Execution plans explain all you need to know about query performance, and how to fine-tune. Sure, you can see them in SSMS, but what if you need to drill into to the important details? What about using DMVs, Extended Events or SET statements to get at the execution plans? To get the best use of execution plans you need to be able to get right information from the right plan at the right time. Robert Sheldon explains how.
2016-12-14
3,977 reads
Microsoft has made a bold change with SQL Server 2016 Service Pack 1 : Many Enterprise features are now available in lower editions. Read on for details.
2016-12-13
10,390 reads
There are so many ways of keeping your technical skills and knowledge up-to-date. There are books, articles, conferences, video courses and so on, but nothing beats discussion and debate with professional people in other organisations facing a similar range of technical challenges, some of which you share, and others you maybe haven't yet. PASS is unique in providing just this vital ingredient for database professionals using the Microsoft Data Stack.
2016-12-12
6,151 reads
HTML Input forms are, by their nature, tiresome for the user of any website. However, with some attention to detail and a dash of JavaScript, it is possible to reduce the drudgery of form-filling to the minimum and minimise mistakes. Dino explains four ways of making things better for the user of your website.
2016-12-09
3,196 reads
When something's wrong with your database you need to be able to identify the primary pain points within SQL Server and get to the root cause of the problem fast. Grant Fritchey explains how you can use execution plans inside SQL Monitor to help quickly and simply identify the problem.
2016-12-09
3,837 reads
After a recent conversation on Twitter, Aaron Bertrand shows where excessive comments in your stored procedures might have an impact on performance.
2016-12-08
4,729 reads
Cloning a SQL Server login with permissions that match another login is a common task. In this post, Jeffrey Yao shows how this an be done using PowerShell.
2016-12-07
4,030 reads
SQLBits 2017 has been announced. The conference will take place on April 5-8, 2017 in Telford, UK.
2016-12-07
3,101 reads
Learn how to leverage Azure Active Directory when connecting to Azure SQL Database from applications or services in a non-interactive manner, by relying on token-based authentication.
2016-12-06
4,560 reads
Why is it that we use XML, but with so little enthusiasm when it does so much, and is so feature-rich? Phil Factor argues that there are better ways of doing it, more complete than JSON, but easier to read than XML. To try to convince you, he gives a set of flying demos, using PowerShell and his PSYaml module, to illustrate how YAML can let you work faster, and more accurately.
2016-12-05
3,583 reads
By Steve Jones
This was Redgate in 2010, spread across the globe. First the EU/US Here’s Asia...
By John
Today is Christmas and while I do not expect anybody to actual be reading...
By Bert Wagner
Until recently, my family's 90,000+ photos have been hidden away in the depths of...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Happy Holidays, Let's Do Nerdy...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item UNISTR Escape
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Celebrating Tomorrow
In SQL Server 2025, I run this command:
SELECT UNISTR('*3041*308A*304C\3068 and good night', '*') as "A Classic";
What is returned? (assume the database has an appropriate collation)
A: 
B: 
C: 
See possible answers