Download tSQLt Today and Start Unit Testing
The latest version of tSQLt is now available with some SQL Prompt snippets to help you get started.
2015-07-30
1,759 reads
Articles
SQL Server Archive and Data Retention Considerations
Tim Smith looks at what to take into consideration before building a design to archive old data in SQL Server databases.
2015-07-30
2,895 reads
Demystifying Oracle's Clustering Factor
One of the more confusing statistics in Oracle is one called the clustering factor. Associated with an index, it's actually dependent on the table data, more specifically the distance between 'jumps' for a given index key. Commonly, a 'jump' is the number of blocks between rows containing the given index key starting with the first block found containing that key. If that sounds confusing don't despair, David Fitzjarrell explains in detail.
2015-07-29
3,764 reads
The Importance of Maintenance on MSDB
MSDB is a system database used by SQL Server. MSDB stores all sorts of data, such as backup history, log shipping monitor history, SSIS packages and Service Broker queue data to name a few. Just like user databases, MSDB needs regular maintenance, including index optimizations and, more importantly, regular purging. In this article, Tim Radney looks at how neglecting your MSDB can negatively impact on your environment.
2015-07-28
6,714 reads
Learning Backup to Azure
References and links to get you started in backing up your database to the Azure blob storage.
2015-07-27
816 reads
Can Code Review Be Automated?
Code must be checked, but how? Phil Factor shares his thoughts on automating SQL code reviews.
2015-07-27
5,104 reads
SAN and NAS protocols and how they impact SQL Server
Discusses the various SAN and NAS protocols (FC, iSCSI, NFS) and how choosing one over the other can impact your SQL Server Performance.
2015-07-24 (first published: 2012-04-24)
18,227 reads
SQL Explained
A short explanation and infographic of what SQL is. For the non-SQL people in your life.
2015-07-24
8,743 reads
SQL Style Habits: Attack of the Skeuomorphs
Although we like to think that our programming techniques are progressive and in tune with the bleeding edge of software development practices, too often they are directly influenced by restrictions faced when computers first became mainstream in the post-war decades. In this article Joe Celko looks at the history of mainframes, FORTRAN I and COBOL.
2015-07-24
5,006 reads
Is It Worth Writing Unit Tests?
What's the overhead for writing unit tests? Ed Elliot breaks it down, looking at the ways in which unit tests both take more time and save time.
2015-07-23
8,649 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