2015-12-21
325 reads
drsql@hotmail.com
Mind your Database Ps and Qs
Louis Davidson explains why a little database courtesy goes a long way.
2015-11-16
230 reads
What counts for a DBA: Responsibility
Whose fault is it if a database is hacked and its contents appear on a hacker’s site? Louis Davidson suggests that, regardless of limitations, the DBA always bears some responsibility.
2014-12-22
161 reads
2014-11-24
167 reads
A DBA at the Opera
In opera, tragedy or absurdity happens because the characters are incapable of standing back, and making a difficult decision. Instead, at every stage, they just drift towards their fate by taking the easy option. Don't let the same fate befall you, as a DBA.
2014-08-04
117 reads
Just Enough know-how
As a professional, our knowledge of a given task should extend, at a minimum, one level deeper than is strictly necessary to perform the task. Anything deeper can be left to the ridiculously smart, or obsessive, or both
2014-05-12
122 reads
DBA Dreams
Louis Davidson on the small dreams that DBAs can nurture, each day, to elevate the drudgery of a seemingly banal task into a celebration of purpose.
2014-03-03
166 reads
What Counts for a DBA: Deduction
Like Sherlock Holmes, a DBA needs the sound deductive reasoning to pinpoint the root cause of a crime, in amongst a thousand interesting but irrelevant details.
2013-11-18
139 reads
What Counts for a DBA: Patience
Technical debt is frustrating but dealing with it requires patience. Louis Davidson explains why.
2013-09-02
142 reads
What Counts for a DBA: Baselines
It is very difficult to pinpoint what ails a server, just by looking at a single snapshot of the data, or to spot retrospectively what caused the problem by examining aggregated data for the server, collected over many months. The answer? Baselines.
2013-07-22
540 reads
Blogs
In-Person CISA Training – April 13-16, 2026
By Brian Kelley
I will be leading an in-person Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam prep class...
EightKB 2026
EightKB is back again for 2026! The biggest online SQL Server internals conference is...
The FinOps Lifecycle: From Budgeting to Reporting
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Working in DevOps long enough teaches you two universal truths: That’s exactly why I...
Forums
VS Code, Unresolved References.
Hi all, I just started using VS Code to work with DB projects. I...
Fun with JSON II
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Fun with JSON II
Changing Data Types
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Changing Data Types
Question of the Day
Fun with JSON II
I have some data in a table:
CREATE TABLE #test_data
(
id INT PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR(100),
birth_date DATE
);
-- Step 2: Insert rows
INSERT INTO #test_data
VALUES
(1, 'Olivia', '2025-01-05'),
(2, 'Emma', '2025-03-02'),
(3, 'Liam', '2025-11-15'),
(4, 'Noah', '2025-12-22');
If I run this query, how many rows are returned?
SELECT t1.[key] AS row,
t2.*
FROM OPENJSON(
(
SELECT t.* FROM #test_data AS t FOR JSON PATH
)
) t1
CROSS APPLY OPENJSON(t1.value) t2; See possible answers