System Stored Procedures

I've been using 4 alerts for corruption now for about 2 years for Errors 823, 824, 825 and 9100.  Basically...

SQL Server – Backup to NUL trick - read throughput

A neat test for read speed backup throughput is to use the Backup to NUL .
NUL is a special “file”. It's...

Houston Area SQL Server User Group Presentation

Thanks for everyone who attended my presentation “How To Make a LOT More Money as a Consultant” at HASSUG.
Here is...

T-SQL Tuesday #26 – Second Changes with Date/Time

I missed the very first T-SQL Tuesday, so when this month’s topic of second chances came up, I decided to...

PowerView: Coordinating Chart Colors

During a recent customer engagement I was asked if it was possible to ensure that the colors in a Line...

TSQL Tuesday #026 – Second Chances

Welcome to the first TSQL Tuesday of 2012!  This month’s soiree is being hosted by Dave Howard (blog | twitter) and...

FIRST_VALUE() Analytic Function–SQL Server 2012

Given a customer table:
CREATE TABLE Customers
(CustId INT, OrderDate DATE, OrderAmount MONEY) ;
INSERT Customers VALUES
(1, ’2011-12-03', 12500)

, (1, ’2011-10-07', 15000)

, (1,...

Server Name and SQL Server Name

I have, in the past had the need to rename a server, either because the server has been named incorrectly...

TSQL Tuesday #26 or #23 – Identity Crisis

This second chance, gives me the opportunity to finally talk about a topic that has been on my to-blog list for quite some time.  I hope this post will...

TSQL Tuesday #26 or #23 – Identity Crisis

The first opportunity of this New Year to participate in TSQLTuesday, we have been invited by David Howard (blog) to...