Security Outside the Database
Database security needs to improve, and while SQL Server continues to get better, there is more work to do. However there are plenty of security issues outside the database that also need to be addressed.
Storing E-mail addresses more efficiently in SQL Server - Part 2
In my last tip, I shared some ideas for determining if you should consider breaking up the e-mail addresses you're storing, even putting the domain names in a separate table. I performed storage and timing comparisons for working with 10,000 unique e-mail addresses, but I completely ignored data compression. I wanted to revisit the same test case and apply data compression to the tables and see how that impacted the outcome.
Generating Test Data: Part 2 - Generating Sequential and Random Dates
Part two of this fantastic series from Jeff Moden looks at generating date data, something which can be handy for any number of testing purposes.
Technology for Sharing
Technology has been great for helping us work more efficiently by better sharing resources. Steve Jones sees this as both good and bad in different ways as well as a way of providing new opportunities.
Analytic Enhancements in SQL Server 2012 - Part II
The introduction of the new analytic functions in the RTM version of SQL Server 2012, such as LAG, LEAD, FIRST_VALUE and LAST_VALUE, with the improved over clause, greatly facilitate the analysis on ordered data sets, such as time-series data. Read on to learn more.
Smelly Power
Power is a limited resource, but one that's required for computing. Microsoft has a new idea for generating power data centers that Steve Jones likes.
Import multiple images to SQL Server using SSIS
Sometimes we need to import thousands of images to SQL Server. This example shows how to import a list of images to SQL Server using SQL Server Integration Services.
Buggy Forever
This week Steve Jones talks about forever day bugs, those bugs in industrial systems that haven't been patched, and are not likely to be ever fixed.
Social Media and Interviews
The requirement to disclose social media credentials to some employers has Steve Jones worried.
Blogs
March 2026 SQL Server Security Updates
By Brian Kelley
On Patch Tuesday, in addition to OS and Office security patches, Microsoft also released...
How Fabric Mirroring Transformed with SQL Server 2025
When mirroring was first released for Azure SQL Database, it used Change Data Capture...
The DIY Cost of Masking Test Data For Smaller Organizations
By Steve Jones
One of the things I’ve tried hard to do in database development situations if...
Forums
XACT_ABORT being set to ON by web services
We have two "identical" instances of an ASP.NET web service (or so I have...
OPENQUERY Flexibility
Comments posted to this topic are about the item OPENQUERY Flexibility
A Full Shutdown
Comments posted to this topic are about the item A Full Shutdown
Question of the Day
OPENQUERY Flexibility
Which of these are valid OPENQUERY() uses?
See possible answers