Speaking at Data ANZ 2021
Looking forward to speaking at Data ANZ 2021 this weekend. Data ANZ "is the data community event for the whole of Australia and New Zealand (and the world)"!
I'll be presenting...
2021-06-24
12 reads
SQL Tact
SQL Server Admin Best Practices with DMVs at GroupBy Americas 2021
On Tuesday I'm looking forward to presenting again at GroupBy Americas on a topic that was voted on by the attending public. This presentation "SQL Server Admin Best Practices...
2021-05-24
39 reads
This Saturday: #DataWeekender, DataSaturday Southwest
Geeked to be speaking 2x on Saturday May 14, my second time speaking at #DataWeekender and at the very first Data Saturday Southwest 2021.
My Certification Exams Inside Out is one...
2021-05-14
12 reads
Ethics in Modern Data at Minnesota Developers Conference 2021
Looking forward to speaking to a brand new conference for us, the Minnesota Developers Conference 2021 on May 4 at 2pmCT. Christine and I will be presenting a talk that...
2021-05-04
15 reads
"Think Like a Certification Exam" at Certification Saturday 2021
I'll be presenting at Certification Saturday 2021 this weekend! I'll be contributing my talk on How to "Think Like a Certification Exam" at 3pmGMT/8amPT.
Microsoft is offering any one certification exam for...
2021-04-08
22 reads
"Ethics in Modern Data" at the Inland Northwest Data Professionals Association
Looking forward to speaking to one of our new home turf's data organizations, the Inland Northwest Data Professionals Association. My spouse Christine and I will be presenting a talk we're...
2021-04-08
19 reads
Become a Contributor to Microsoft Docs
Starting this month, I'm leading a talk series with my teammates from the SQL Docs team at Microsoft. In this presentation we lay out just how easy it is,...
2021-04-13 (first published: 2021-04-08)
185 reads
Moving Into Consulting 101 - Part 5 - The Tensions of a Consultancy
This is part five in a five part series this week, Moving into Consulting 101.
In the business consulting system, the clients are served by two separate yet equally important groups....
2021-04-07 (first published: 2021-03-26)
237 reads
Moving Into Consulting 101 - Part 4 - The Process of a Consultant
This is part four in a five part series this week, Moving into Consulting 101.
Today's topics give you a numerical advantage in consulting. All have a common theme: don't wing...
2021-04-05 (first published: 2021-03-25)
268 reads
Moving Into Consulting 101 - Part 3 - The Hours of a Consultant
This is part three in a five part series this week, Moving into Consulting 101.
Today's topics talk about why you were hired. How is your work likely to be quantified,...
2021-04-02 (first published: 2021-03-24)
368 reads
Blogs
Don’t Miss Out – SQL Server Query Tuning Fundamentals Starts Next Monday!
Next Monday, February 9, 2026, my one-day live online training SQL Server Query Tuning...
Monday Monitor Tips: SQL Auditing Preview
By Steve Jones
One of the features we advocates have been advocating for is a better way...
SQL Server 2025 CU1 Fixes the Docker Desktop AVX Issue on macOS
Microsoft fixed the AVX instruction issue in SQL Server 2025 CU1. The container now...
Forums
25 Years of SQL Server Central
Comments posted to this topic are about the item 25 Years of SQL Server...
The Decoded Value
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Decoded Value
Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition in Kubernetes: A Cost-Effective Alternative to RDS
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Deploying SQL Server Developer Edition...
Question of the Day
The Decoded Value
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned from this code:
DECLARE @message VARCHAR(50) = 'Hello SQL Server 2025!'; DECLARE @encoded VARCHAR(MAX); SET @encoded = BASE64_ENCODE(CAST(@message AS VARBINARY(1000))); SELECT BASE64_DECODE(@encoded)See possible answers