Unused Indexes - Are they really unused or have they just not been used YET?
Tara explains when index DMVs gets reset by telling a story from her dark past.
2018-11-09
3,197 reads
Additional Articles
Azure EA Financial Reporting and Granular Access to Data Through the Enterprise
With the billing data from your Azure Enterprise Agreement collected into one database, it is still necessary to break down the costs and provide access to the correct departments and individuals. This is important for chargeback and further analysis. In this article, Feodor Georgiev demonstrates how to provide granular access to the billing data.
2018-11-08
2,241 reads
Simple way to Import XML Data into SQL Server with T-SQL
In this tip we look at a simple way to import a simple XML document into a SQL Server table.
2018-11-07
3,140 reads
How Big is Your Transaction Log?
If you are not managing the transaction log space used by a database, the transaction log might grow uncontrollably. With SQL Server 2017 there is a new dynamic management function (DMF) that exposes statistical information about a database transaction log. One of the things you can do with the information returned from this DMF is to determine how full a database transaction log file is.
2018-11-06
3,724 reads
Azure and Windows PowerShell: Using VM Extensions
In the third part of his series, Nicolas Prigent describes how to run post-deployment configuration and automation tasks on Azure Virtual Machines. Nicolas explains how to use Azure VM Extensions using the Azure PowerShell module to save time during the provisioning process.
2018-11-05
2,274 reads
5th annual “Seattle Freecon”
On Monday, November 5th, 2018, the 5th annual “Seattle Freecon” (a FreeCon in Seattle for those that might not be attending a pre-con before the PASS Summit) will be held. Put on by Jason Brimhall and Wayne Sheffield, there’s a set of 6 sessions you can attend for free that day. That’s right, absolutely FREE.
2018-11-02 (first published: 2018-10-29)
3,203 reads
Index Tuning Week: How Many Indexes Are Too Many?
When you're not sure, start by aiming for 5 or less indexes per table, with 5 or less fields each.
2018-11-02
4,276 reads
HIPAA and Database Administration – Part 2
HIPAA was signed into law in the United States in 1996. In this article, Robert Sheldon discusses how the act affects the day-to-day responsibilities of database administrators.
2018-11-01
2,480 reads
SQL Server 2019 is Here
On Monday, Sep 24, 2018, at the Ignite 2018 conference, Microsoft announced the first public preview of SQL Server 2019 (community technical preview (CTP) release of SQL Server 2.0).This new release of SQL Server is packed with many new features to improve performance, integrate your increasing volumes of corporate data, beef up security, and more.
2018-10-30
4,429 reads
Extended Events Workbench
The Extended Events (or XEvents) feature has been part of SQL Server since 2008, but many database professionals struggle to get started using it. In this article, Phil Factor demonstrates several useful Extended Event sessions that measure just one thing in each. He then provides the code necessary to parse the resulting XML into something you can use.
2018-10-29
2,206 reads
Blogs
Experimenting with CHOOSE: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
I was looking over the CHOOSE() function while editing an article at SQL Server...
Fighting Procrastination?
By Brian Kelley
Here is another short video (~ 15 minutes). This is by the author of...
A Fun Prize at the PASS Data Community Summit
By Steve Jones
I had a briefing for the 2026 PASS Data Community Summit, which is just...
Forums
SQL Server 2025 Server-level Roles
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Stairway to DAX and Power BI - Level 29: The DAX Combine & Aggregate Functions
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AI Is Improving Security
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Question of the Day
SQL Server 2025 Server-level Roles
In SQL Server 2022+, what does the ##MS_DatabaseConnector## role allow?
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