Getting the SQL Server MCP Server Running

If you’ve wanted a SQL Server MCP server for your databases, it’s available. The SQL MCP Server is a part of the Data API Builder (DAB). DAB is a...

Match the Model to the Task, Not the App: An Orchestrator-Worker Pattern in Python

Most apps that call an LLM send every request to the same model. That works until the bill arrives.

A classification job that returns one word costs...

T-SQL Tuesday #201 Invitation: Temp Tables, Friend or Foe?

My T-SQL Tuesday #201 invitation. Do temp tables help performance or hurt it? I argue moving data into a #temp table is usually the wrong reflex, and invite you...

Getting Started with Azure SQL Developer on Macbook

The idea behind Azure SQL Developer is for anyone to build, iterate, and test locally at no cost. This means NO Azure subscription to deal with and NO credit...

Power BI Performance in 2026: A Practical Guide to Faster Semantic Models and Reports

Originally published April 2022; substantially updated July 2026. This post is a complete replacement for and update to my April 2022 post, Power BI Performance Features. That post focused...

A New Word: Mauerbauertraurigkeit

mauerbauertraurigkeit – n. inexplicable urge to push people away, even close friends whose company you generally enjoy, like a poker player who keeps folding a promising hand in order...

Advice I Like: Responsibility

“The foundation of maturity: Just because it’s not your fault doesn’t mean it’s not your responsibility.” – from Excellent Advice for Living I’ve worked with a lot of people...

Think Twice Before Enabling Fabric’s Inbound Network Protection

Fabric inbound network protection involves two tenant-level controls: Private Link and Block Public Internet Access. But enabling them disables several features.
The post Think Twice Before Enabling Fabric’s Inbound Network...

AI Experiments: Claude Solved a DAB Issue

I’m sure many of you are using AI regularly, perhaps chatting, perhaps using some sort of agent. I’m doing the same, but in this case, I had it tackle...

Resolving SQL Server Transaction Log Issues Efficiently

Transaction log issues are one of the quietest ways a healthy database turns into an incident. A log file fills up, backups fall behind, and by the time anyone...