Your SQL Starting Line: Best Free Databases for Beginners
Wondering which database to tackle first? I’ve got the lowdown on the top free choices for anyone new to SQL, and I’ll tell you exactly why they’re stellar for...
2025-05-28
958 reads
Blog Posts
SQL Server 2025: Using ZSTD Compression for SQL Server Backups
SQL Server 2025 introduces a new compression algorithm, ZSTD (Zstandard), which can help with database backup performance. The implementation of ZSTD gives you more control over your backup performance...
2025-05-27
69 reads
Azure Vulnerability Assessments
Regarding managing databases in the cloud, security should never be an afterthought. That’s where Azure Vulnerability Assessments, officially named Microsoft Defender, come in—they help you spot weak spots in...
2025-05-26 (first published: 2025-05-07)
469 reads
Speaking at the TechnoSecurity and Digital Forensics East Conference
The Techno Security & Digital Forensics Conference (East) runs from June 3-5, 2025, this year in Wilmington, NC. I'll be speaking on Thursday, June 5, from 11:30 AM -12:20...
2025-05-26
26 reads
Stop Wasting Time Rebuilding Indexes Every Night
Too many IT teams run index rebuild jobs on autopilot. Every night. Every index. No questions asked. Here’s the truth: if you’re doing this daily on indexes smaller than...
2025-05-26 (first published: 2025-05-14)
678 reads
Techorama 2025 – Slides
You can find the slides for my session Building the €100 data warehouse with the Azure Data Platform on GitHub.
The post Techorama 2025 – Slides first appeared on Under...
2025-05-26
52 reads
SQL Inventory Dashboards: From Raw Data to Real Insight
Tired of inventory headaches? Stock shortages and gluts don't just cause stress; they cost you. Good news: an SQL-powered product inventory dashboard puts you firmly in control of stock...
2025-05-25
221 reads
Free SQL Practice: 9 Killer Resources to Boost Your Query Skills
So, you want to get your SQL skills razor-sharp without dropping any cash? You're in the right place. I’ve pulled together a list of the absolute best free SQL...
2025-05-24 (first published: 2025-05-23)
1,038 reads
Uninstall PolyBase from SQL Server
If you have SQL Server 2019 or SQL Server 2022 installed with PolyBase and you try to install SQL Server 2025, it will fail during...
2025-05-24
76 reads
Advice I Like: Take Two Trips
If you have any doubt about being able to carry a load in one trip, do yourself a huge favor and make two trips – from Excellent Advice for...
2025-05-23
30 reads
Blogs
Measuring RAG Solutions: Are We Retrieving the Right Information?
A RAG pipeline that answers questions in the demo is not the same thing...
Advice I Like: Lots of Ideas
By Steve Jones
“A multitude of bad ideas is necessary for one good idea” – from Excellent...
Building a DBA Agent for Your SQL Server Estate with MCP
Yesterday I gave a talk for MSSQLTips called “Building a DBA Agent for Your...
Forums
How do I connect to a SQL Server database on my ISP?
I've got a web application for my side business. I've added a SQL Server...
Looking for New Blood
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Looking for New Blood
Server-Level Row Counts for Tables and Views
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Server-Level Row Counts for Tables...
Question of the Day
Hyperscale Replicas I
What types of secondary replicas are available for the Azure SQL Database Hyperscale edition?
See possible answers