How to Query JSON Data Quickly in SQL Server, Part 2: SQL Server 2025

SQL Server 2025 and .NET 10 bring several new improvements to storing JSON natively in the database and querying it quickly.

SQL Server Licensing is Simple

Over the years I've had no shortage of licensing questions for SQL Server. At times it's felt a little crazy. Look at the licensing guide. Choose EE or SE and the number of cores. Then check if you're using VMs. Oh, and consider the cloud, and which cloud you're running a workload on. It's simple […]

Random Number Generator in SQL using Marsaglia Polar

How can we build a random number generator using Marsaglia Polar method in SQL Server without the use of external tools?

The Ending Substring

Personal Contact Is Vital

I'm writing this while in hiding at the PASS Data Community Summit that's taking place in Seattle this week. I just had a real surprise, finding out that DocumentDB is PostgreSQL under the covers and always has been. However, as much as I enjoy talking PostgreSQL, for the moment, I'll shut up about it. Instead, […]

Specifying the Collation

Economics of AI: What is the Real Cost to Profit?

Artificial intelligence is everywhere: It’s in our tools, our workflows, our marketing pitches…and increasingly, in our bottom lines. But a thought-provoking article published recently on the AI bubble asks a far more sobering question: What’s it really going to cost to profit from AI? Many people will roll their eyes and say, “Isn’t that obvious? […]

Docker Advice for SQL Server in Production

Introduction Nowadays, with the widespread adoption of microservices across major companies, using Windows Server to host SQL Server remains the gold standard. However, there are still certain scenarios—or even specific environments—where deploying SQL Server in containerized setups using the Docker engine becomes necessary. In this article, I will offer practical tips based on my hands-on […]

Strange String Splits

How Implicit Transactions Hurt SQL Server Performance Without You Knowing

Learn about implicit transaction and why you might not want to enable this setting.