While this is a promising new Windows feature for other file types and characteristics, there are some potential pitfalls that you need to be aware of when it comes to deduplication specifically for SQL Server backup files.   Read more...

Interviewing for a database position is a careful game of give and take. Knowing what to expect and how to prepare for your interview is important, but it's only half the battle. You'll also need to ask questions to see if the job, and the company, is a good fit for you.   Read more...

In NYC on Feb 21 at 6:30, Don Gabor has a short seminar to help with your networking. Whether you are chatting in small groups or one-on-one at a networking event, IT conference or after-hours party, your ability to master the art of conversation will help you find and connect with business contacts.  Read more...

you have created a SQL Server Policy to check database recovery models. Now you need to check the databases on all of your SQL Server instances. In this tip we will show how you can evaluate a SQL Server policy against multiple instances.   Read more...

A brief look at the Varbinary data type and its uses in SQL Server for beginners.  Read more...

This free ebook from Red Gate Software will take you from the fundamentals of Statistics, Cost Estimation, Index Selection, and the Execution Engine, and guide you through the inner workings of the Query Optimization process, and throws in a pragmatic look at Parameterization and Hints along the way.  Read more...

Seldom has a SQL Server Service pack had such an effect on database development as when SQL Server 2012 SP1 introduced selective XML indexes. These transform the practicality of querying large amounts of XML data. Seth Delconte demonstrates how and why this feature makes all the difference.   Read more...

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

The popular UK conference heads to Nottingham from May 2-4, 2013. Both Grant Fritchey and Steve Jones will be speaking, along with lots of talented SQL Server professionals. Register today.  Read more...

Come join Steve Jones, Grant Fritchey and an amazing lineup of speakers at the spring SQL Intersection conference in Las Vegas, April 8-11, 2013. Register now and you get a Surface RT tablet.  Read more...

Arshad Ali provides a step-by-step guide to create a partitioned table/index.  Read more...

This article describes a T-SQL procedure to insert data using the SSIS Data Pump  Read more...

A free day of training in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Feb 9, 2013.  Read more...

Have you ever had to write a bunch of TSQL to do some data analysis on the table data in your database. If you have you'll know that this can become a fairly time consuming and tedious task? SQL Server 2012 Integration Services has a feature called the Data Profiling task that can help you perform this analysis much easier and faster (this feature is also available in SQL Server 2008). This task can help you find potential issues with your existing data as well as help you become more familiar with the data in a database that you have just started managing.   Read more...

By capturing baseline data, a well=prepared DBA should get a good idea of what potential issues they will face. In this article Erin Stellato looks at Wait Statistics and what they can tell you about your databases.  Read more...

There are certain circumstances where SQL Server will silently truncate data, without providing an error or warning, before it is inserted into a table. In this tip we cover some examples of when this occurs.  Read more...

This is part I of III in a series on the physical join operators in SQL Server.  Read more...