T-SQL Quiz 2011
The 2011 edition of MVP Jacob Sebastian's T-SQL Quiz is underway. You can take part in the quiz each day, submitting your answers for the chance to show off your knowledge and perhaps win some prizes.
Slow Fixes
Today we have an editorial reprinted from Jan 15, 2006 as Steve is on vacation. This one talks about the patching process at Microsoft, and why it sometimes is slower than we might like.
Changes to the SSIS Slowly Changing Dimension Component
Probably not the kind of change you're expecting. I've recently been contacted by the Kimball Group, and they've asked me...
How To Use Regular Expressions for Data Validation and Cleanup
You need to provide data validation at the server level for complex strings like phone numbers, email addresses, etc. You may also need to do data cleanup / standardization before moving it from source to target. Although SQL Server provides a fair number of string functions, the code developed with these built-in functions can become complex and hard to maintain or reuse.
Controlling Growth of a Distribution Database
This article provides a practical example of minimizing the growth of a distribution database.
Some Suggested SQL Server 2008 R2 Instance Configuration Settings
Depending on your anticipated workload and which SQL Server components you have installed, there are a number of instance level...
The Rocky Mountain Tech Trifecta v3.0
A free day of training in Denver on Mar 5, 2011. Learn about Windows, .NET, SQL Server, Sharepoint and more. Spread the word to people you know in the area.
MVP Summit 2011
Steve Jones talks a little about the 2011 MVP Summit and what the annual event means to the average DBA.
Using Disparate File Paths in SQL Server Database Mirroring
Learn how you can setup Database Mirroring using disparate file paths and drive letters.
5 Things Every DBA Should NOT Do
Earlier in the month I shared with you 10 Things That Every DBA Should Do and so it only seems natural...
Blogs
Narrow Task Decomposition in AI Pipeline Agents
A nightly load into sales_fact fails. Ask an orchestrating agent to break down the...
Car Update: August 2026
By Steve Jones
It’s been some time since I provided a car update, so I decided to...
Microsoft Fabric OneLake Shortcuts: When to Use Them and When Not To
By James Serra
An architecture scenario Imagine separate Sales, Finance, Shared Data, and Executive Analytics workspaces. Sales...
Forums
Managing Incidents and Fighting Fires
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Backing Up a DMK
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The Quiet Part
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Question of the Day
Backing Up a DMK
In SQL Server 2025, I have a database with a Database Masker Key (DMK). I want to back up this key and keep a copy offline. When do I have to open this key before running the backup?
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