Grant Fritchey

Grant Fritchey is a SQL Server MVP with over 20 years’ experience in IT including time spent in support and development. Grant has worked with SQL Server since version 6.0 back in 1995. He has developed in VB, VB.Net, C# and Java. Grant has authored books for Apress and Simple-Talk, and joined Red Gate as a Product Advocate in January 2011. Find Grant on Twitter @GFritchey or on his blog as the Scary DBA.

SQLServerCentral Editorial

SQL Server 2022 and Learning

Microsoft announced the release of the next version of SQL Server, 2022. There's a bunch of new enhancements that we can all get excited about. I can't wait to test the "Parameter Sensitive Plan" optimization myself. We can look forward to seeing this stuff in action, and in detail, at the PASS Data Community Summit […]

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-11-06

425 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Learning Is Challenging, So, Forgive Yourself

In addition to trying to get better at SQL Server, Redgate Software, and all the various aspects of my job, I'm also trying to get better at this whole human interaction thing AND I'm working on trying to learn PostgreSQL much more deeply. Whew! Yeah, may not seem like a whole lot, but I assure […]

(2)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-10-16

270 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Volunteer For Something

I spent a chunk of the day yesterday, after work, but before working on a new book (yeah, I've got two jobs now), playing with my radios. I was programming the digital one to get it to use my Raspberry Pi as a hotspot (it used to work, now it doesn't). I also spent some […]

(3)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-09-25

213 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

The Leaves Are Changing, But Why?

I've recently moved house from Massachusetts to Oklahoma. Long story. Anyway, sitting in my new office looking out at the trees, some of the leaves are starting to change. Ah, Fall. Lovely Autumn colors... WAIT! Actually, something else is going on. Only a few trees are changing color. Word is, we've been a little dry […]

(1)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-09-04

180 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Define All The Steps Up Front

After 23 years in one place, I'm pulling up stakes and moving. We're selling our house in one state in the US and we're buying a house in another state about half a continent away. To say it's a stressful and exhausting process is an understatement. The worst part is that no one has defined […]

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-07-24

202 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Happy Birthday USA!

This is the Fourth of July weekend here in the US when we celebrate the birth of the country based on the publication of the Declaration of Independence. For those who don't know, this celebration mostly consists of fireworks and outdoor cookouts. However, at our house we've always tried to do a little bit more […]

(2)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-07-03

128 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Live On Stage AND On Your Screen

I've just finished up teaching at an in-person event, the first in fifteen months. It was the SQL Server and Azure SQL Conference (formerly known as SQLIntersection). The event organizers did a great job making it into a hybrid event, where  we presented both in-person and virtually, so that people could choose if they wanted […]

(1)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-06-12

134 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Non-Stop Learning

There was a recent discussion in the forums here at SQL Server Central regarding the difficulties presented by the constantly shifting technology landscape. The core question was, how on earth do you master stuff? Especially, how do you master things when they're both new and constantly changing? Honestly, you don't. I mean, you can, but […]

(2)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-05-08

253 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

The Thriving Data Community

A while back I wrote an editorial about how I believed the data community would easily continue after the PASS organization was no more. I'm pleased as punch to be able to report that I was right. Not because I enjoy being right (I do, who doesn't), but because I care very much for the […]

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-04-18

101 reads

SQLServerCentral Editorial

Things We Are Missing

I read this great little blog post called "Trying to Notice What's Missing." It's not real long and it's worth your time. If you'd like a TLDR, the author points out how in-person meetings at conferences resulted in enhancements to open source software due to superior, in-person, communication. Strictly on a personal level, I miss […]

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2021-04-17

143 reads

Blogs

Flyway Tips: AI Deployment Script Descriptions

By

With the AI push being everywhere, Redgate is no exception. We’ve been getting requests,...

A New Word: Fawtle

By

fawtle – n. a weird little flaw built into your partner that somehow only...

Post-quantum key exchange – Insurance policy for your packets

By

AWS recently added support for Post-Quantum Key Exchange for TLS in Application Load Balancer...

Read the latest Blogs

Forums

Where Your Value Separates You from Others

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Where Your Value Separates You...

Fixing the Error

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Fixing the Error

T-SQL in SQL Server 2025: Encoding Functions

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item T-SQL in SQL Server 2025:...

Visit the forum

Question of the Day

Fixing the Error

On SQL Server 2025, I have a database that has this collation: SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS. I decide I want to run this code:

SELECT UNISTR('*3041*308A*304C*3068 and good night', '*') AS 'A Classic';
I get this error:Msg 9844, Level 16, State 4, Line 24 The char/varchar input type uses an unsupported collation. Only a UTF8 collation is supported with char/varchar input type in UNISTR function.What is the easiest way to fix this error?

See possible answers