Script to find the SQL Server Instance Install Date  Read more...

Utility stored procedure to create non-xml format file for BCP/BULK INSERT processes. Very useful for text-qualified CSV files.  Read more...

Script to find the TCP/IP Port number of SQL Instance  Read more...

Generates prime numbers and puts them into a table for future reference by adhoc queries and database and application code. 100% set-based. DDL embedded.  Read more...

Very simple function code to add leading zeros to a passed in int for a length also passed.  Read more...

Will find the Table Name, Column Name and the number of occurances some text appears in a database.  Read more...

Edit the @SearchText and you can enter any text you would like to search for in SQL Objects.  Read more...

This function will return a string in sortable format YYYYMMDD-hhmmssnnn to append to file names for archiving.  Read more...

Here is another "deleting duplicate records" script, this time in-place, using a uniqueidentifier column.  Read more...

Sets up 3 'table of numbers' that completely fill a 1, 2, and 3-level clustered index respectivly with 622, 386884, and 240641848 numbers.  Read more...

Sets up 3 'table of numbers' that completely fill a 1, 2, and 3-level clustered index respectivly with 620, 384400, and 238328000 numbers.  Read more...

A simple way to rename a file from within a T-SQL Script, primarily designed to add a date-time stamp. Works in 2000 and 2005.  Read more...

A Sudoku solution with set based T-SQL approach utilizing binary values and operators, to ease the algorithm.  Read more...

As much as we're SQL Server folks here, sometimes we do need to connect to other data stores. Hai shares some of his experiences doing so. Might come in handy someday.   Read more...

Are you taking care of yourself as an IT professional? We try to cover all aspects of your SQL Server career here, not just the technical stuff. Longtime SQL Server guru Michael Coles brings us some health tips in an interview with Dr. Jerry Sanders   Read more...

Most of us DBAs have worked on our career to get where we are. A DBA is usually a second or third step in IT and we we've looked to advance our understanding of technology. Jeffrey Yao now brings us a new level of database work to which we may aspire.   Read more...

Two weeks ago Andy started his wildly successful series on Worst Practices. This week he continues that series discussing why failing to use primary keys and clustered indexes are worst practices. Agree or disagree, read the article and join the discussion. One thing you'll have to admit, reading an article by Andy is a lot more interesting than reading Books Online!   Read more...

This procedure works like the sp_spaceused procedure but this one shows statistics for all tables in the selected database or for all databases (excluding tempdb and model).   Read more...

New Author! Don Peterson writes his first article for us and explores why he considers XML to be...bad! There are some interesting points made here and if you've haven't thought about what XML means to you as a DBA, it's a subject worth spending some time on.   Read more...

Free SQL Server 2000 Encryption for your data!!! Author Michael Coles has put together a tolljit and some XPs that you can use to encrypt your data with the Blowfish algorithm. It is hard to write good applications that encrpyt data and manage the keys and security. This will give you a great headstart on protecting your data.   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...

Will find the Table Name, Column Name and the number of occurances some text appears in a database.  Read more...

We often see ways to improve your career, but there's a flip side as well. In the spirit of our "worst practices" series, Steve Jones takes a look at ten skills that could cost you your job if you can't perform them.   Read more...