Removing HTML tags from text data using PowerShell
There are situations when you may need to remove HTML tags from your character string data. PowerShell will let you "clean" the string data and export the result to a .csv file in a single step.
Catching Deadlock Information in SQL Logs
This article presents a handy way to retrieve deadlock information in an ordered way from the error log.
Dreaming of Windows
This week Steve Jones dreams about the changes he would like to see in the next version of Windows, unveiled this past week at the Microsoft Build Conference.
Intertia
This editorial was originally published on August 22, 2006. Steve Jones looks at the pace of change in companies and notes it ought to be dictated by the business, not IT.
TSQL Challenge 65 - Solving the Running Total Problem
This challenge invites you to solve one of the most common calculation challenges seen in applications that deal with financial -transactions.
Come to the Charleston PASS SQL Server User Group
The Charleston, SC PASS chapter is looking for speakers and new members. Read more and come to the Sept 20 meeting if you are near the area.
Storing Windows Event Viewer Output in a SQL Server table with PowerShell
Laerte Junior was asked for a quick and easy way to save the output from the Get-EventLog cmdlet in a SQL Server table. Luckily, he already knew about Chad Miller's excellent Out-DataTable and Write-DataTable functions, and has laid out everything we need to use them like pros.
Dotted Line Relationships Are Everywhere – Get Good at Them!
Today we have a guest editorial from Andy Warren. Andy talks about the relationships we have at work with our management and how sometimes the indirect reports are hard to deal with.
Are you using Microsoft’s Azure platform?
We are conducting new product research and are keen to speak to people who have any experience (good or bad!) using Microsoft's SQL or Windows Azure. If you're interested and would like to get involved--tell us your frustrations, shape a new product, test-drive betas etc
Statistics on Ascending Columns
It comes as rather a shock to find out that one of the commonest circumstances in an OLTP database, an ascending primary key with most querying on the latest records, can throw the judgement of the Query Optimiser to the extent that perfomance nose-dives. Fabiano Amorim once again dons snorkel and goggles to explore the murky depths of execution plans to find out why.
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?
See possible answers