Stairway to Transaction Log Management in SQL Server, Level 5: Managing the Log in Full Recovery Mode
In FULL recovery mode it is possible to do a point-in-time restore of a database. It is thankfully a rare event. Tony explains what's involved
The Technical Debt Anchor
Technical debt is something all of us deal with in our systems, and today Steve has a few thoughts on the impact of debt on database sysstems.
SQL Server Developer Standard Edition: A Gift to Developers!
Starting in SQL Server 2025, a new edition is available for installation: SQL Server Developer Standard Edition. This article dives into this edition, the problems it solves, and why it is a great addition for development teams that use SQL Server!
The Data Warehousing Choice
What is your choice for data warehousing? Is it a cloud platform? Which one is attractive to you?
The Hidden Cost of MAXDOP: CPU Spikes, Query Slowdowns, and What We Learned
Misusing MAXDOP can silently kill performance across your SQL Server. In this deep dive, we uncover how one bad query caused CPU meltdown, run real-world tests, and show how tuning—not parallelism—often holds the true fix.
Recovering data in SQL Server without full backup
There are multiple reasons for no full backup: corrupted backups, taking too much time to restore, etc. In this post, I want to show an alternative for these cases, an ace up one’s sleeve, that you can use to recover data.
Shades and Reflecting on SQLBits and the Bright Future of Data
There is something magical about SQLBits. Whether it is the technical sessions, the sense of community and fun, or the relentless commitment to learning about the latest innovation, this event continues to serve as a pulse check for where data is today and where it’s going tomorrow. This year’s SQLBits at the ExCel in London […]
How to Choose the Right Tool for MS SQL to PostgreSQL Migration
Learn about a few different options for migrating from Microsoft SQL Server to PostgreSQL.
Multiple Monitoring Tools
Steve wonders if it is worth it to use multiple monitoring systems for a database.
Segments for Protection
Computer network security is important, and it's something we ought to be more concerned with as data professionals.
Blogs
2 Tips to a Working Schedule
By Brian Kelley
When I watched the following video from Justin Sung, I realized that I am...
Monitoring SQL Server Performance with the Pure Storage FlashArray OpenMetrics Exporter
I’m excited to share a new open-source project I’ve been working on that combines...
Teaching at the SC Statewide Audit Conference
By Brian Kelley
Instead of teaching the CISA exam prep course, I'm teaching in the IT track....
Forums
How to push PowerQuery results into SQL Server
Sorry, me again. In my PowerQuery, I read a table out of a PDF...
cant that export task be scripted without ssis
hi, i'm archiving some dw stuff to tsv's. i got the manual sequence working...
Question of the Day
Getting the Updated Column List
What happens when I run this code in SQL Server 2022?
UPDATE dbo.CustomerLarge SET CustomerContactFirstName = 'Andy' WHERE CustomerID = 1 SELECT COLUMNS_UPDATED()See possible answers