Adding PK Exceptions to SQLCop Tests
In this piece, Steve Jones shows how you can enforce a requirement of a Primary Key (PK) with a unit test, but also allow exceptions where needed.
2016-05-12
1,363 reads
Articles
Performance Surprises and Assumptions : DATEADD()
Aaron Bertrand explores yet another scenario where a date/time function seems to cause the optimizer to behave unexpectedly.
2016-05-12
4,956 reads
2016-05-11
4,469 reads
Data Mining Part 40: Big Data and Microsoft Data Mining
This article will introduce about big data and HDInsight and Hadoop.
2016-05-10
1,340 reads
SQL Server Security Audit Basics
SQL Server Server Audit has grown in functionality over the years but it can be tricky to maintain and use because it lacks centralization and analysis tools. It can do a fast and lightweight audit of many different activities including DML and DDL at both Instance and Database Levels - even the work of the DBAs. How do you check logins and permissions? How do you script an enterprise-wide audit solution? How can you hope to analyse the log data you get? Feodor Georgiev gets you started.
2016-05-10
3,537 reads
RANDom traps for the unwary
The Books Online description of the RAND() function is only true from certain perspectives.
2016-05-09
2,741 reads
2016-05-09 (first published: 2016-04-26)
7,938 reads
Big Data Architecture
The next few years will be critical for the information technology staff, as they attempt to integrate and manage multiple, diverse hardware and software platforms. In this article, Lockwood Lyon addresses how to meet this need, as users demand greater ability to analyze ever-growing mountains of data, and IT attempts to keep costs down.
2016-05-09
5,553 reads
Unique Indexes Are Code; Non-Unique Indexes Are Data
Unique indexes are the database developer's responsibility. Non-unique indexes can be more easily maintained directly on the production database by an automated process.
2016-05-06 (first published: 2014-06-26)
16,583 reads
SQL Server Reporting Services CountDistinct and Previous Functions
Scott Murray takes a look at what count function variations and related functions are available in SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS).
2016-05-06
3,345 reads
Blogs
Microsoft announces new cybersecurity AI multi-model
By Brian Kelley
Yesterday, July 27, 2026, Microsoft announced a new cybersecurity effort called Project Perception. Included...
Getting the SQL Server MCP Server Running
By Steve Jones
If you’ve wanted a SQL Server MCP server for your databases, it’s available. The...
Introducing azsql-migration-test: Test and Validate Azure SQL Database Migrations
Introducing azsql-migration-test, a small open-source CLI that validates your Azure SQL Database migrations against...
Forums
Symmetric Key Encryption
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Symmetric Key Encryption
The “Successful Login” Dilemma: Why Your Login Auditing Strategy Might Be Hurting Your Server
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The “Successful Login” Dilemma: Why...
Building Your Own Software
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Building Your Own Software
Question of the Day
Symmetric Key Encryption
If I run this statement in SQL Server 2025, how is the password encrypted?
CREATE SYMMETRIC KEY MySymmetricKey WITH ALGORITHM = AES_256, KEY_SOURCE = 'My secret key source passphrase', IDENTITY_VALUE = 'My secret identity value' ENCRYPTION BY PASSWORD = 'S&perS#cretP@ssword7'; GOSee possible answers