Thanks for the Help with Deadlocks
It's time to start blogging again. And for my first post in a very long time, I mainly want to...
2015-05-08 (first published: 2015-05-02)
7,540 reads
Stephen Tirone
SQLSaturday #250 Pittsburgh
SQLSaturday #250 Pittsburgh is in the books, and I'd like to sincerely thank the organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and speakers for...
2013-09-16
474 reads
SQL Saturday #171 Pittsburgh, the Schedule is Up!
SQL Saturday #171 Pittsburgh preparations continue, and the schedule has been posted for your review. If you're anywhere in the...
2012-09-18
750 reads
SQLSaturday #171 Pittsburgh Prep Continues
Hey, did I mention that Pittsburgh is having a SQLSaturday this year?
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Photo:Herbert Spencer, used under Creative Commons...
2012-07-30
1,556 reads
ComputeReach
Man it's tough to get in all that you want to do, isn't it? I've been trying to get my...
2012-07-21
706 reads
SQL Saturday #171 Pittsburgh!
It's official, there's going to be a SQL Saturday in Pittsburgh this year!
The date is October 6th, and the...
2012-07-18
595 reads
How Good is Good Enough?
I was running some tests on some purchased data this morning, and was getting a little perturbed because I was...
2011-06-16
604 reads
Using "Multiple Assignment Variables" for a Generic Compare Data Script
Comparing data between tables seems like a simple thing to do, but it can eat up a lot of a SQL Server professional's time. Stephen Tirone shows how multiple assignment variables can be used to make this task a little easier.
2010-01-26
5,997 reads
Caution with EXCEPT
The EXCEPT operator, introduced in SQL Server 2005, can be handy in some situations where you are comparing data between two tables. New author Stephen Tirone brings us a potential issue to be aware of with this operator.
2010-01-18
14,818 reads
Blogs
PowerPoint to HTML with Claude AI
By Steve Jones
I had an idea for an animated view of a sales tool, and started...
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...
Forums
Delta Lake: The Definitive Guide: Modern Data Lakehouse Architectures with Data Lakes
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Delta Lake: The Definitive Guide:...
Databricks Data Intelligence Platform: Unlocking the GenAI Revolution
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Databricks Data Intelligence Platform: Unlocking...
Storytelling with Data: Let's Practice!
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Storytelling with Data: Let's Practice!
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