Stack Ranking
This Friday Steve Jones talks performance reviews. The system in place at Microsoft is a tough one, which allows some to thrive, and some not to. Is it one you'd like to have in place?
Creating a Custom Report Template in SSRS
Arshad Ali shows you how to create standard/custom report templates in SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), to ensure consistency throughout the organization in both the look and feel of reports.
Single User Performance of SQLite v. SQL Server
A look at the performance of SQL Server compared to SQLite for single user applications.
Using Technology In New Ways
An interesting reuse of technology in a completely new way caught Steve Jones' eye. See if you agree that this is rather amazing.
SSIS Basics: Adding Data Flow to Your Package
Annette continues her popular series for SSIS beginners by showing how a data flow task can be used in a package to move data from a SQL Server database to an Excel file, and insert an additional column into the Excel file that’s based on derived data.
Geeky Books
Today Steve Jones talks about one of his pastimes: reading. He recommends you read more, and share the books you enjoy.
Checksum Transformation
The Checksum Transformation computes a hash value, the checksum, across one or more columns, returning the result in the Checksum output column. The transformation provides functionality similar to the T-SQL CHECKSUM function, but is encapsulated within SQL Server Integration Services, for use within the pipeline without code or a SQL Server connection. As featured in The Microsoft Data Warehouse Toolkit by Joy Mundy and Warren Thornthwaite from the Kimbal Group.
Time Zones
Today Steve Jones complains a bit about time zone support in SQL Server and why it seems so cumbersome. Shouldn't it be easier in 2012?
Implementing SQL Server's Change Data Capture
When SQL Server 2008 was released the Microsoft product group came out with a new feature called "Change Data Capture" that allows you to track the changes that occur to a table. Greg Larsen gives you a primer of how to implement change data capture and how to review the captured information to produce an audit trail of the changes to a database table.
A Cool Job
Today's editorial was originally published on August 21, 2007. It is being re-run as Steve is traveling. What a cool job it must be to try and tune and get the most performance out of a system.
Blogs
Databases and AI Agents
By Arun Sirpal
As part of my wider work exploring Claude Code and AI-assisted database engineering, I...
Creating a Pulsing Conducting Baton - Part 1
By Bert Wagner
Train Wreck The last time I watched a high school band nearly fall apart mid-performance...
ISACA AI Material/Exam Prep Discount (May 18 – June 30, 2026)
By Brian Kelley
If you are considering any of the ISACA AI certs like the Advanced Artificial...
Forums
Why Your Index Isn't Being Used? - Reading Execution Plans to Find the Real Culprit
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Why Your Index Isn't Being...
Distance Metric Algorithms
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Distance Metric Algorithms
What Can AI Really Do?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item What Can AI Really Do?
Question of the Day
Distance Metric Algorithms
What are the distance metric algorithms that can be used in VECTOR_DISTANCE()?
See possible answers