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System Monitor (Perfmon) Counters for SQL Server 2005

Capturing performance monitor counters is of great value to understand how SQL Server is behaving at a macro level, that being how overall resources are being used within the engine. Without this data it is difficult to determine where the performance issues are occurring. Capturing the metrics has been traditionally from Performance Monitor either on an ad-hoc basis or setting up a log to capture the values on a predefined basis.

2011-07-27

3,187 reads

External Article

Migrating Microsoft Access Databases to SQL Server 2008

Microsoft Access is a very good database solution, but it has limits. While the portability of mdb and accdb files is convenient, there are advantages to moving to the less portable SQL Server solution. If you do have SQL Server, there's very little reason not to consider migrating your Access Databases. Not all custom-made Access applications easily lend themselves to a SQL Server solution so you'll need to do some analysis before choosing a migration path.

2011-07-26

3,430 reads

External Article

Managing SQL Server Service Broker Environments

SQL Server Service Broker (SSBS) is a new architecture (introduced with SQL Server 2005 and enhanced further in SQL Server 2008 and later versions) that allows you to write asynchronous, decoupled, distributed, persistent, reliable, scalable and secure queuing/message-based applications within the database itself. Arshad Ali looks at how we can manage, monitor and troubleshoot Service Broker environments.

2011-07-21

2,085 reads

External Article

Yet Another SQL Strategy for Versioned Data

There is a popular design for a database that requires a built-in audit-trail of amendments and additions, where data is never deleted, but superseded by a later version. Whilst this is conceptually simple, it has always made reporting the latest version of data complicated. Alex Kuznetsov joins the debate on the best way of doing this with an example using an indexed view and the filtered index.

2011-07-15

3,274 reads

External Article

Identifying PII Data to Lock Down in SQL Server - Part 1

We're pretty confident that we have locked down and encrypted our financial data, but a lot of our customer's PII (Personally Identifiable Information) data is still held in unencrypted form. This data is able to be selected directly by read only business users on many of our downstream reporting, datawarehouse and standby servers. The rise of identity theft makes protecting this data imperative. DBAs are the custodians of this information and must protect it like we protect our own personal information. Recent publicity over the theft of Sony PSN data underscores both the economic and ethical importance of protecting personal data.

2011-07-14

2,864 reads

External Article

Questions About SQL Server Distribution Statistics

Fabiano Amorim was asked a couple of questions about SQL Server Distribution Statistics. Having given an answer based on his current knowledge, he then decided to find out for himself whether what he'd said was right, and started an epic journey of exploration into Distribution Statistics and the way that the Query Optimiser uses them.

2011-07-13

2,132 reads

External Article

Questions About SQL Server Distribution Statistics

Fabiano Amorim was asked a couple of questions about SQL Server Distribution Statistics. Having given an answer based on his current knowledge, he then decided to find out for himself whether what he'd said was right, and started an epic journey of exploration into Distribution Statistics and the way that the Query Optimiser uses them.

2011-07-12

2,173 reads

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Question of the Day

UNISTR Basics

What does this code return in SQL Server 2025+? (assume the database has an appropriate collation) 

SELECT UNISTR('Hello 4E16754C') AS 'A Classic';
A:   B:  

See possible answers