SQL Server 2014 Service Pack 2 is Available

SP2 for SQL Server 2014 is now out. Check out the build list.

Importing Blobs from a MySQL Database and Export Them

Using the power of SSIS and BCP to import MySQL Data and extract files from a BLOB(Varbinary) column.

Dynamic Images in SQL Server Reporting Services

It is relatively easy to provide a smart BI solution when your customer has all the resources for a new hardware and software platform, but it takes ingenuity to provide an effective simple solution requiring data-driven pictorial information on a range of template diagrams with just an existing platform of SQL Server, Reporting Services and .NET.

Finding and Eliminating Duplicate or Overlapping Indexes

Duplicate & Overlapping Indexes can be a drag on write speed and disk resources. How do we find and eliminate them quickly and effectively?

5 Monitoring Queries for SQL Server

Every DBA squirrels away favourite queries for monitoring SQL Server. Nowadays many of these are too complex to keep in your head. Dennes describes how he uses T-SQL queries for solving problems, whether it involves fixing the problems of missing indexes, preventing unrestrained autogrowth, avoiding index fragmentation, checking whether jobs have failed or avoiding memory stress conditions.

What's "Actually" going on with that Seek?

Rob Farley digs deeper into seeks and actual rows read, demonstrating a case where you want a non-sargable expression in the WHERE clause.

Byte Me: DeleteDeleteDelete

Introduction to the Azure SQL Database Advisor

One of the challenges associated with running your workloads in Azure SQL Database is the limited level of management oversight. Fortunately, there is an alternative approach that leverages the functionality incorporated into the recently introduced Azure SQL Database Advisor - Marcin Policht provides a brief overview.

Power BI to Azure SQL and Google Analytics

In this demo, we will give an introduction from 0 about Power BI and how to connect to Azure SQL Databases and Google Analytics

3 Built-In Technologies for Centralizing SQL Server Administration

DBAs can be more effective in managing their workload by centralizing their procedures. There are several features of SQL server that can be harnessed to this end: PowerShell is only part of the solution: there is also Central Management Server, Master /Target Agent and the Remote Server Administration Tools. It's time to work out your objectives and pick the most suitable technologies to meet them.