An introduction to Terraform
As a Data Engineer I found myself having to learn rather more about cloud infrastructure than I had expected.
2024-12-02
3,640 reads
Articles
SQL IS NULL and SQL IS NOT NULL Examples
This article looks at how to use SQL IS NULL and SQL IS NOT NULL operations in SQL Server along with use cases and working with NULL values.
2024-12-02
Improving Performance for Some LIKE “%string%” Searches (SQL Spackle)
If you've ever wondered if you can do better than an INDEX SCAN when you do a LIKE "%string%" search, read on...
2024-11-29 (first published: 2014-04-07)
50,959 reads
Demystifying Continuous Integration vs. Continuous Delivery: Part 2
Welcome to part 2 of our Demystifying Continuous Integration vs. Continuous Delivery series.
2024-11-29
Execute Stored Procedures in the Microsoft GraphQL API
This tip explores leveraging existing SQL Server stored procedures within the Microsoft GraphQL API.
2024-11-27
A First Look at SSMS 21
This isn't really a first look, per se. I've seen Erin Stellato present on this a few times in MVP sessions and at the PASS Data Community Summit. However, this is a look on my machine, where I'm in control. The new version preview was announced recently, and this looks at the new process to […]
2024-11-25
18,391 reads
The SQLskills Black Friday Super Sale!
Starting at 4pm PST on Thursday, November 28th, SQLskills will be offering our lowest prices ever for our signature Blackbelt bundle with more than 158 hours of top-quality training.
2024-11-25 (first published: 2024-11-06)
Announcing SQL Server 2025
Bob Ward announces the next version of SQL Server, now in private preview.
2024-11-22
21,855 reads
Skipping Columns (& other tricks) Using BCP Format Files (SQL Spackle)
BULK INSERT and BCP are powerful, high performance tools for importing text files. SQL Server MVP Jeff Moden gives us several nifty tips in this introduction to BULK INSERT and BCP Format Files including "Skipping Columns" and the sequestration of bad rows while still loading all the good data.
2024-11-22 (first published: 2014-01-23)
25,379 reads
Transactions
By now, pretty much everyone has heard the stories about the first computers. They were huge, cost a fortune, required incredible amounts of air conditioning, and perhaps more importantly, ran batch jobs submitted on punched cards and magnetic tape. But even before we had these dinosaurs, there were E.A.M (electric accounting machine) units.
2024-11-22
Blogs
A New Word: on tenderhooks
By Steve Jones
on tenderhooks – adj. feeling the primal satisfaction of being needed by someone, which...
Ramblings about data communities and your contributions, no excuses
By DataOnWheels
I have been active in the data community throughout my career. I have met...
SQL Server Journey till 2025 (brief)
By Vinay Thakur
Quick Summary for Microsoft SQL Server till 2025, I am fortunate to be part...
Forums
Ola Hallengren Index Optimize Maintenance can we have data compression = page
I have a quick question on Ola Hallengren Index Optimize Maintenance . Do we...
how do i map the "current" object entry in for each to one variable
hi, in an ssis for each loop over an object variable called MyListVariable, i...
Simulating Mercury’s Orbital Motion Using Pure T-SQL (NASA 2025 Dataset)
SQL Server is typically viewed as a transactional or analytical database engine. However, it...
Question of the Day
String Similarity I
On SQL Server 2025, when I run this, what is returned?
SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE_SIMILARITY('SQL Server', 'MySQL') See possible answers