Using a DMK in TDE

When you setup TDE, you need to create a DMK (Database Master Key) in the master database if one doesn’t...

DBA 101: Altering a column

People always ask me what tools I use. Mostly this question comes from the topic of monitoring. I can honestly...

Getting Started with Power BI: Setup (Part 1 of 3)

This is part 1 of the Getting Started with Power BI series. Power BI is a powerful reporting and dashboarding...

Microsoft Data Platform MVP Award

I’m very pleased, humbled, surprised and overall gleeful to announce I’m awarded the Microsoft Data Platform MVP 2017 Award.

This is...

Compare Execution Plans

Have you ever wanted to compare execution plans from SQL Server Management Studio? Well with the newer version of the...

Speaking at SQL Konferenz 2017

I’m heading back across the Atlantic this February for SQL Konferenz. This is an intimate SQL Server event in Darmstadt...

Changing what SSMS opens on startup

When you open SSMS a connection window automatically comes up. Then once you pick your server, connection type, username and...

SQL Containers and Networking

I recently talked with the guys over at SQL Data Partners on their podcast about SQL Server and containers. It...

Columnstore Indexes – part 97 (“Working with Strings”)

Continuation from the previous 96 parts, the whole series can be found at http://www.nikoport.com/columnstore/.
After many years of using & fighting the...

Availability Group on SQL Server 2016

The Challenge
One of our clients in the gaming industry wanted to set up a high availability solution in their data...