12 SQL Server XML Questions You Were Too Shy To Ask
Robert Sheldon answers 12 questions about XML, including situations you would want to use XML, and how to do basic tasks.
2014-05-07
8,085 reads
Articles
Context Is Everything - Check Your Settings
Check 96 server and database settings to make sure they match your expectations in your databases with this script.
2014-05-06
4,729 reads
How column COLLATION can affect SQL Server query performance
Most DBAs, myself included, install SQL Server with the default server collation SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS and all of our table columns get created using this default setting. This tip will look at the performance impacts of querying data with this setting as it compares to querying columns with the collation set to SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CS_AS.
2014-05-06
4,752 reads
SQL Saturday #306: Redmond
On May 31, 2014 SQL Saturday is coming to Redmond, Washington. Come for a free day of SQL Server training and networking, the schedule currently features tracks on T-SQL, SSIS, Backup & Recovery and more. Register while space is available.
2014-05-06
1,819 reads
Index Utilization Trending
An important part of regular database maintenance is to monitor index usage and make adjustments as needed. How can we monitor, store, and trend this data effectively over time?
2014-05-05
6,840 reads
SQL Server Reporting Services Basics: Building SSRS Reports
Kathi Kellenberger describes the basics of SSRS before showing you how to build quick, simple reports.
2014-05-05
3,936 reads
How to centralize your SQL Server Event Logs
Learn how you can centralize the Event log data for your servers using a process that Geoff Albin has been using for over 10 years.
2014-05-02 (first published: 2010-11-08)
14,097 reads
Use Extended Events to Get More Information About failed SQL Server Login Attempts
You may have cases where an ancient application is using an old login or the wrong password. SQL Server is great about auditing failed logins and recording that they happened; it is not so great, however, at providing enough information to locate them. Aaron Bertrand offers some help.
2014-05-02
3,423 reads
DAX: Topn is not a Filter
In this document I will demonstrate how using the TOPN function in a DAX query doesn’t necessarily do what you may expect.
2014-05-01
4,517 reads
Searching for Strings in SQL Server Databases
Sometimes, you just want to do a search in a SQL Server database as if you were using a search engine like Google. Besides the obvious Full-Text search, Phil Factor describes some of the techniques for finding that pesky data that resists the normal SELECT blandishments.
2014-05-01
8,755 reads
Blogs
Finding Balance: Things Will Come Up
By Steve Jones
I have a presentation on finding balance in your career that got quite a...
Who Are You Doing It For?
By Brian Kelley
But as I've matured over the years, I came to realize that I needed...
Presenting Twice in May 2026
By alevyinroc
I will be presenting my latest session, Documenting Your Work for Worry-Free Vacations, in-person...
Forums
The day-to-day pressures of a DBA team, and how we can work smarter with automation and AI
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The day-to-day pressures of a...
Migrate SSRS Reports to PowerBI Report Server in SQL Server 2025
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Identities and Sequences III
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Identities and Sequences III
Question of the Day
Identities and Sequences III
When thinking of the Identity property for auto incrementing columns and sequences for the same action, which can be used with the BIGINT data type?
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