Concurrent processing in SSIS – Part 2
The second part of a series that looks at two additional techniques for processing data in parallel in Integration Services.
Dinosaur Databases
Do you work on a database system that's a dinosaur? A recent article called out RDBMSse as dinosaurs, but Steve Jones doesn't think that's correct.
I’m a SQL Server DBA, and I’m in Love with PowerShell
To learn PowerShell, Laerte Junior suggests that you just start using it. To encourage you to start, he provides a series of tips on using PowerShell with SQL Server to solve various everyday problems. With a little patience, a good IDE, and a bit of help and advice, "the lion is dead".
Late June 2010 PASS VC Presentations
PASS BI and DBA Virtual Chapters have free training available on Wednesday June 23rd.
Using the UPTIME Utility to Monitor Servers
Learn how to use a free utility to quickly monitor the uptime of your SQL Server instances.
Voting opens for Exceptional DBA of 2010
The voting for the 2010 Exceptional DBA opens today, and you can read about the finalists and prizes inside.
Making your SQL Server database changes backward compatible: Adding a new column
As multi-tier architectures grow over time, it is often challenging to coordinate those changes across the data, logic and presentation tiers. Unless planned and implemented carefully, an act as simple as adding a column to a table can grind all of the components of your application to a halt. While some of us have comfortable 12-hour maintenance windows every weekend, many of us are bound by service level agreements that are much more strict. So we must find ways to introduce fixes and new features with zero downtime, and without requiring every single component to be refactored at the same time.
Expert Systems – an SSRS Approach
An interesting approach to solving a complicated problem using SSRS. Users have too much documentation to read about a process, so Jonathan Spink introduces a better way to do things.
The Schema Debate
There was quite a bit of debate over the use of schemas recently on the Internet. Steve Jones talks about some of the reasons why you might want a schema, and a few reasons why you might not.
Creating XML in SQL Server
XML has become a common form of representing and exchanging data in today's information age. SQL Server introduced XML-centric capabilities in SQL Server 2000. That functionality has been expanded in later releases. One aspect of working with XML is creating XML from relational data, which is accomplished utilizing the FOR XML clause in SQL Server.
Blogs
Flyway Tips: Object History
By Steve Jones
It’s a small change, but a handy one. Flyway Desktop (FWD) now includes the...
Car Update September 2026
By Steve Jones
Software is hard. While I love our Lucid Gravity, I realize that they are...
Microsoft Tools for Making Data AI-Ready
By James Serra
Making Data AI-Ready, Part 2 (This is the second article in a three-part series...
Forums
Looking for old SQL Server 1.x - 4.21 disks, manuals, boxes, etc.
Hi everyone, I'm hoping some of the longtime SQL Server professionals here might be...
Checking the Error Log II
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Checking the Error Log II
Parameter Sniffing on SQL Server 2025: A Walkthrough with Real Numbers
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Parameter Sniffing on SQL Server...
Question of the Day
Checking the Error Log II
What is the reason I should change my old code that uses xp_readerrorlog?
See possible answers