A first look at SQL Server 2012 Availability Group Wait Statistics

If you are trouble-shooting an AlwaysOn Availability Group topology, a study of the wait statistics will give a pointer to many of the causes of problems. Although several wait types are documented, there is nothing like practical experiment to familiarize yourself with new wait stats, and Joe Sack demonstrates a way of testing the sort of waits generated by an availability group under various circumstances.

FileTable in SQL Server 2012

Among the many new features released in SQL Server 2012 is FileTable, which facilitates database storage of file and directory storage.

Handling Deadlocks in SQL Server

In this excerpt from his book Troubleshooting SQL Server: A Guide for the Accidental DBA, Jonathan Kehayias provides a guide to identifying the causes, reacting to, and ultimately preventing the dreaded deadlock.

Securing the Tabular BI Semantic Model

This paper introduces the security model for tabular BI semantic models in SQL Server 2012. You will learn how to create roles, implement dynamic security, configure impersonation settings, manage roles, and choose a method for connecting to models that works in your network security context.

SQL Server 2012 Integration Services - Package and Project Configurations

Marcin Policht examines SSIS 2012 package and project configurations, which offer different ways of modifying values of variables and parameters without having to directly edit content of the packages and projects of which they are a part.

SQLServerCentral.com Users Survey 2012

We want to make sure we're covering the things that are relevant to you, so we're asking for some feedback on what you use on SSC, where we need to improve, and what you'd like to see.

It should only take a few minutes, and three randomly-selected people will win a $100 Amazon gift card for their efforts.

SSIS Basics: Setting Up Your Initial Package

Up until now, it has been a curiously frustrating search to find out the basics of SSIS, fast, in order to get up and running quickly. No longer, as Annette Allen comes up with a simple introduction for the rest of us.

SQL Server 2012 Integration Services - Project Deployment

SQL Server 2012 Integration Services parameters introduce a new way of dealing with package development, deployment, and execution. In order to truly appreciate their relevance, it is necessary to take a look at the new Project Deployment Model.

SQL VIEW Basics

SQL Views are essential for the database developer. However, it is common to see them misued, or neglected. Joe Celko tackles an introduction to the subject, but there is something about the topic that makes it likely that even the experienced developer will find out something new from reading it.

Maintaining SQL Server default trace historical events for analysis and reporting

I often see questions online where someone wants to find out who started a trace, when tempdb last had an autogrow event, or when the last full backup for master occurred. Since these and other events are captured by the default trace, but the default trace only keeps five 20MB rollover files by default. This means that the event you are after may no longer be there, depending on how long ago it was and how busy your server happens to be. Unfortunately, people often need to find this information well after the fact.