Although you can get started with R in SQL Server without understanding data frames, they are a key structure of the R language that are the equivalent of SQL Server table variables. They give you many ways of manipulating and analyzing data and passing it between R and SQL Server. For a database professional, they provide a clear and familiar concept when getting to grips with integrating R into the database.
2017-11-08
3,412 reads
Azure SQL Database’s Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) feature limits the exposure of sensitive information to non-privileged users. DDM can mask either the full value or partial value in a column. This method can also mask Social Security and Credit Card Numbers without making any changes to the application. Read on to learn more.
2017-11-07
2,210 reads
Some time ago, Phil Factor wrote his booklet 'SQL Code Smells', collecting together a whole range of SQL Coding practices that could be considered to indicate the need for a review of the code. It was published as 119 code smells, even though there were 120 of them at the time. Phil Factor has continued to collect them and the current state of the art is reflected in this article. There are now around 150 of these smells and SQL Code Guard is committed to cover as many as possible of them.
2017-11-06
8,928 reads
Azure SQL Database provides a number of benefits that leverage resiliency and redundancy built into the underlying cloud infrastructure. In addition to Point-in-Time Restore as well as Geo-Restore and Active Geo-Replication, you have the option of implementing long-term backup retention of Azure SQL Database.
2017-11-03
2,430 reads
When your application is running slowly, the reflex action is to blame the database queries. It is certainly true that some of the more extravagant delays can be fairly blamed on a missing index or unnecessary locking, but there are other potential villains in the drama, including the network and the application itself. Dan Turner points out that you could save a lot of time and money by working out for sure where the problems lie before diving into the detail.
2017-11-02
7,358 reads
Erik Darling looks at how SQL Server 2016's live query plans react when they're blocked.
2017-11-01
3,227 reads
The working life of the DBA can be punctuated by surprises, but they aren't generally nice surprises. This is especially true if the DBA is not checking and monitoring the databases for obvious things such as database corruption, and disk space. However, the really scary surprises are less obvious and provide fewer warning signs. Brent Ozar gives six scary surprises that can be avoided by the shrewd DBA.
2017-10-31
7,099 reads
I have a need to decrease the time my SQL Server database backups are taking to run. I thought about trying to run multiple backups at the same time to see if that would work. I could have created multiple SQL Server Agent Jobs to run at the same time, but I wanted a more dynamic way to handle this, so I created a PowerShell script that allows processes to run in parallel.
2017-10-30
3,911 reads
In this post, Koen Verbeeck shows how to use SQL Sever 2016's Extended Events to find the query plan for a DAX query, just like you would for a T-SQL statement.
2017-10-27
3,058 reads
Every new release of SQL Server comes with new features that cause a ripple of excitement within the industry: well, amongst the marketing people anyway. What happens to all the exciting TLAs that are bandied about when a new version launches? It's mixed, it seems. Adam Machanic's classic post, The SQL Hall of Shame, has inspired Rob Sheldon to look back at some of the features that, though worthy, have may have failed to hit the mainstream.
2017-10-27
5,970 reads
By Steve Jones
For a number of years, we’ve produced the State of the Database Landscape report,...
By Steve Jones
I coach volleyball and I do a lot of stat stuff on paper. I...
By Steve Jones
dolorblindness – n. the frustration that you’ll never be able to understand another person’s...
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In SQL Server 2025, there is a new function that returns the current date without the time. What is it?
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