TSQL Pivot Rotations using only REPLACE
Pivoting SQL Server tables is always awkward, even with the PIVOT and UNPIVOT operators. If you want to get the job done without GROUP BY or PIVOT, here is a way to do it using only REPLACE.
SQL Saturday #197 - Omaha
Join us on April 6th in Omaha for SQL Saturday #197. SQLSaturday is a training event for SQL Server professionals and those wanting to learn about SQL Server.
The Command Shell
This Friday Steve Jones talks about xp_cmdshell and the security regarding its use. Do you have any holes that might exist if administrators are allowed to use this tool on their instances?
Using the SQL Server APP_NAME function to control stored procedure execution
In this tip we will look at one way to achieve control of stored procedures to ensure that reuse is for the intended purpose and changes do not break other applications that may be using this same code.
Halo 4 and Hadoop
A case study shows how the combination of Azure and Hadoop helped the Halo 4 team grow their successful franchise.
Re-throw Errors with Logging
This article brings you a technique and framework to use in your stored procedures that can allow you to re-throw and log errors.
Ad-Hoc XML File Querying
When you need to shred just part of the data within a large XML file into a SQL Server table, the most efficient way is to just select what you need via XQuery or by using XPath, before shredding it into a table. But precisely how would you do that?
HASHBYTES: Is CHECKSUM really required?
When compared with HASHBYTES, CHECKSUM, has a number of drawbacks. Hence, a question that comes up is: Is Checksum really required? In this article, I attempt to answer that question.
Steve Jones and Grant Fritchey at SQL Intersection
SQL Server Central’s Steve Jones and Red Gate’s Grant Fritchey will be among a stellar line-up of speakers at SQL Intersection conference in Las Vegas on the 8th to the 11th of April.
What Do You Want to Know About I/O?
Steve Jones is looking forward to learning more about I/O. There is a panel of experts, taking questions at SQL Intersection in a few weeks.
Blogs
Moving On-Prem PostgreSQL to the Cloud: Picking the Right Path for Big Tables
Every PostgreSQL migration eventually hits the same fork in the road. The database is...
A Spread of Vacation
By Steve Jones
I’m off on vacation today. Which is a little weird as I just got...
How AgentDBA Identifies Backup Failures
By Arun Sirpal
Every DBA has a box like this. Sitting untouched for months. Nobody’s proud of...
Forums
Have you done a Mid year check in?
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From SQL Server On-Premises to Claude Desktop: How I built a Full MCP Pipeline
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Independence Day 2026
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Independence Day 2026
Question of the Day
Independence Day 2026
In the original Independence Day movie (1996), what type of computer did Jeff Goldblum use to connect to the alien mainframe? Take a guess, don't look it up or ask AI.
See possible answers