What Sarbanes-Oxley Won't Do
Today we have a reprint of an editorial from Dec 4, 2005 as Steve is on vacation.
MDX Performance - burdens of IIF
I used to think naively that IIF is an innocent little function that can only do good and help me...
Working with SQL Server Profiler Trace Files
In a previous tip we looked at the steps to Create a Trace Template in Profiler. In this tip we will look at a few more tips such as creating a trace template from an existing trace file and saving a trace file to a SQL Server table.
Data Quality
Today we have an editorial reprinted from Dec 12, 2005 as Steve is on vacation. Steve talks about the hassles of poor data quality and why it can hurt a business.
Understanding Indexes
This article contains an introduction to SQL Server indexes and how they are used in your queries.
SQL Server: Natural Key Versus Surrogate Key
When designing a database to support applications you need to consider how you are going to handle primary keys. This article explores natural and surrogate keys, and discusses the pros and cons of each, allowing you to determine what makes the best sense in your environment when you are designing your databases.
Windows Instant File Initialization and SQL Server
One Windows setting that I think is extremely important for SQL Server usage is the “Perform volume maintenance tasks” right,...
A Variety of Interpretations
This week was T-SQL Tuesday week, the brainchild of Adam Machanic, and hosted by Pat Wright. The theme of Automation produced some very interesting posts. Some of them might inspire you to change the way you tackle the solutions for a variety of problems.
An In-Depth Examination of Red Gate SQL Monitor
A review of SQL Monitor, the new DBA utility from Red Gate Software that can help you keep an eye on what your SQL Server instances are doing.
Careful Blogging
Today we have a reprint of an editorial from Sept 22, 2005. In this one, Steve Jones reminds you that blogging is a public event and you want to be careful about what you write.
Blogs
Identity Columns Can’t Be Updated: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
I’m not sure I knew identity column values could not be updated. I ran...
Rolling Back a Broken Release
By Steve Jones
We had an interesting discussion about deployments in databases and how you go forward...
A bespoke reporting solution doesn’t have to cost the earth
By ChrisJenkins
You could be tolerating limited reporting because there isn’t an off the shelf solution...
Forums
Can someone please explain what happens?
I have mentioned this several times over several years. Can someone please help me...
SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT) returns null when nothing is found instead of 0
SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT Component) AS Found FROM tblComponents WHERE(Component NOT LIKE '%[a-z]%') AND(LTRIM(RTRIM(Component)) = 'GM13622')...
Remotely Engineer Fabric Lakehouse objects: The Fabric Modern Data Platform
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Remotely Engineer Fabric Lakehouse objects:...
Question of the Day
Creating JSON III
In a SQL Server 2025 table, called Beer, I have this data:
BeerIDBeerName 1Becks 2Fat Tire 3Mac n Jacks 4Alaskan Amber 8KirinI run this code:
SELECT JSON_OBJECTAGG(
BeerID: BeerName )
FROM beer;
What are the results? See possible answers