I'm receiving the following error when attempting to run a T-SQL MERGE statement: "Msg 8672, Level 16, State 1, Line 123. The MERGE statement attempted to UPDATE or DELETE the same row more than once. This happens when a target row matches more than one source row.
2024-02-05
Unlock the power of SQL's NTILE function with our latest deep-dive article. Learn to segment your data effectively into quantiles for more nuanced analysis, discover common pitfalls and their solutions, and optimize your queries for peak performance.
2024-02-03 (first published: 2024-01-03)
5,310 reads
SQL Server Central is changing their policy to respond to the increased use of AI technologies.
2024-02-02
357 reads
Provisioning infrastructure in a timely and reliable manner is essential for agile development. One well-liked method that lets you use code to automate resource management and provisioning is infrastructure as code (IaC). Azure Resource Manager templates are one IaC solution for Azure (ARM templates).
2024-02-02
2,780 reads
I don’t think I’ve ever had a great impression of Azure SQL Database as a place for production applications. In its early days, it was missing several important features (like data compression). While that hole has been plugged, there are still other limitations and differences you should be aware o
2024-02-02
Learn how you can install SMSS automatically using PowerShell DSC as this series continues.
2024-01-31
3,499 reads
Learn how to capture errors in SQL Server stored procedures and gracefully handle errors using Try Catch coding in your stored procedures.
2024-01-31
Have you ever been in a situation that you want to call a cmdlet or a function with a parameter that depends on a conditional criteria that is available as a list? In this article I will show a technique where you can use PowerShell Dynamic Parameters to assist the user with parameter values.
2024-01-29
When it comes to building websites, how you work with your database can make a huge difference in how well your site runs. That's especially true if you're using Django, a popular tool for making websites with Python. Django comes with something called an Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) layer, which is a fancy way of saying […]
2024-01-26
5,169 reads
One of the most rarely used commands in SQL is the WAITFOR command. It is one option to invoke a delay in program execution in absentia. Because it is sparsely used, how and where it can be applied when needed is often forgotten. For example, we could use this to mimic a user response or input or perhaps to collect data at certain intervals during the day.
2024-01-26
By James Serra
An architecture scenario Imagine separate Sales, Finance, Shared Data, and Executive Analytics workspaces. Sales...
Security on your SQL Server is important. That doesn’t need any explaining. But where...
It’s that time of year again! EightKB is back on August 20th at 13:00...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Backing Up a DMK
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In SQL Server 2025, I have a database with a Database Masker Key (DMK). I want to back up this key and keep a copy offline. When do I have to open this key before running the backup?
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