Using SQLFluff
I thought I didn’t care about linting, and lately, I haven’t written a lot of SQL, but for the SQL I do write, I have SQLFluff to help me...
2025-03-18
384 reads
Blog Posts
A Couple Quick GENERATE_SERIES Tests
I had someone reach out about generate_series() recently, saying they hadn’t realized this was a new feature in SQL Server 2022. They were wondering if it was better than...
2025-03-17 (first published: 2025-03-05)
387 reads
Excel to SQL: Ditch the Spreadsheet Headaches
If you're a data analyst drowning in Excel, you know the pain. Endless filtering, formula nightmares, and the dreaded "file not responding" message. Excel's great for small stuff, but...
2025-03-17
324 reads
Hidden Killers of SQL Server Performance
I’ve been working with SQL Server for a very long time. Out of the box, SQL Server works great, however there is regular care and feeding that needs to...
2025-03-17
26 reads
How I passed the DP-700 Exam
I recently took and passed the DP-700 exam, which is required for the Microsoft Certified: Fabric Data Engineer Associate certification. It’s the second Fabric certification, and it focuses more...
2025-03-17 (first published: 2025-03-05)
1,079 reads
Securing Kubernetes With External Secrets Operator on AWS
Here’s a way to centralize management, rotate secrets conveniently without downtime, automate synchronization and reduce secret exposure risks.Secrets management is an essential aspect of modern application development. It is vital...
2025-03-15
130 reads
Book Review: A Radical Enterprise
I grabbed this book over the 2024 holiday season as it was on sale and recommended by the DevOps practitioners over at ITRevolution. A Radical Enterprise looks at a...
2025-03-14 (first published: 2025-02-28)
140 reads
The Book of Redgate: What’s Great about Redgate?
“I’m sick of hearing about Red Gate.” The first article in the book has this title, which might seem strange, but the short piece then talks about how many...
2025-03-14
41 reads
Which approach to take: Build it, buy it, cloud it?
As a Consultant, I would typically answer with – it depends! Then a typical conversation starts with an expression of personal preferences based on experience, the organization’s history, and...
2025-03-14 (first published: 2025-03-05)
310 reads
FREE Window Functions Course (This Month Only!)
Want to really level up your SQL game? I mean, go from good to great? This March 2025, grab the interactive course Window Functions in PostgreSQL absolutely FREE. This is your chance to master...
2025-03-13
6,653 reads
Blogs
Announcements from the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference — Barcelona 2026
By James Serra
Microsoft shared a broad set of Fabric, Power BI, and SQL updates at FabCon...
Au Revoir for now
By Steve Jones
No, I’m not quitting or retiring. Just going on vacation, but I leave tonight...
Forums
Let's Talk Certifications
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Let's Talk Certifications, which is...
The Hidden Security Risks of Role Combination in SSAS Tabular
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Hidden Security Risks of...
The Empty Aggregate
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Empty Aggregate
Question of the Day
The Empty Aggregate
I have this table in a SQL Server 2025 database:
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[CustomerOrder] ( [OrderID] [int] NULL, [CustomerID] [int] NULL, [total] [money] NULL ) ON [PRIMARY] GOWhat is returned from this code? (answers are for the sum and then the count)
SELECT SUM(total) AS sum,
COUNT(total) AS count
FROM dbo.CustomerOrder;
See possible answers