SQL Server 2012 RC0 is here!
SQL Server 2012 RC0 (Release Candidate 0), formerly known as SQL Server Denali, is now available for download. SQL Server 2012...
2011-11-17
1,089 reads
James Serra's Blog
Degenerate Dimensions
Degenerate dimensions, also called fact dimensions, are standard dimensions that are constructed from attribute columns in fact tables instead of...
2011-11-16
4,959 reads
Many-to-Many Dimensions
In SSAS, data structures do not always conform to the snowflake or star schema model where one fact is associated...
2011-11-14
1,498 reads
Parallel execution in SSIS
Parallel execution in SSIS improves performance on computers that have multiple physical or logical processors. To support parallel execution of...
2011-11-11
6,501 reads
Why does my SSIS package run slower in BIDS than DTEXEC?
If you have been creating SSIS packages in Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) for any length of time, you have...
2011-11-09
1,082 reads
SQL Server 2012: New Certifications
As a follow-up to my post SQL Server “Denali”: New Certifications, the seven exams for SQL Server 2012 are:
Querying Microsoft...
2011-11-07
3,472 reads
What is SQL PASS?
A few weeks ago I asked a colleague, who is a DBA, if he was going to the SQL PASS...
2011-11-04
1,106 reads
Salaried employee vs contractor
Are you a salaried employee looking to switch to a W-2 or 1099 contractor? (For an explanation of W-2 and...
2011-11-02
4,115 reads
Miss SQLBits 9? No problem, all videos are online
All the videos for this popular conference are online or will be soon (48 of them). Take a look at the...
2011-10-31
2,269 reads
SQL Server Analysis Services Performance Guide published
Another must read white-paper: Analysis Services 2008 R2 Performance Guide.
This white paper describes how business intelligence developers can apply query...
2011-10-28
2,518 reads
Blogs
Resetting on the AI hype train
By Brian Kelley
There's a great article from MIT Technology Review about resetting on the hype of...
A New Word: Etherness
By Steve Jones
etherness – n. the wistful feeling of looking around a gathering of loved ones,...
Vibe Coding a Login Tracking System
By Steve Jones
A customer was asking about tracking logins and logouts in Redgate Monitor. We don’t...
Forums
The Microsoft SQL Year in Review
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Microsoft SQL Year in...
T-SQL in SQL Server 2025: The || Operator
Comments posted to this topic are about the item T-SQL in SQL Server 2025:...
Your Value from a Conference
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Your Value from a Conference
Question of the Day
UNISTR Basics
What does this code return in SQL Server 2025+? (assume the database has an appropriate collation)
SELECT UNISTR('Hello 4E16754C') AS 'A Classic';
A: 
B: 
See possible answers