Take the SQLChallenge: Tuning a Stored Procedure
I’ve just published a new SQLChallenge course for subscribers, and I think it’s one of the best ones yet. Your mission is to: Identify which statement is slowing down...
2018-08-16
4 reads
I’m Joining Redgate Software!
I’m excited to announce that I’m joining the evangelist team at Redgate. Starting next Monday, I’ll be working with Steve Jones, Grant Fritchey, and Kathi Kellenberger — plus the whole...
2018-08-15
9 reads
Employee Agreements & Contracts: Anti-Patterns (31 minute video)
When you take a new job in software engineering or in IT, within the paperwork there often lurks an employee agreement: a contract between you and your employer. In...
2018-08-13
4 reads
Table Value Constructors in TSQL
Last week’s quiz was on Table Value Constructors in TSQL. Essentially, table value constructors let you create a dataset on the fly. These can occasionally be useful in writing...
2018-08-07
29 reads
Upcoming Live Podcast Recording Sessions: Employee Agreements and Contracts for DBAs and Devs
I’ve just scheduled two new podcast recording sessions! These are live, half hour sessions – you can join in listen, or share comments. Here’s what we’ll be talking about…....
2018-08-03
4 reads
Dear SQL DBA: Remembering Robert Davis, DBA Hero
What makes a person a DBA Hero? In this episode, I talk about how Robert Davis made a huge impact on the SQL Server community, and the traits that...
2018-08-02
12 reads
SQL Operations Studio: Keyboard Shortcuts, Actual Plans, & More
Last week I posted a quiz on SQL Operations Studio, a free, multi-platform tool from Microsoft. This tool is under active development and the features are improving by the day...
2018-07-31
14 reads
Changing Your Highlight Color in SQL Operations Studio
I’ve been enjoying working with SQL Operations Studio lately – a new, free, cross-platform editor from Microsoft. The tool is under active development and it’s a great time to...
2018-07-25
8 reads
What the Microsoft MVP Award Means to Me in 2018
I recently received my seventh “Most Valuable Professional” award from Microsoft. Oddly, I don’t think I’ve ever written about what this award means to me until this point. In...
2018-07-11
11 reads
The Right to Be Erased is Coming to California, Along with Other Privacy Rights
In the last year, developers and DBAs have heard a lot about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law passed by the European Union. These regulations not only impact...
2018-07-05
4 reads
Blogs
Don’t Miss Out – SQL Server Query Tuning Fundamentals Starts Next Monday!
Next Monday, February 9, 2026, my one-day live online training SQL Server Query Tuning...
Monday Monitor Tips: SQL Auditing Preview
By Steve Jones
One of the features we advocates have been advocating for is a better way...
SQL Server 2025 CU1 Fixes the Docker Desktop AVX Issue on macOS
Microsoft fixed the AVX instruction issue in SQL Server 2025 CU1. The container now...
Forums
25 Years of SQL Server Central
Comments posted to this topic are about the item 25 Years of SQL Server...
The Decoded Value
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Decoded Value
Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition in Kubernetes: A Cost-Effective Alternative to RDS
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition...
Question of the Day
The Decoded Value
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned from this code:
DECLARE @message VARCHAR(50) = 'Hello SQL Server 2025!'; DECLARE @encoded VARCHAR(MAX); SET @encoded = BASE64_ENCODE(CAST(@message AS VARBINARY(1000))); SELECT BASE64_DECODE(@encoded)See possible answers