The SQL of Scrabble and Rapping
In which Phil decides to use a table consisting of all the common words in English to explore ways of cheating at Scrabble and writing doggerel using SQL Server. He then issues a SQL challenge.
2009-12-30
3,255 reads
Additional Articles
Top 10 steps to optimize data access in SQL Server. Part I (Use Indexing)
’ll focus on the issues that you need to follow to make sure that you have done everything that you could do to optimize the data access codes you have written or you are going to write in future. The Database Administrators (DBA) also has great roles to play in optimizing and tuning the database performance. But, optimization scopes that fall into a DBA’s area are out of scope for these articles.
2009-12-29
5,922 reads
Auditing in SQL Server 2008
Auditing is not only used to ensure internal compliance with authorization rules, it is increasingly used to comply with new legal compliance requirements. This article provides a detailed walkthrough for using SQL Server 2008's new inbuilt Audit feature.
2009-12-28
2,590 reads
Introduction to SQL Azure
Learn how to get started working with SQL Azure and migrating SQL Server databases to SQL Azure.
2009-12-24
3,433 reads
Script Task/Component and Template Information
The Script Task and Script component are often used by people developing SSIS packages because they are easy to use and now because SSIS could be perceived to be more developer friendly they are very powerful. That being said we should no be using them everywhere.
2009-12-23
3,228 reads
Customized Alerts for Transactional Replication
My company is heavily dependant on SQL Server transactional replication and once in awhile the default alerts are not sufficient and sometimes we want to be able to disable alerts when we perform maintenance. In this tip I will show you a few scripts I have implemented to allow me to better manage our transactional replication.
2009-12-22
3,036 reads
Full Text Index Management in SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
Recent installments of our series dedicated to the most important features of SQL Server 2005 Express Edition have focused on its Full Text Indexing capabilities. This article covers other full text indexing management methods.
2009-12-21
2,483 reads
Understanding SQL Server fixed database roles
I know there are fixed database roles that come with SQL Server. How do I best use them within my installations? What should I watch out for? In this tip we will cover each of the database roles and recommendations on when to and when not to use them.
2009-12-18
3,959 reads
Tool to help you analyze SQLDIAG and PSSDIAG output
SQLDIAG or PSSDIAG are excellent tools used to collect and analyze data in order to identify possible performance root causes. The issue is that the output produced by such utilities is sometimes convoluted, hard to read and hard to understand. In this tip, I will show you a tool that you can use to read and analyze the data collected by these tools.
2009-12-17
2,873 reads
Cube Storage: Planning Partitions from a SQL Server Management Studio Perspective
BI Architect Bill Pearson continues his discussion of Partition planning for Analysis Services, this time focusing on the settings and properties involved from a SQL Server Management Studio perspective.
2009-12-16
2,465 reads
Blogs
A New Word: los vidados
By Steve Jones
los vidados – n. the half-remembered acquaintances you knew years ago, who you might...
In-Person CISA Training – April 13-16, 2026
By Brian Kelley
I will be leading an in-person Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam prep class...
EightKB 2026
EightKB is back again for 2026! The biggest online SQL Server internals conference is...
Forums
query to track time spent on individual tasks in SSIS
Hi everyone I am looking at building a query to determine how much time...
SQL Server Transactional Replication from Always On Availability Groups to Azure SQL Database
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Server Transactional Replication from...
Hidden Heroes
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Hidden Heroes
Question of the Day
Identities and Sequences I
When thinking of the Identity property for auto incrementing columns and sequences for the same action, which are explicitly linked to increment a number in a table when a new row is added?
See possible answers