Why is my transaction log full?
Why does the transaction log fill up? There are a variety of reasons, and MVP Gail Shaw walks you through the various things to check.
AlwaysOn Architecture Guide: Building a High Availability and Disaster Recovery Solution by Using AlwaysOn Availability Groups
SQL Server 2012 AlwaysOn Availability Groups provides a unified high availability and disaster recovery (HADR) solution that improves upon legacy functionality previously found across disparate features. Prior to SQL Server 2012, several customers used database mirroring to provide local high availability within a data center, and log shipping for disaster recovery across a remote data center. With SQL Server 2012, this common design pattern can be replaced with an architecture that uses availability groups for both high availability and disaster recovery. This paper details the key topology requirements of this specific design pattern, including quorum configuration considerations, steps required to build the environment, and a workflow that shows how to handle a disaster recovery event in the new topology.
The Personal Checksum
An interesting method of preventing restaurant fraud and a poll for other ways to determine the accuracy of data. This editorial was originally published on Nov 2, 2007. It is being republished as Steve is on vacation.
Using nmap to scan for SQL Servers on a network
I need to try and find all SQL Servers, not just the ones in my domain. We know there are a couple of appliances that are potentially running SQL Server and we want to see them, too. What can I use to do this?
Watch Your Mouth
The way you talk creates an impression at others. Steve Jones reminds us that we should be careful about using foul language.
The Seven Sins against T-SQL Performance
There are seven common antipatterns in T-SQL coding that make code perform badly, and three good habits which will generally ensure that your code runs fast. If you learn nothing else from this list of great advice from Grant, just keep in mind that you should 'write for the optimizer'.
AlwaysOn Availability Groups in SQL Server 2012
This article discusses and demonstrates AlwaysOn Availability groups in SQL Server 2012, a new feature for high availability.
Shadow IT
There are often Shadow IT groups in many companies. Steve Jones talks about the potential problems of these groups, and how he has dealt with them in the past.
Export images from a SQL Server Table to a Folder with SSIS
Can I export images from SQL Server to a file in Windows? What SQL Server options are available to do so? Check out this tip to learn more.
SQL Saturday #167 - Columbus, GA
A free day of training in Columbus, GA. Come meet the local SQL professionals and spend a day talking SQL Server.
Blogs
Using AI for Git Hooks
By Steve Jones
Recently I had someone internally ask about whether SQL Source Control supports Git Hooks....
Flyway Tips: AI Helps with Commit Messages
By Steve Jones
At Redgate, we’re experimenting with how AI can help developers and DBAs become better...
Startup scripts in SQL Server containers
I was messing around performing investigative work on a pod running SQL Server 2025...
Forums
SQL Agent job running gMSA cannot backup to NAS target
I'm running a group MSA for the database engine and SQL Agent in a...
sys.query_store_query question
All, My query is as follows: SET DATEFORMAT dmy SELECT p.query_id, DATEADD(MICROSECOND,-rs.max_duration,rs.first_execution_time) AS starttime,...
Encoding Strings
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Encoding Strings
Question of the Day
Encoding Strings
I have this code in SQL Server 2025. What is the result?
DECLARE @message VARCHAR(50) = 'Hello SQL Server 2025!'; DECLARE @encoded VARCHAR(MAX); SET @encoded = BASE64_ENCODE(@message); SELECT @encoded AS EncodedResult;See possible answers