Is a Temporary Table Really Necessary?
In this article Randy Dyness shows you how to avoid temp tables whenever to maximize the performance of your queries.
2017-08-18 (first published: 2002-04-09)
69,810 reads
Articles
Reporting Services Makes Server Support Easier
Reporting Services is one of the most widely used subsystems in SQL Server and there have been some very creative solutions invented by DBAs around the world. New author Carolyn Richardson is one of those, bringing us a implementation that tracks uptime and disk space for her SQL Servers
2017-08-18 (first published: 2007-03-12)
8,807 reads
Understanding the difference between IS NULL and = NULL
This article by James Travis details the differences between IS NULL and = NULL. He also discusses the ANSI_NULLS setting.
2017-08-18 (first published: 2003-06-17)
143,606 reads
Database Code Analysis
Database code analysis will reduce the number of 'code smells' that creep into your database builds. It will alert the team to mistakes or omissions, such as missing indexes, that are likely to cause performance problems in production. It will allow the Governance and Operations team visibility into production readiness of the code, warning them of security loopholes and vulnerabilities. William Brewer describes the two technical approaches to database code analysis, static and dynamic, and suggests some tools that can help you get started.
2017-08-18
3,546 reads
How to Read a Transaction Log Backup
The transaction log backup is stored in SQL Server proprietary format, just like the transaction log itself. Even though the transaction log backup is in a special format, Microsoft has provided us with the fn_dump_dblog() function to read transaction log backups. This function is undocumented, so you should use care when using this function in a production environment.
2017-08-17
4,324 reads
Monitoring Azure Cloud and Hybrid Environments
Cloud-based services and applications must still be monitored just like the on-premise ones. You still need most of your data center activities that ensure that your planning, budgeting, security and service-level obligations are met wherever the data and services are actually hosted. There is much to be said for an integrated approach to providing a unified view of entire application workloads on-premise. hybrid and cloud using the same tools wherever possible.
2017-08-16
3,995 reads
Using Database Master Keys in SQL Server
Learn the basics of Database Master Keys and how you can use them in SQL Server.
2017-08-15
33,821 reads
Let’s Corrupt a Database Together, Part 3: Detecting Corruption
Having already shown how to corrupt a database, and then how nonclustered indexes can be corrupted independently, in this post Brent Ozar explains how you can detect corruption.
2017-08-15
6,725 reads
SQL Server function to check dynamic SQL syntax
Although most of what you read tells you to stay away from dynamic SQL, the reality is there are places where writing T-SQL code dynamically just makes sense. The one downside to dynamic SQL is that if it is not written correctly the code will fail. Eli Leiba shares a function that he created to help determine if the dynamic code is OK prior to execution.
2017-08-14
5,638 reads
The ABCs of Database Creation
Creating SQL Server databases is easier than the internet may lead us to believe.
2017-08-11 (first published: 2015-10-29)
8,414 reads
Blogs
Are you getting value from your reporting?
By ChrisJenkins
Do you spend so long manipulating your data into something vaguely useful that you...
The Book of Redgate: SQL Server Central
By Steve Jones
It was neat to stumble on this in the book, a piece by me,...
Git forked
Forgive me for the title. Mentally I’m 12. When I started my current day...
Forums
Microsoft Security Changes and SQL Server
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Microsoft Security Changes and SQL...
Expanding into Print
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Expanding into Print
Downtime Caused by the Postgres Transaction ID Wraparound Problem
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Downtime Caused by the Postgres...
Question of the Day
The String Distance I
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned by this code:
SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE('Steve', 'Stan')
Assume preview features are enabled. See possible answers