Migrating an on premise SQL Server Database to Azure
For this article I want to show you how to import a BACPAC file to create a new Azure SQL Database which is Microsoft’s Platform as a Service(PaaS) offering.
2016-04-21
1,744 reads
Articles
Database Version Control
By placing under source control everything we need to describe any version of a database, we make it much easier to achieve consistent database builds and releases, to find out who made which changes and why, and to access all database support materials. Matthew Skelton explains how to make sure your version control system fully supports all phases of the database lifecycle, from governance, development, delivery and through to operations.
2016-04-21
4,275 reads
Getting Started Tuning Performance in Azure SQL Database
Tim Radney talks about the initial differences he has encountered while mastering the art of performance tuning Azure SQL Database.
2016-04-20
3,285 reads
2016-04-19
5,135 reads
What Does the Near-Future of PowerShell & SQL Server Look Like? An Interview with Ken Van Hyning
Ken Van Hyning is the Engineering Manager for the SQL Server tools, including SQLPS.
2016-04-19
1,675 reads
Row Level Security with SQL Server 2016
Have you ever wanted an easier way to provide security at the record level? If so, you can now easily do this with the Row Level Security feature that is being introduced with SQL Server 2016. Greg Larsen shows you how easy it is to use this new feature as a way to provide user access to a specific set of records.
2016-04-19
4,714 reads
Exporting Azure Data Factory (ADF) into TFS Source Control
Have you created a Data Factory in Azure and are wondering how to get it into TFS and source control? This article will show you how.
2016-04-18
4,108 reads
SQL Server System Functions: The Basics
Every SQL Server Database programmer needs to be familiar with the System Functions. These range from the sublime (such as @@rowcount or @@identity) to the ridiculous (IsNumeric()) Robert Sheldon provides an overview of the most commonly used of them.
2016-04-18
6,053 reads
sp_msforeachdb: Improving on an Undocumented Stored Procedure
Have you ever wanted to run a query across every database on a server with the convenience of a stored procedure? If so, Microsoft provided a stored procedure to do so. It’s unreliable, outdated, and somewhat obfuscated, though. Let’s improve on it!
2016-04-15 (first published: 2014-12-01)
17,038 reads
T-SQL Window Function Speed Phreakery: The FIFO Stock Inventory Problem
Sometimes, in the quest for raw SQL performance, you are forced to sacrifice legibility and maintainability of your code, unless you then document your code lavishly. Phil Factor's SQL Speed Phreak challenge produced some memorable code, but can SQL features introduced since then help to produce code that performs as well and is also easy to understand? Kathi Kellenberger investigates.
2016-04-15
5,825 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
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The “Successful Login” Dilemma: Why Your Login Auditing Strategy Might Be Hurting Your Server
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Building Your Own Software
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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