Steve Jones

My background is I have been working with computers since I was about 12. My first "career" job in this industry was with network administration where I became the local DBA by default. I have also spent lots of time administering Netware and NT networks, developing software, managing smaller IT groups, making lots of coffee, ordering pizza for late nights, etc., etc.

I currently am the editor of SQL Server Central and an advocate/architect at Redgate Software. I am also the President of SQL Saturday, maintain the T-SQL Tuesday monthly party, and remember our colleagues at sqlmemorial.org.

You can find out more about me on my blog (www.voiceofthedba.com) or LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/way0utwest)
  • Interests: yoga, reading, biking, snowboarding, volleyball

SQLServerCentral Article

How Database Professionals Sent a Million Emails a Day from SQL Server

This is part of a look back at the history of SQL Server Central as a part of our 25-year celebration in Feb 2026. "They want how much?" That was a question I got from Andy one afternoon as we discussed how we were going to manage the growth of SQL Server Central. I had […]

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2026-02-06

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Using OPENJSON

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Question of the Day

Using OPENJSON

I have some data in a table that looks like this:

BeerID BeerName    brewer               beerdescription
1      Becks       Interbrew            Beck's is a German-style pilsner beer 
2      Fat Tire    New Belgium          Toasty malt, gentle sweetness, flash of fresh hop bitterness.
3      Mac n Jacks Mac & Jack's Brewery This beer erupts with a floral, hoppy taste
4      Alaskan Amber Alaskan Brewing     Alaskan Brewing Amber Ale is an "alt" style beer
8      Kirin       Kirin Brewing         Kirin Ichiban is a Lager-type beer
If I run this, what is returned?
select t1.key
    from openjson((select t.* FROM Beer AS t for json path)) t1

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