SQL ConstantCare® Population Report: Fall 2025
In this quarter’s update of our SQL ConstantCare® population report, showing how quickly (or slowly) folks adopt new versions of SQL Server, the data is very similar to last quarter
2025-11-17
Articles
T-SQL in SQL Server 2025: Concatenating Strings
Like many of you, I have often put strings together (concatenation) with a simple arithmetical operator: +. We have a few other ways to put strings together, but in SQL Server 2025, we have a new operator that allows us to put strings together. This is the double pipe (||) operator. This article looks at […]
2025-11-14
3,107 reads
IoT Meets OLTP: How to Handle Backfilling Challenges in Real-Time Systems
This is the true story of a 64-core SQL Server brought down by poor assumptions about its data. A clustered index designed for neat, sequential IoT inserts was overwhelmed when the real readings arrived late, out of order, and in bulk. The same risk lurks in any high-write system with unpredictable insert patterns. This article shows what can go wrong and how to avoid it.
2025-11-14
Implementing PostgreSQL with Python for Real-Time Logging and Monitoring
Learn how you can create a logging module in Python that can be used to insert real-time records in a PostgreSQL database and display them on a dashboard.
2025-11-12
1,609 reads
JSON_CONTAINS Function in SQL Server 2025
I have data coming into my SQL Server database as JSON. Before I start parsing it which is quite intensive, I need to check if some values are present in the JSON. Is there a function I can use to do this? Let’s see what the new JSON_CONTAINS function in SQL Server 2025 can do.
2025-11-12
MySQL’s BLACKHOLE Storage Engine: The Odd Feature I Wish SQL Server Shipped With
Learn about a MySQL feature that could be useful in some scenarios for SQL Server.
2025-11-10
4,204 reads
Unlocking the Power of FULL OUTER JOIN in SQL: Performance, Use Cases & Examples
Discover how the FULL OUTER JOIN in SQL can simplify queries, improve performance, and solve real-world data problems
2025-11-10
T-SQL in SQL Server 2025: Substring Changes
This article takes a look at the changes in SQL Server 2025 to the SUBSTRING function.
2025-11-07
9,289 reads
SQL Server CROSS APPLY and OUTER APPLY Helpful Examples
Microsoft introduced the APPLY operator in SQL Server 2005. Similar to a JOIN, it allows correlation between two table expressions. The key difference between the JOIN and APPLY operators is when you have a table-valued expression on the right side and want to evaluate it for each row from the left table expression. Since they produce similar results, when do you choose an APPLY versus a JOIN?
2025-11-07
Create and Read the Analysis Services Flight Recorder
This article explains how to customize an extended events session in SQL Server Analysis Services for auditing and monitoring
2025-11-05
1,518 reads
Blogs
Resetting on the AI hype train
By Brian Kelley
There's a great article from MIT Technology Review about resetting on the hype of...
A New Word: Etherness
By Steve Jones
etherness – n. the wistful feeling of looking around a gathering of loved ones,...
Vibe Coding a Login Tracking System
By Steve Jones
A customer was asking about tracking logins and logouts in Redgate Monitor. We don’t...
Forums
The Microsoft SQL Year in Review
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T-SQL in SQL Server 2025: The || Operator
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Your Value from a Conference
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Question of the Day
UNISTR Basics
What does this code return in SQL Server 2025+? (assume the database has an appropriate collation)
SELECT UNISTR('Hello 4E16754C') AS 'A Classic';
A: 
B: 
See possible answers