Articles

SQLServerCentral Article

Cloning Master Admin User Permissions in Amazon RDS for SQL Server with Fine-Grained Control

This article explores how to securely clone the master user permissions in Amazon RDS for SQL Server using a custom stored procedure, usp_rds_clone_login. It outlines a step-by-step process to generate, review, and apply a script that replicates server- and database-level access from the master user to a new login without directly exposing elevated credentials. The guide emphasizes the principle of least privilege, supports named account management, and enables transparent, auditable permission handling for DBAs and applications. Designed for secure and scalable environments, this solution enhances operational security while maintaining administrative flexibility in Amazon RDS.

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2025-07-09

566 reads

SQLServerCentral Article

PostgreSQL Aggregate Functions

Overview In this article we will go through the various in built aggregate functions available in PostgreSQL. Aggregate functions perform a calculation on a set of rows and return a single value. COUNT Function The COUNT function is a simple and very useful function in counting the number of records, which are expected to be […]

(1)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2025-07-09

420 reads

SQLServerCentral Article

Unmasking CXPACKET and CXCONSUMER in SQL Server: What Your Execution Plan Isn’t Telling You

This article dives deep into cxpacket and cxconsumer in sql server, explaining how to simulate each, when they appear, and why they matter. Using live execution plans, wait monitoring, and worker thread diagnostics, we uncover how uneven parallelism triggers thread sync waits—and how SQL Server sometimes hides real issues behind innocent-looking CXCONSUMER waits. Includes step-by-step queries, tuning tips, and a real-world scenario where repartition streams quietly ruined performance.

(5)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2025-07-07

3,614 reads

External Article

State Transition Constraints

About two decades ago, I introduced the concept of transition constraints to show Data Validation in a database is a lot more complex than seeing if a string parameter really is an integer. In October of 2008, I did an article called Constraint Yourself! on how to use DDL constraints to assure data integrity. One of the topics in that piece was a look at state transition constraints via an auxiliary table.

2025-07-07

SQLServerCentral Article

Parameterize Connections in Microsoft Fabric Data Factory using Variable Libraries

Building pipelines in Microsoft Fabric can be complicated, and it's easy to write code that is hard to maintain. Using parameters in your connections helps to build pipelines that are easily configured.

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2025-07-04 (first published: )

4,201 reads

Blogs

Getting SQL Server 2025 RTM Running in Containers on macOS

By

SQL Server 2025 RTM is here, and if you’re running Docker on macOS, you...

The PASS Data Community Summit 2025 Recap

By

It’s Monday. I’ve been home since Fri night, but with a busy weekend, I’m...

Microsoft Post-Quantum Crypto APIs Are Now Generally Available

By

I mentioned this in my talk on Quantum Computing at the PASS Data Community...

Read the latest Blogs

Forums

The Ending Substring

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Ending Substring

Done is Better than Good

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Done is Better than Good,...

Configuring the On-Premises Data Gateway: The Fabric Modern Data Platform

By John Miner

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Configuring the On-Premises Data Gateway:...

Visit the forum

Question of the Day

The Ending Substring

In Azure SQL Database and SQL Server 2025, if I run this, what is returned?

SELECT '[' + SUBSTRING('Steve Jones', 7) + ']'

See possible answers