One of the problems to which I keep returning is finding the best way to read and apply documentation for databases. As part of a series of articles I'm doing for Redgate's Product Learning, I've been demonstrating how to maintain a single source of database documentation, in JSON, and then add and update the object […]
2021-06-28 (first published: 2021-05-28)
3,672 reads
Learn how to generate some convincing data for your development databases.
2021-01-05
2,962 reads
Phil Factor provides a powerful DOS batch script which, when coupled with SQL Compare CLI, allows you to build databases from source, during development, and fill them with the specific datasets required for testing.
2020-03-19
437 reads
There is a lot of information held in SQL Server metadata about your SQL Server procedures, triggers, views and functions. Some of it is valuable, other nuggets are useful and a few are rather dull but worthy. It really all needs to be tied together to tell the full story, especially if you are not able to, or do not want to, query the metadata directly.
2020-03-17
There are a variety of days to move data between MongoDB and SQL Server. This article covers some of your options and gives you ideas on which method might work best for you.
2019-07-22
14,023 reads
Phil Factor notes that the EU's approach to the GDPR seems to be "do as I say, not as I do".
2018-06-04
80 reads
SSMS has spent years being neglected, merely being kept compatible with SQL Server and its features: But now we have, instead, the promise of monthly delivery of new functionality
2016-07-18
65 reads
In which Phil Factor illustrates in TSQL how it is possible to use foreign key constraints to enforce data rules, and illustrates some surprising consequences of using cascading.
2015-03-30
3,070 reads
2014-10-20
274 reads
There is little doubt that static code analysis can contribute to code quality and deliverability. As an aid to a developer, it seems increasingly essential, but can it ever deliver reliable metrics of code-quality? One shudders at the potential misuse of quality metrics in the wrong hands. My hope is that it remains just an aid to human judgement; and creativity.
2014-07-28
86 reads
By Steve Jones
It’s been some time since I provided a car update, so I decided to...
By James Serra
An architecture scenario Imagine separate Sales, Finance, Shared Data, and Executive Analytics workspaces. Sales...
Security on your SQL Server is important. That doesn’t need any explaining. But where...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Backing Up a DMK
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Quiet Part
Comments posted to this topic are about the item BIT_COUNT in SQL Server
In SQL Server 2025, I have a database with a Database Masker Key (DMK). I want to back up this key and keep a copy offline. When do I have to open this key before running the backup?
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