fn_fixeddrives() : an alternative for xp_fixeddrives
The idea is to create a SQLCLR table valued function that returns all information on drives in a UNIX df-like style.
Late September Free Training from PASS VCs
The DBA and Virtualization Virtual Chapters hope that last weeks 24 Hours of PASS got you in the mood for more free training. Here's what they have on tap for you this week:
NoSQL Is Not Everywhere
NoSQL has been getting a lot of press in the last year, but it's not necessarily the best platform or solution for you. Steve Jones comments on NoSQL and alternative platforms.
SQL Profiler Through StreamInsight Sample Solution
In this postI show how you can use StreamInsight to take events coming from SQL Server Profiler in real-time and do some analytics whilst the data is in flight. Here is the solution for that post. The download contains Project that reads events from a previously recorded trace file Project that starts a trace and captures events in real-time from a custom trace definition file (Included) It is a very simple solution and could be extended.
Big Data and SQL
Today Steve Jones talks about how some companies find efficiencies by training employees to use SQL. Perhaps that's a good idea for all developers.
Changing Server Collation on SQL Server 2008
In this article, learn about the risks of changing server collation as well as how to go about making this change.
The Cloud is Nothing Special
This week Steve talks about cloud computing, and the fact that a lot of what the cloud does is no big deal. But it can be helpful to IT professionals.
TSQL Challenge 39 - Calculate Gross Profit by Item using FIFO method
This challenge is related to an inventory management application where your job is to calculate the profitability by item (cost v/s sales) using First-In-First-Out (FIFO) processing method.
Identify database features restricted to a specific edition of SQL Server 2008
Ever wanted to know how he can identify whether a database uses any of the features that are restricted to a specific edition of SQL Server 2008. In this tip we will go through the steps a DBA needs to follow to identify a database which uses edition specific features.
Minesweeper in T-SQL
Whatever happened to the idea that programming in TSQL can be fun? A Simple-Talk reader contributes an article to remind us all that there is more to TSQL than wrestling with DMVs and pummelling recalcitrant correlated subqueries.
Blogs
Webinar: Navigating the Database Landscape in 2026
By Steve Jones
For a number of years, we’ve produced the State of the Database Landscape report,...
Claude AI Convinced Me Not to Build an iPad App
By Steve Jones
I coach volleyball and I do a lot of stat stuff on paper. I...
A New Word: Dolorblindness
By Steve Jones
dolorblindness – n. the frustration that you’ll never be able to understand another person’s...
Forums
SSMS 22 Latest Update Crashing
Hi all, I've just had to roll back my SSMS 22 version from 22.3.0,...
Transactional Replication setup issue
Hi! I've been banging my head against the wall for 2 days now trying...
The Power of Data and Privacy
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Power of Data and...
Question of the Day
What's the Date?
In SQL Server 2025, there is a new function that returns the current date without the time. What is it?
See possible answers