2019-10-12
235 reads
Editorials
The Work of the Ancients
We tend to keep data around for a long time. Today Steve Jones is looking to see how long you've kept your databases around.
2019-10-11 (first published: 2015-10-02)
326 reads
Feedback and Change
Today Steve asks you to be a part of the change you'd like to see in our professional organization.
2019-10-10
150 reads
Priorities and Productivity
Managing a complex workload is a skill many of us need to acquire and maintain. Today Steve has a few ideas on how to do that.
2019-10-09
211 reads
Very Hot Patches
Azure SQL Database can be patched without stopping the sqlsrvr.exe process. Quite a feat of engineering.
2019-10-08
189 reads
T-SQL Context Switching
Being a standards advocate, Steve has a few thoughts on team code structure.
2019-10-07
421 reads
Which Service in Azure Should You Use for SQL?
I remember when Azure SQL Database was first released in 2010. Microsoft has tweaked the name a couple of times over the years, and back then it was called SQL Azure. The largest database you could create was just 50 GB, and there were quite a few restrictions, such as heaps not being supported. Since […]
2019-10-05
464 reads
Documenting with Tests
The idea of using more unit tests to improve code quality has been around for some time. However Steve Jones notes today that some people use tests for documentation.
2019-10-04 (first published: 2015-05-14)
279 reads
2019-10-03
237 reads
Searching for Answers Inside
Learning how an organization, or even just a codebase, works can be a challenge for new employees.
2019-10-02
146 reads
Blogs
Resolving SQL Server Transaction Log Issues Efficiently
By Arun Sirpal
Transaction log issues are one of the quietest ways a healthy database turns into...
Adding an HTTP MCP Server to VSCode
By Steve Jones
I wrote earlier this week about the SQL MCP Server using the Data API...
Microsoft announces new cybersecurity AI multi-model
By Brian Kelley
Yesterday, July 27, 2026, Microsoft announced a new cybersecurity effort called Project Perception. Included...
Forums
Symmetric Key Encryption
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Symmetric Key Encryption
The “Successful Login” Dilemma: Why Your Login Auditing Strategy Might Be Hurting Your Server
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The “Successful Login” Dilemma: Why...
Building Your Own Software
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Building Your Own Software
Question of the Day
Symmetric Key Encryption
If I run this statement in SQL Server 2025, how is the password encrypted?
CREATE SYMMETRIC KEY MySymmetricKey WITH ALGORITHM = AES_256, KEY_SOURCE = 'My secret key source passphrase', IDENTITY_VALUE = 'My secret identity value' ENCRYPTION BY PASSWORD = 'S&perS#cretP@ssword7'; GOSee possible answers