Manipulating XML Data in SQL Server
When the average database developer is obliged to manipulate XML, either shredding it into relational format, or creating it from SQL, it is often done 'at arms length'. A shame, since effective use of techniques that go beyond the basics can save much code,
Software Teams
Building a team when you are developing software of any size is important and Steve Jones shares one of the most important things you need.
Stairway to SQL Dialects Level 1: Overview
In the first level of his Stairway to SQL Dialects, Joe Celko looks at the origins of the SQL language and how the language has spawned the various different dialects in use today.
SQL Server Reporting Services 2012 Permissions
As you begin developing reports for deployment to a Report Server, what security considerations need to be taken into account in order to grant users access to run a report.
Keeping Your Job
A few thoughts from Steve Jones on how you can help increase your own job security in IT.
Routine Dependency Visualizer
This article contains a T-SQL script that can show you the dependency of all objects in your SQL Server database.
SQL Server 2012 Integration Services - Unattended Execution of SSIS Packages
Quite often, tasks accomplished via SSIS are a part of procedures that run unattended, either scheduled to launch at a particular date and time or triggered by some arbitrarily chosen event. Marcin Policht shares a typical approach to implementing such a scenario.
A Tale of Broken BI
Graphs and charts are dangerous in the wrong hands, and if built on data that is carelessly gathered will mislead as often as they lead. Phil Factor speaks from hard experience.
Stairway to XML: Level 7 - Updating Data in an XML Instance
You need to provide the necessary keywords and define the XQuery and value expressions in your XML DML expression in order to use the modify() method to update element and attribute values in either typed or untyped XML instances in an XML column. Robert Sheldon explains how.
Blogs
Funny Money: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
While wandering around the documentation looking for some Question of the Day topics, I...
Why Database AI Agents need Layers?
By Arun Sirpal
Third part in my Ai series with databases. When building AI solutions within the...
Un-Migrating From the Cloud: T-SQL Tuesday #199
By Steve Jones
This month we have a very interesting invitation from Koen Verbeeck. He has hosted...
Forums
How Do the Experts Become Experts?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How Do the Experts Become...
Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments Level 4 – Preparing for Production Deployment
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments...
Secure Communications
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Secure Communications
Question of the Day
Secure Communications
As of June 2026, what is the best version of TLS to use with SQL Server?
See possible answers