Phil Grayson

I’m Phil Grayson, founder of Aireforge, where we build tools to make database management more efficient, secure, and performance-driven. I’ve been working in the SQL Server space for over 25 years, with a focus on performance tuning, security, and observability. Currently, I’m gearing up to launch dbOptics, a platform designed to simplify database observability and performance tuning across complex estates, as well as Guard, a database firewall set to release next year.

I’m passionate about helping data professionals and organizations get the most out of their database environments. Aireforge has been active in the SQL community since 2016, sponsoring events like Data Relay and SQLBits, and we continue to contribute through knowledge sharing and community-driven events.
  • Interests: SQL Server performance tuning, index management, database security, automation of database tasks, observability and monitoring, knowledge sharing, cloud services, Azure infrastructure, motorcycle touring.

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Blogs

A New Word: on tenderhooks

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on tenderhooks – adj. feeling the primal satisfaction of being needed by someone, which...

Ramblings about data communities and your contributions, no excuses

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I have been active in the data community throughout my career. I have met...

SQL Server Journey till 2025 (brief)

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Quick Summary for Microsoft SQL Server till 2025, I am fortunate to be part...

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Forums

how do i map the "current" object entry in for each to one variable

By stan

hi, in an ssis  for each loop over an object variable called MyListVariable, i...

Simulating Mercury’s Orbital Motion Using Pure T-SQL (NASA 2025 Dataset)

By NKTgLaw

SQL Server is typically viewed as a transactional or analytical database engine. However, it...

Azure SQL Database | CREATE EVENT SESSION [Blocking_Capture] ON DATABASE

By DanielP

Hello, Is there a way in Azure SQL Database to change the 'Blocking Process...

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Question of the Day

String Similarity I

On SQL Server 2025, when I run this, what is returned? 

SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE_SIMILARITY('SQL Server', 'MySQL')

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