Ever restored a corrupted database from the backup, only to find that the backups are corrupted too - All the backups? Sure it can happen and it isn't nice when it does. To check that a database backup is internally consistent you have to use DBCC CheckDB. On a huge highly-loaded live system? Grant Fritchey has, as usual, a practical solution.
Temporary indexes can speed up processes that run periodically in your applications. This Friday Steve Jones asks how many of you use temporary indexes and how you do so.
SQL Diag is a very useful diagnostic tool that will help capture performance information from SQL Server. This tool is shipped with the SQL Server product. Howerver there is not an easy way to configure the tool - it requires the hand editing of an XML file, which is tedious and error prone. That is until now!
SQL Diag Configuration Tool (SDCT) is an intuitive, easy to use tool that will read existing sqldiag.xml configuration files, allow you to select your desired options and save those options to a new file.
SSIS event handlers are the simplest means of turning an SSIS script into a reliable system that is auditable, reacts appropriately to error conditions, reports progress and allows instrumentation and monitoring your SSIS packages. They are easy to implement, and provide a great deal of flexibility. Rob Sheldon once again provides the easy, clear introduction.
MVP Robert Pearl explains how to get around some common issues that might occur when installing SQL Server 2008 on Windows 7.
When should you hire a DBA? Always, of course! Actually Steve Jones doesn't have an answer, but he does talk about why a DBA can help you.
The most persistent struggle in data processing has been to ensure clean data. There are many ways that data can be incorrect and a database must check, as best it can, that the data is correct. The CHECK constraint is ideally suited for this sort of work, and the checking routine can become quite complex when dealing with check digits in data.
Computer Systems are aging and as companies try to save money by extending their lifetimes, are we going to see more issues?
What happens when double clicking a .SQL file doesn't open the file in SSMS? This article provides the solution to fixing that annoying SSMS issue.
This article examines the difference between adding a nullable column to a table or a column with a default value.
By Steve Jones
I wrote about learning today for the editorial: I Can’t Make You Learn. I...
By ReviewMyDB
Fabric has CI/CD built in, but if you've tried to use it for database...
By Steve Jones
attriage – n. the state of having lost all control over how you feel...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SSRS Reminded Me of the...
I have a need to execute a stored procedure and return the results to...
Title pretty much says it all - can this be done? I've tried several...
In SQL Server 2025, I have a table (dbo.UserPermission) that contains this data:
UserID UserPermissions 15 23 37 4 NULLWhat is returned when I run this code:
select bit_count(UserPermissions) as PermissionCount from dbo.UserPermission where UserID = 4;See possible answers