Stairway to T-SQL DML Level 6: The Basics of Sorting Data Using the ORDER BY Clause
In this Level you will see how to use the ORDER BY clause to return your data in a sorted order.
Changes to SQL Server 2012 Execution Plans
I’ve been working with execution plans quite a lot in SQL Server 2012. There are a number of changes, most of them associated with new or different functionality. I had not noticed anything really fundamental until recently. I’ve become a huge proponent of always checking the properties of the SELECT statement. There’s so much useful information in there about what’s happened with the plan generation in the optimizer (not low level stuff, but the big picture items) that you should always be checking it first as a fundamental part of your plan examinations.
Faster Restores: Best Practices to Increase Speed
Backups are an everyday part of DBA life, whereas restores tend to happen on call at 3 a.m. In this article, Grant Fritchey looks at what you should be doing to make your restores as quick and seamless as possible.
SQL Server Column Level Encryption Example using Symmetric Keys
With data stored in tables, you have a few options to protect data. Check out this tip to learn more about column level encryption.
Jacks of all trades
Instagram has a complex architecture for it's technology infrastructure. The people that work there have to be jacks of all trades. Is that the type of environment you'd like to work in?
Using Recursion and Date Tables to Simplify Date Logic
Learn to simplify date logic using date tables and recursion in T-SQL with this article from David Beardsley.
Reduce heap table fragmentation
A table that does not have a clustered index is referred to as a Heap. While a lot has been written about index fragmentation and how to defrag indexes, there is not much that talks about how to defrag a heap table.
SQL Server Database Growth and Autogrowth Settings
It's easy to create a database nowadays with point-'n-click, but if you've left your database's autogrowth settings at their default, you may hit problems in the future. Why? What do I do about it? Read on!
Vote for SQL Bits 10
Voting is now open to choose the sessions you would like to see at the SQLBits Community Day on 31st March, 2012.
Blogs
A New Word: los vidados
By Steve Jones
los vidados – n. the half-remembered acquaintances you knew years ago, who you might...
In-Person CISA Training – April 13-16, 2026
By Brian Kelley
I will be leading an in-person Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam prep class...
EightKB 2026
EightKB is back again for 2026! The biggest online SQL Server internals conference is...
Forums
query to track time spent on individual tasks in SSIS
Hi everyone I am looking at building a query to determine how much time...
SQL Server Transactional Replication from Always On Availability Groups to Azure SQL Database
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Server Transactional Replication from...
Hidden Heroes
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Hidden Heroes
Question of the Day
Identities and Sequences I
When thinking of the Identity property for auto incrementing columns and sequences for the same action, which are explicitly linked to increment a number in a table when a new row is added?
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