The Dying Administrator
Is the SAN administrator dying out as a job? Steve Jones comments on an article that suggests it might be.
Celko's SQL Stumper: The Class Scheduling Problem
What can we use in SQL instead of E. F. Codd's T theta operators for best-fit? Joe Celko returns with another puzzle that isn't new, in fact it already features “Swedish”, “Croatian” and “Colombian” solutions in chapter 17 of Joe's 'SQL for Smarties' book. These were all written before CTEs or the new WINDOW functions. Is there now a better solution? Was there one even then? We leave it to the readers to provide the answer!
SQL Saturday #34 - Boston
Coming on Jan 30, to the Boston area, be sure to attend this SQL Saturday if you are nearby.
The IT Explosion
So many people are joining the IT industry all the time and Steve Jones talks about the attitudes that they bring with them.
Using "Multiple Assignment Variables" for a Generic Compare Data Script
Comparing data between tables seems like a simple thing to do, but it can eat up a lot of a SQL Server professional's time. Stephen Tirone shows how multiple assignment variables can be used to make this task a little easier.
Best Practices for Exception Handling and Defensive Programming in Microsoft SQL Server
This is a deep dive developer session that explores error handling in SQL Server. The session focuses on core error handling areas such as understandign the anatomy of errors, detecting errors in TSQL and best practices for error handling and defensive programming in Microsoft SQL Server. tuesday, 1/26, 8:00am EST
Indexes Out the Window
I ran into a peculiarly puzzling situation with a query I have been tuning of late. The query runs some...
Performance Analysis Using SQL Server 2008 Activity Monitor Tool
While looking through the new features and improvements in SQL Server 2008 Management Studio (SSMS) we found a potentially interesting one called Activity Monitor. Database developers and Database Administrators can use Activity Monitor to get a quick overview of an SQL Server 2008 system performance. Can you give us a detailed explanation of how we go about using Activity Monitor?
Celko's SQL Stumper: The Class Scheduling Problem
What can we use in SQL instead of E. F. Codd's T theta operators for best-fit? Joe Celko returns with another puzzle that isn't new, in fact it already features “Swedish”, “Croatian” and “Colombian” solutions in chapter 17 of Joe's 'SQL for Smarties' book. These were all written before CTEs or the new WINDOW functions. Is there now a better solution? Was there one even then? We leave it to the readers to provide the answer!
Blogs
PlanTrace Now Supports PostgreSQL
PlanTrace Now Supports PostgreSQL The same plan analysis you know from...
A New Word: the Kinder Surprise
By Steve Jones
the kinder surprise – . the point in your early adolescence when you realize...
Crash-Consistent Snapshot Cloning - Hyper-V Edition
If you’ve been following my T-SQL Snapshot Backup series, most of what I’ve covered...
Forums
SSRS Is Dead. Here Are Your Real Options
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SSRS Is Dead. Here Are...
The Distance Metric
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Distance Metric
The New Wave of Security Threats
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The New Wave of Security...
Question of the Day
The Distance Metric
In the new VECTOR_DISTANCE() function in SQL Server 2025, the first parameter is the distance_metric. What is this?
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