How to Tell Your Windows Azure SQL Database Moved
The very concept of the Windows Azure SQL Database (WASD) is predicated on the up-time created by having three active copies...
2013-05-13 (first published: 2013-05-07)
1,580 reads
The Scary DBA
Windows Azure SQL Database Backups
You can get backups of your WASD databases. But, if you want them to be transactionally consistent, you need to...
2013-04-04
922 reads
Execution Plans in Azure SQL Database
Microsoft has stated pretty clearly that they’re putting code on Azure first, ahead of the desktop. Which makes one wonder...
2013-03-27 (first published: 2013-03-25)
3,633 reads
Laws You Break at Your Peril
Laws of Thermodynamics
TANSTAAFL
Gods of the Copybook Headings
All magic comes with a price
Winter Is Coming
My adult years started with a pretty...
2013-03-20
861 reads
Star Trek and the Death of IT
GAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!
I feel slightly better, but only slightly.
I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix just to unwind my...
2013-03-18
1,124 reads
Time to Chat
The greatest part of my job is that I get to travel all over the world to present different technical...
2013-03-11
1,171 reads
Pro SQL Server 2012 Practices: Chapter 17
I jumped at the opportunity to write a chapter for this book, Pro SQL Server 2012 Practices, because of all...
2013-03-04
1,701 reads
It Is Your Fault
I earned my nickname. I’m proud of it. I am the Scary DBA. I don’t really like to advertise my...
2013-02-27
1,530 reads
SQL Saturday #187 Richmond And More
In just a couple of weeks I’ll be flying down to Richmond, VA to speak at SQL Saturday #187. I’ll...
2013-02-25
885 reads
SQL Server Naming Standards
Want to start a fight between a bunch of DBAs or database developers? Ask them where the comma should be...
2013-02-18 (first published: 2013-02-13)
3,548 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