Surrogate Key

Databases: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

MySQL's Jim Starkey discusses databases.

Relational Databases 101

In this sample chapter, William R. Vaughn gives you a kick-start on designing relational databases that can perform better, be easier to maintain, and be more successful thanks to a combination of formal rules and informal suggestions to normalize your database.

Too Simple, Too Soon

The author explains an application development approach advocated by many proponents of agile application development that can cause future problems for developers, while potentially sacrificing the integrity and reusability of the data.

Beginning Database Design - Spot the Flaws

A new series by Steve Jones that tackles a basic design of a few tables. Read the scenario, look over this design, and see if you can find the problems.

Celko on SQL: Natural, Artificial and Surrogate Keys Explained

SQL programming guru Joe Celko offers a classification scheme and advice on using the right keys.

Views for Abstraction

Views are one of the more basic constructs in SQL Server, but often it seems that developers are not sure when to use them. SQL Server expert DBA and trainer Andy Warren brings us a look at views as an abstraction layer in your database.

SqlCredit – Part 9: Message Authentication Codes

This month's installment of "Developing a Complete SQL Server OLTP Database Project" covers searching encrypted data, dictionary attacks, and look-ups by hashed value.

SqlCredit Part 8: Comparing Encrypt/DecryptByCert and Encrypt/DecryptByKey

Continuing with this series looking at encryption functions.