Level 1 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics - Create a Synapse Workspace
In this first level of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics, we learn how to set up a new workspace and add data files.
Level 2 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics: Analyze Data in Storage Account using the Serverless SQL pool
In this second level of the Stairway to Synapse, we learn how to create external tables and query data that is stored in our data storage using the serverless pool.
Level 3 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics: Analyze Data Using a Spark Pool
Introduction In Level 1 of this series, I discussed Synapse Analytics basics and the steps for creation of the Synapse Workspace. In Level 2, data analysis was done on Data Lake files using Serverless SQL Pool. In Level 3, I will analyze data from the files uploaded in Data Lake container using a Spark Pool. I will […]
Level 4 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics: Create and Use a Delta Lake
Introduction In Level 1 of this series, I discussed Synapse Analytics basics and the steps for creating the Synapse Workspace. In Level 2, we analyzed Data Lake files using the Serverless SQL Pool. In Level 3, we analyzed Data Lake files using the Spark Pool. In Levels 4 and level 5, I will discuss the Delta […]
Level 5 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics: create and use Delta Lake - Part 2
This next article in the Stairway to Synapse looks at Delta tables and processing streaming data.
Level 6 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics: Dedicated SQL Pool
This next level of the Stairway to Synapse Analysis Services looks at the Dedicated SQL Pool.
Reflecting on the Mythical Man Month
Steve looks back at the Mythical Man Month, a book every software engineer and manager should read.
SQL Automate - A DBA's Time-Saving Toolkit
SQLAutomate is a lightweight PowerShell tool that simplifies SQL Server deployment by automating both installation and post-installation configuration. Whether you're setting up one instance or dozens, this guide shows how to use SQLAutomate to save time and reduce manual work.
Index Scans and Table Scans
There are several things that you can do to improve performance by throwing more hardware at the problem, but usually the place you get the most benefit from is when you tune your queries. One common problem that exists is the lack of indexes or incorrect indexes and therefore SQL Server has to process more data to find the records that meet the queries criteria. These issues are known as Index Scans and Table Scans.
Blogs
A New Word: Dolorblindness
By Steve Jones
dolorblindness – n. the frustration that you’ll never be able to understand another person’s...
Claude Code Helps Analyze Test Data Manager Log Files
By Steve Jones
I had a customer ask about analyzing their Test Data Manager (TDM) usage to...
PowerPoint to HTML with Claude AI
By Steve Jones
I had an idea for an animated view of a sales tool, and started...
Forums
Optimism Without Illusion or Why AI Needs Blunt Technologists
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Optimism Without Illusion or Why...
SSIS with VS2022 64/32 issue with Excel files
Hi all, I'm trying to do classic scenario for loading multiple Excel files into...
Case part is sloooooow
Hi So the case statement is slowing this down - but for the life...
Question of the Day
The String Distance I
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned by this code:
SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE('tim', 'tom')
Assume preview features are enabled. See possible answers