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We're always looking for articles, but here are a few ones that I'd like to see written up.
2016-04-29 (first published: 2014-09-04)
1,988 reads
Articles
Questions About PowerShell Basics That You Were Too Shy To Ask
Developers who are already familiar with application languages will be baffled by different aspects of PowerShell to the beginner to programming. Laerte recalls his initial struggles with PowerShell and answers those questions he wished he'd found quick answers to.
2016-04-29
4,782 reads
Azure SQL Database Elastic Database Jobs
In this article, Marcin Policht describes the basic functionality and implementation steps for Azure SQL Database's Elastic Database jobs.
2016-04-28
5,096 reads
Data Mining Part 38: Text Mining - The term lookup
In this new article, we will show how to use the SSIS term lookup transformation tool.
2016-04-27
2,002 reads
How to change server level collation for a SQL Server Instance
Manvendra Singh explains step by step how to change the server level collation setting for an existing SQL Server instance.
2016-04-27
3,428 reads
SQL Server Resource Governor
Using Resource Governor on a SQL Server that suffers from CPU contention thus allowing us specify limits on the amount of CPU that an incoming request can use.
2016-04-26
3,779 reads
The Practical Problems of Determining Equality and Equivalence in SQL
In theory, it is easy to determine whether data is equal to, greater than or lesser than a value. Real-world data types can be surprisingly tricky, even for gauging data equivalence. Because SQL cannot remain aloof from any application's data types, you need to be aware of the ways and pitfalls of individual datatypes and how you can test for equality, equivalence, similarity, identity and all that jazz. Joe Celko discusses.
2016-04-26
4,566 reads
Verify SQL Backups With SQL Powershell
With SQL Powershell, you can check all your database backups in minutes, whether you have ten SQL servers or 100.
2016-04-25
5,509 reads
Knee-Jerk Performance Tuning: Incorrect Use of Temporary Tables
Paul Randal continues his knee-jerk performance tuning series, focusing on ways to optimize performance when using temporary tables.
2016-04-25
6,231 reads
Automatic SSRS report output of all report parameter combinations
You already have a SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) sales report that takes parameters for Country and State. Each time the report is run a user selects the specific Country and State for the report. A request has been made to deliver one report via email that includes all of the combinations for each country and state. Daniel Farina shows how to achieve this without modifying the report.
2016-04-22
4,408 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