It’s not glamorous, but it works In a world where shiny new HA/DR features get all the press, there’s one SQL Server technology that just keeps doing its job....
2025-09-15 (first published: 2025-08-27)
209 reads
Flexibility and Scale at the Database Level When SQL Server 2012 introduced Availability Groups (AGs), they changed the HA/DR game. Unlike Failover Cluster Instances (FCIs), which protect the whole...
2025-09-10
19 reads
“SQL Server is slow.” We’ve all heard it. But that doesn’t always mean SQL Server is the problem. And “slow” means nothing without context and ability to verify. More...
2025-08-27 (first published: 2025-08-06)
499 reads
If you’re responsible for a SQL Server instance, you need working, consistent backups. Not just a .bak file here and there, but a plan that runs automatically and covers...
2025-08-20
22 reads
If you’re a DBA, sysadmin, IT manager, or Accidental DBA, you’ve probably seen SQL Server’s built-in Maintenance Plans. They live right there in SSMS under the “Management” node, quietly...
2025-08-15 (first published: 2025-07-30)
415 reads
Corruption isn’t a “maybe someday” problem – what you need to do now. Stop. Don’t panic. You just ran DBCC CHECKDB for the first time in a while (or...
2025-08-13
20 reads
The SQL Server installer has gotten better: tempdb configuration, MAXDOP, and even max memory can now be configured during setup. But don’t be fooled: there’s still a post-install checklist...
2025-07-23
61 reads
Why You Shouldn’t Overlook This Quiet but Critical SQL Server Setting If you’ve ever upgraded a SQL Server instance and something just broke in your application, chances are...
2025-07-16
444 reads
Settings That Could Be Hurting Your Performance If you’ve ever created a new SQL Server database and just left the default settings alone, you’re not alone. Microsoft provides a...
2025-07-09
99 reads
Understanding the Limits Before You Hit Them If you’re responsible for a SQL Server instance but don’t live and breathe licensing, you’re not alone. Many IT managers and sysadmins...
2025-07-09 (first published: 2025-06-25)
417 reads
By Steve Jones
etherness – n. the wistful feeling of looking around a gathering of loved ones,...
By Steve Jones
A customer was asking about tracking logins and logouts in Redgate Monitor. We don’t...
By Brian Kelley
Every year, the South Carolina State Internal Auditors Association and the South Carolina Midlands...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item T-SQL in SQL Server 2025:...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Your Value from a Conference
Comments posted to this topic are about the item 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