Have you ever had to write a bunch of TSQL to do some data analysis on the table data in your database. If you have you'll know that this can become a fairly time consuming and tedious task? SQL Server 2012 Integration Services has a feature called the Data Profiling task that can help you perform this analysis much easier and faster (this feature is also available in SQL Server 2008). This task can help you find potential issues with your existing data as well as help you become more familiar with the data in a database that you have just started managing.

SQL Saturday #183 - Albuquerque

by Press Release

SQLServerCentral.com

SQL Saturday

A free day of training in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Feb 9, 2013.

Baselines

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

It can be hard to analyze performance without a baseline. This week, Steve Jones asks how you might use your baseline to better determine what problems you are having with your SQL Server.

Join Operations – Nested Loops

by Jason Brimhall

SQLServerCentral.com

This is part I of III in a series on the physical join operators in SQL Server.

Silent Truncation of SQL Server Data Inserts

by Additional Articles

MSSQLTips.com

T-SQL

There are certain circumstances where SQL Server will silently truncate data, without providing an error or warning, before it is inserted into a table. In this tip we cover some examples of when this occurs.

A New Type of Colocation Facility

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

Microsoft is working on their generation 4 data centers, which might be a great idea for companies if they can implement a private cloud.

Custom Metric - Indexes with Excessive Writes

by Press Release

SQLServerCentral.com

A new custom metric is available at SQL Monitor Metrics. This tracks indexes that have more writes than reads. Use this code if you want to find out if you might be over indexing your tables.

SQL Server 2012 Integration Services - Introduction to Managing SQL Server with PowerShell

by Additional Articles

Database Journal

PowerShell

Marcin Policht presents the fundamental principles of PowerShell in the context of SQL Server 2012. Join him as he steps through its initial setup and configuration, and reviews specific management areas where its advantages can be realized.