Improving Performance for Some LIKE “%string%” Searches (SQL Spackle)
If you've ever wondered if you can do better than an INDEX SCAN when you do a LIKE "%string%" search, read on...
2024-11-29 (first published: 2014-04-07)
51,078 reads
Dwain Camps
The Right and Wrong of T-SQL DML TRIGGERs (SQL Spackle)
Triggers in T-SQL have many uses. There are right and wrong ways to write triggers. To learn the difference, read on...
2024-11-15 (first published: 2015-03-17)
9,036 reads
Calculating Elapsed Times (SQL Spackle)
Calculating elapsed time between time values can be an interesting problem that is easily solved even when data anomalies are present.
2024-09-20 (first published: 2013-09-26)
18,853 reads
An Alternative (Better?) Method to UNPIVOT (SQL Spackle)
Normalizing or UNPIVOTing data may be improved by using this lesser known approach in SQL Server 2008 or later.
2024-07-26 (first published: 2012-08-02)
45,935 reads
Performance of the SQL MERGE vs. INSERT/UPDATE
The SQL MERGE statement offers convenience, safety and elegance, but how does it perform compared to other methods?
2017-02-03 (first published: 2013-10-28)
169,584 reads
Logging and Error Handling for SQL Stored Procedures
Learn how to develop and test a template for logging and error handling in a multi-step SQL stored procedure
2015-09-18 (first published: 2014-01-20)
39,575 reads
The Case for Scalar-valued, User-defined Functions in T-SQL
Did you know that scalar-valued, user-defined functions can be used in DEFAULT/CHECK CONSTRAINTs and computed columns? Learn about it...
2015-05-12
7,282 reads
A Hazard of Using the SQL Update Statement
If you've never encountered this quirk of the SQL UPDATE statement, you should take a look and find a simple way around it.
2015-04-06 (first published: 2013-09-09)
27,802 reads
Identifying Start Dates not Aligned with End Dates on a Prior Row
When effective end dates don't align properly with effective start dates for subsequent rows, what are you to do?
2015-03-24
10,611 reads
How to Design, Build and Test a Dynamic Search Stored Procedure
Learn how to design, build and test a dynamic search SP in just a few simple but methodical steps.
2015-03-06 (first published: 2013-11-05)
25,037 reads
Blogs
Why Database AI Agents need Layers?
By Arun Sirpal
Third part in my Ai series with databases. When building AI solutions within the...
Un-Migrating From the Cloud: T-SQL Tuesday #199
By Steve Jones
This month we have a very interesting invitation from Koen Verbeeck. He has hosted...
T-SQL Tuesday #199: Back to the on-prem
It’s the second tuesday of the month, which means T-SQL Tuesday time! This month’s...
Forums
How Do the Experts Become Experts?
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Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments Level 4 – Preparing for Production Deployment
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Secure Communications
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Question of the Day
Secure Communications
As of June 2026, what is the best version of TLS to use with SQL Server?
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