We're sponsoring over 5 hours over 5 days of training on SSIS and Business Intelligence with Brian Knight, SQL Server MVP and founder of Pragmatic Works.   Read more...

Many people have used a "Numbers" or "Tally" table without really knowing what it does. This is an introduction as to how a Tally table replaces a loop.  Read more...

What are the differences between SQL Server 2000 and 2005? It's a question that DBAs are often asked by those who don't work with SQL Server on a daily basis. Steve Jones begins a short series on the differences by examining some of the core administrative differences.   Read more...

How can you delete only some duplicates? Without Identity's, Temp tables, Cursors, loops or ROW_NUMBER()? Would you believe, go back to the 70's?  Read more...

Build List Updated with Cumulative Update 8 for SP2.   Read more...

An "old" subject is revisted where "newbies" can learn the methods and veteran users can get more performance out of the code.  Read more...

Just because it looks set based, doesn't mean it is. T-SQL Crackerjack Jeff Moden takes a look at a mistake that many query writers make.  Read more...

It's a well known fact that there's no such thing as a true "array" in SQL Server and that you can't pass a table as a parameter... but you can get a lot closer than you think.  Read more...

Longtime DBA David Poole brings us an interesting situation in involving setting up a user to allow Excel to query data from SQL Server.  Read more...

One common problem in querying is to reference the previous row in a data set as part of a calculation. David McKinney brings us an interesting solution using SQL Server 2005.  Read more...

In the first article of a new series on T-SQL tips, Jacob Sebastian brings us a very useful technique. How to pass a table to a stored procedure so some set of rows can be operated on using some business logic.   Read more...

This article describes how to generate the sp_who2 results including the query text for the spid.  Read more...

Everyone has a set of handy utilities and tools that they use with their SQL Server, but sometimes convincing an employer to purchase tools is hard. Longtime DBA David Bird brings us a list of the tools he likes to use and are FREE.   Read more...

How a transaction log was deleted and then recreated.  Read more...

Two useful functions for dealing with hierarchical data.  Read more...

Discusses the use of the newly introduced APPLY Statement in SQL Server 2005  Read more...

Reduce your recovery time and minimize the chance for error by resolving all logins in one script.  Read more...

Jacob Sebastian takes a look at some different ways to write your WHERE clauses. A good basic article for those starting to work with T-SQL.  Read more...

Too often, denormalization is suggested as the first thing to consider when tackling query performance problems. It is said to be a necessary compromise to be made when a rigorous logical design hits an inadequate database system. As the saying goes, “Normalize ‘til it hurts, then denormalize ‘til it works”. In reality, Denormalization always leads eventually to tears.  Read more...

Performing an upgrade to the next version of SQL Server is something more and more of us will be doing as the support for SQL Server 2000 wanes. New author Sachin Samuel brings us an overview of the process and options that you have for performing an upgrade.   Read more...