Free Tools for the DBA: PAL Tool
The Performance Analysis of Logs tool is a general tool for collecting and analysing log data. With the addition of a template, it becomes an effective way of analysing data from performance counters for SQL Server, in order to diagnose performance problems and capture baseline information.
'At-Rest Data-Leakage': The Euphemism
If you let working drives leave the building in a readable state, you’re unintentionally in the publishing business.
Copy SQL Server Analysis Services Dimensions
How can you copy dimensions from one SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) Project to another? Are there any options to do so? This tip outlines three approaches for SQL Server BI Professionals who need to copy dimensions from one SSAS project to another.
2013 Goals
For the last Friday poll of the year, Steve Jones looks ahead to 2013 and the goals you might set for your career.
Tally OH! An Improved SQL 8K “CSV Splitter” Function
The Tally Table has proven to be a simple and elegant method for avoiding many varieties of RBAR. Unfortunately, one of its more common uses, that of a CSV splitter, has a well-known and serious performance problem. MVP Jeff Moden shows us what that problem is and how to correct it. (UPDATED with additional info and attachments on 5/12/2011).
Index Create Memory Setting for SQL Server
The "index create memory" option in sp_configure advance server settings, controls the maximum amount of memory initially allocated for creating indexes. This tip deals with common issues around this setting.
Merge, Metadata and the Data Mart ETL
Here's a great method for managing ETL for data marts and small data warehouses with just T-SQL.
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