Stairway Series

Stairway to Database DevOps

Stairway to Database DevOps Level 4: Creating a new Azure Pipeline (with Azure SQL DB Deployment)

  • Stairway Step

The first three levels of this series have been the lead-up to this level, automating the database deployment with Azure Pipelines. First, we started with an introduction to Azure DevOps and the Git client. Next, SQL Source Control was introduced to manage a database’s schema and manually deploy changes from the database to source control […]

(4)

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2023-12-06

2,431 reads

Stairway to Database DevOps

Stairway to Database DevOps Level 3: Managing Code as a Team in Git

  • Stairway Step

In this level of the Stairway to Database DevOps, you'll get an introduction to branching and merging. Learn how to create a branch for making your changes to the codebase, submitting these in a code review, and then merging the changes into those made by other developers.

(2)

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2023-12-01

1,941 reads

Stairway to Database DevOps

Stairway to Database DevOps Level 2: Manage Code with Red Gate SQL Source Control

  • Stairway Step

In this second level of the Stairway to Database DevOps, we learn to use Redgate's SQL Source Control to save and updates changes to objects, as well as tracking data in certain tables.

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2023-10-18

1,404 reads

Stairway to DAX and Power BI

Stairway to DAX and Power BI Level 26: Time Intelligence – Dates Functions: The DAX “Total to Date” Functions

  • Stairway Step

Business Intelligence Architect, Analysis Services Maestro, and author Bill Pearson introduces three similar DAX Time Intelligence functions related to Date: TOTALMTD(), TOTALQTD(), and TOTALMYD(). He discusses the syntax, uses and operation of each function, and then provides hands-on exposure to it in Power BI.

(1)

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2026-04-15 (first published: )

957 reads

Stairway to Database DevOps

Stairway to Database DevOps Level 1: Setup a Local Git Repo with Azure DevOps

  • Stairway Step

In this first level of the Stairway to DevOps, you will learn how to get version control set up on your local machine and connect to an Azure DevOps repository.

(8)

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2023-10-16 (first published: )

3,054 reads

Stairway to DAX and Power BI

Stairway to DAX and Power BI Level 25: Time Intelligence – Dates Functions: The DAX CLOSINGBALANCE*() Functions

  • Stairway Step

Business Intelligence Architect, Analysis Services Maestro, and author Bill Pearson introduces three similar DAX Time Intelligence functions related to Date: CLOSINGBALANCEMONTH(), CLOSINGBALANCEQUARTER(), and CLOSINGBALANCEYEAR(). He discusses the syntax, uses and operation of each function, and then provides hands-on exposure to it in Power BI.

(1)

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2026-04-15 (first published: )

867 reads

Stairway to DAX and Power BI

Level 24: Time Intelligence – Dates Functions: The DAX OPENINGBALANCE*() Functions

  • Stairway Step

Business Intelligence Architect, Analysis Services Maestro, and author Bill Pearson introduces three similar DAX Time Intelligence functions related to Date: OPENINGBALANCEMONTH(), OPENINGBALANCEQUARTER(). and OPENINGBALANCEYEAR(). He discusses the syntax, uses and operation of each function, and then provides hands-on exposure to it in Power BI.

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2026-04-15 (first published: )

1,502 reads

Stairway to DAX and Power BI

Stairway to DAX and Power BI - Level 23: Time Intelligence – Dates Functions: The DAX PREVIOUS() Functions

  • Stairway Step

Business Intelligence Architect, Analysis Services Maestro, and author Bill Pearson introduces four very similar DAX Time Intelligence functions related to Date: PREVIOUSDAY(), PREVIOUSMONTH(). PREVIOUSQUARTER() and PREVIOUSYEAR(). He discusses the syntax, uses and operation of each function, and then provides hands-on exposure to it in Power BI.

(2)

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2026-04-15 (first published: )

1,100 reads

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Increase Deadlock Detection

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