The Version Store Won’t Clear If ANY Database Has Open Transactions.
Short story: what the title says.
2025-11-24
Additional Articles
JSON Data Extract from SQL Server 2025
JSON is a complex data type used for representing objects with various properties. With JSON you follow the key-value pattern where the key is a string and the value can be of different data types. What are some common ways to work with JSON in SQL Server?
2025-11-21
How to Build an AI-Powered T-SQL Assistant with Python & SQL Server
If you’re a SQL Server DBA or developer looking to harness AI for your everyday scripting workflows, this article will walk you through building an AI-powered T-SQL assistant using Python and SQL Server.
2025-11-19
SQL ConstantCare® Population Report: Fall 2025
In this quarter’s update of our SQL ConstantCare® population report, showing how quickly (or slowly) folks adopt new versions of SQL Server, the data is very similar to last quarter
2025-11-17
IoT Meets OLTP: How to Handle Backfilling Challenges in Real-Time Systems
This is the true story of a 64-core SQL Server brought down by poor assumptions about its data. A clustered index designed for neat, sequential IoT inserts was overwhelmed when the real readings arrived late, out of order, and in bulk. The same risk lurks in any high-write system with unpredictable insert patterns. This article shows what can go wrong and how to avoid it.
2025-11-14
JSON_CONTAINS Function in SQL Server 2025
I have data coming into my SQL Server database as JSON. Before I start parsing it which is quite intensive, I need to check if some values are present in the JSON. Is there a function I can use to do this? Let’s see what the new JSON_CONTAINS function in SQL Server 2025 can do.
2025-11-12
Unlocking the Power of FULL OUTER JOIN in SQL: Performance, Use Cases & Examples
Discover how the FULL OUTER JOIN in SQL can simplify queries, improve performance, and solve real-world data problems
2025-11-10
SQL Server CROSS APPLY and OUTER APPLY Helpful Examples
Microsoft introduced the APPLY operator in SQL Server 2005. Similar to a JOIN, it allows correlation between two table expressions. The key difference between the JOIN and APPLY operators is when you have a table-valued expression on the right side and want to evaluate it for each row from the left table expression. Since they produce similar results, when do you choose an APPLY versus a JOIN?
2025-11-07
Power BI TMDL View: Benefits, Security Risks & Best Practices
The Tabular Model Definition Language (TMDL) provides a simpler way of defining Power BI Semantic Models. Unlike the JSON-based Tabular Model Scripting Language (TMSL), TMDL uses a more accessible tab-based format for specifying DAX measures, relationships, and Power Query code.
2025-11-05
Which Should You Use: VARCHAR or NVARCHAR?
You’re building a new table or adding a column, and you wanna know which datatype to use: VARCHAR or NVARCHAR?
2025-11-03
Blogs
Monday Monitor Tips: Native Replication Monitoring
By Steve Jones
Redgate Monitor has been able to monitor replication for a long term, but it...
Advice I Like: Art
By Steve Jones
Superheroes and saints never make art. Only imperfect beings can make art because art...
Why Optimize CPU for RDS SQL Server is a game changer
One feature that I have been waiting for years! The new announcement around optimize...
Forums
Think LSNs Are Unique? Think Again - Preventing Data Loss in CDC ETL
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Think LSNs Are Unique? Think...
The AI Bubble and the Weak Foundation Beam
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The AI Bubble and the...
Question of the Day
A Big PK
In SQL Server 2025, how many columns can be included in a Primary Key constraint?
See possible answers