Provisioning ADF - Level 2 of the Stairway to Azure Data Factory
In this next level of the Stairway to Azure Data Factory, learn how to build your first ADF environment.
2020-01-15 (first published: 2019-09-04)
4,338 reads
Stairway Series
SQL Agent in Level 5 of the Stairway of SQL Server on Linux
In this level of the Stairway to SQL Server on Linux, we learn how to set up and use SQL Agent.
2019-08-06
1,652 reads
Stairway to Database Containers Level 3: Building Custom Container Images by Hand
In this next level of the Stairway to Database Containers learn how to customer a container and save the changes to a new image.
2024-07-28 (first published: 2019-07-18)
2,725 reads
Stairway to SSAS Tabular Level 7: Time Intelligence
Time Intelligence is a common methodology in Dimensional Modeling that allows for calculations of measures based on relative dates. These include “To-Date” measures like Year to Date or Quarter to Date as well as Previous Period comparisons. Once these are created within a model, other DAX functions can be used for metrics like Year over […]
2022-10-24 (first published: 2019-07-10)
6,050 reads
The Basics - Level 1 of the Stairway to Query Store
Introduction Instead of going straight into the topic of the Query Store, I would like to start this Stairway Series by mentioning a few performance tuning scenarios that are very common to production DBAs. I think most of us have been in one of these situations at some time: An application experiencing slowness after a […]
2020-10-07 (first published: 2019-05-13)
7,111 reads
Writing R Code in SQL Server - Level 3 of the Stairway to Machine Learning Services
In this level, learn about how to get the tools needing for coding in R and how to execute some code that connects to SQL Server.
2019-05-06
5,641 reads
Stairway to Database Containers Level 2: Persisting Storage in Containers
The second level of the Stairway to Database Containers looks at the basics of persisting storage in your containers.
2024-07-28 (first published: 2019-02-25)
2,316 reads
Stairway to Database Containers Level 1: Getting Started with Database Containers
In the first level of the Stairway to Database Containers, we learn how to get started with Docker for Windows, downloading an image, and starting a container.
2024-07-28 (first published: 2019-02-04)
5,200 reads
Stairway to SSAS Tabular
SSAS (SQL Server Analysis Services) is available in two modes, tabular and multidimensional. The new tabular model is easier for those companies who are not already invested in the traditional, multidimensional model. In this stairway, Thomas LeBlanc will teach you how to create tabular models used for reports and dashboards.
2018-06-13
13,659 reads
Exploring SQL Server Indexes: Stairway to Exploring Database Metadata Level 3
This level of the Stairway to Exploring Database Metadata focuses on indexes and all the information you can gather about them.
2020-08-05 (first published: 2016-09-28)
5,118 reads
Blogs
How to Clear the SSMS Cache (SSMS 21 and Later)
By SQLPals
How to Clear the SSMS Cache (SSMS 21 and Later) Updated...
The flight recorder: Replaying what an AI agent did on my SQL Server
By Arun Sirpal
“What exactly did it do on my server?” is the first question a DBA...
Announcements from the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference — Barcelona 2026
By James Serra
Microsoft shared a broad set of Fabric, Power BI, and SQL updates at FabCon...
Forums
Let's Talk Certifications
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Let's Talk Certifications
The Hidden Security Risks of Role Combination in SSAS Tabular
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Hidden Security Risks of...
The Empty Aggregate
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Empty Aggregate
Question of the Day
The Empty Aggregate
I have this table in a SQL Server 2025 database:
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[CustomerOrder] ( [OrderID] [int] NULL, [CustomerID] [int] NULL, [total] [money] NULL ) ON [PRIMARY] GOWhat is returned from this code? (answers are for the sum and then the count)
SELECT SUM(total) AS sum,
COUNT(total) AS count
FROM dbo.CustomerOrder;
See possible answers