SQL Server 2016 Online ALTER COLUMN Operation
Learn about the time savings, blocking scenarios, limitations and more for the SQL Server 2016 online ALTER COLUMN operation.
2017-04-07
3,544 reads
Additional Articles
PowerShell Time Saver: Automatic Defaults
Because PowerShell needs to be usable as an immediate scripting language by IT professionals who type in commands at a console, there have to be language devices such as aliases that can make for terseness when appropriate. There are several ways of cutting down the verbiage in a script, and being able to specify default values via $PSDefaultParameterValues is one of the more generally useful ones. Michael Sorens explains how it can save you time in your daily work.
2017-04-05
5,035 reads
Using DBCC CLONEDATABASE and Query Store for Testing
Erin Stellato demonstrates how to use the new DBCC CLONEDATABASE feature, in combination with Query Store, to test index and query changes.
2017-04-04
4,187 reads
Migrating a Disk-Based Table to a Memory-Optimized Table in SQL Server
The feature formerly known as Hekaton, now In-Memory OLTP can provide very useful performance gains where you carefully select the tables to become memory-optimised. How do you set about the job of converting existing tables to become memory-optimised tables? the process isn't entirely straightforward but the benefits that an In-Memory OLTP table delivers is worth your effort. Alex Grinberg takes you through the basics.
2017-04-03
5,510 reads
Working with Windows Containers and Docker: The Basics
When you begin to work with containers, you will notice many similarities between a container and a virtual machine; but, in fact, these are two quite different concepts. Containers are going to change the way that we do Windows-based development work in the coming year, and they already underpin much of the devops work of speeding the delivery process. Nicolas Prigent explains how to use the Windows Containers feature.
2017-03-31
6,296 reads
What's New in Master Data Services MDS 2016 - Part 1
SQL Server 2016 introduced many new features and improvements for all its products, and Master Data Services (MDS) is no exception. In this post, Koen Verbeeck gives a comprehensive overview of all the new MDS features.
2017-03-30
3,228 reads
Handling Graphs in SQL
Many practical database problems can be tackled more simply and intuitively by graphs or networks, which in this sense are graphs in which attributes can be associated with the nodes and edges. It is a natural way to study relationships within the data. SQL databases aren't the easiest way of doing it, but it makes sense where the scale permits it. Because of the range of graphs and techniques, some Graph theory is unavoidable before you get stuck into the code, and who better to introduce graph databases than Joe Celko?
2017-03-29
5,270 reads
Who Changed My Database Schema?
Have you ever wanted to know who made a schema change to your database? If so, that information is tracked in the default trace - Greg Larsen shows how to view it.
2017-03-28
6,381 reads
Using AT TIME ZONE to fix an old report
Rob Farley contributes to T-SQL Tuesday #87, showing how he would use AT TIME ZONE to simplify reports based on an end user's time zone.
2017-03-27
4,087 reads
Encrypting SQL Server: Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)
Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) encrypts the data within the physical files of the database, the 'data at rest'. Without the original encryption certificate and master key, the data cannot be read when the drive is accessed or the physical media is stolen. The data in unencrypted data files can be read by restoring the files to another server. TDE requires planning but can be implemented without changing the database. Robert Sheldon explains how to implement TDE.
2017-03-24
5,410 reads
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Question of the Day
String Similarity I
On SQL Server 2025, when I run this, what is returned?
SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE_SIMILARITY('SQL Server', 'MySQL') See possible answers