Parking Garages And Predicates
You lost your car in a big parking lot. Erik Darling explains how this is just like an index scan.
2018-05-07
3,029 reads
Articles
Navigating Hadoop Resources
Learn where to get the latest installation and learning resources for the ever-evolving components of Hadoop ecosystem and how those components may complement Microsoft SQL Server common everyday tasks.
2018-05-04 (first published: 2015-10-01)
4,431 reads
“But I don’t need to back up that database.”
Brent Ozar shares four stories of people who thought they could avoid backups - and got burned.
2018-05-04
5,663 reads
Scripting Objects with PowerShell
In the third installment of this series, Steve Jones uses PowerShell to source control code.
2018-05-03
5,022 reads
150 SQL Code Smells
Some time ago, Phil Factor wrote his booklet 'SQL Code Smells', collecting together a whole range of SQL Coding practices that could be considered to indicate the need for a review of the code. It was published as 119 code smells, even though there were 120 of them at the time. Phil Factor has continued to collect them and the current state of the art is reflected in this article. SQL Prompt is committed to cover as many as possible of them. Phil has also updated his book, which is free to download.
2018-05-03
5,999 reads
Preventing Invalid Data Early In An ETL Flow
In this post, Tim Smith will look at some of the considerations for both data rules and logic to prevent invalid data early in the ETRL process.
2018-05-02
3,324 reads
Random Word Generation for Data Scrubbing
With HIPAA and GDPR requiring your careful scrubbing of data for lower environments, random word generation promises to be a huge helper. Read here how to do it.
2018-05-01
5,945 reads
Introduction to Azure SQL Managed Instance
Microsoft currently offers two built-in methods of running production SQL Server databases in Azure. The first relies on the ability of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) Azure virtual machines to host a variety of on-premises workloads, including SQL Server instances. The second one leverages Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)-based Azure SQL Database. With the introduction of the Azure SQL Managed Instance service, you have a third option, which combines the benefits of its two predecessors.
2018-05-01
3,285 reads
Self SQL Injection
Based on a real fact, this article demonstrates how a bad use of sp_executesql can lead to unpleasant surprises
2018-04-30
1,886 reads
Execution Plans and Data Protection
One of the most important tools for query tuning is ability to view execution plans. They are even portable; you can send an execution plan to get advice from someone who doesn't have access to the underlying data. Have you even considered that sensitive information might travel along with the plans? Hugo Kornelis explains how execution plans affect data protection.
2018-04-30
3,411 reads
Blogs
The flight recorder: Replaying what an AI agent did on my SQL Server
By Arun Sirpal
“What exactly did it do on my server?” is the first question a DBA...
Announcements from the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference — Barcelona 2026
By James Serra
Microsoft shared a broad set of Fabric, Power BI, and SQL updates at FabCon...
Au Revoir for now
By Steve Jones
No, I’m not quitting or retiring. Just going on vacation, but I leave tonight...
Forums
Let's Talk Certifications
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Let's Talk Certifications
The Hidden Security Risks of Role Combination in SSAS Tabular
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Hidden Security Risks of...
The Empty Aggregate
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Empty Aggregate
Question of the Day
The Empty Aggregate
I have this table in a SQL Server 2025 database:
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[CustomerOrder] ( [OrderID] [int] NULL, [CustomerID] [int] NULL, [total] [money] NULL ) ON [PRIMARY] GOWhat is returned from this code? (answers are for the sum and then the count)
SELECT SUM(total) AS sum,
COUNT(total) AS count
FROM dbo.CustomerOrder;
See possible answers