Covering Index using Included Columns
This article from Josef Richberg details the benefits of included columns for use in creating a covering index to improve performance.
Configure Windows Firewall to Work with SQL Server
Windows Firewall is an OS level software firewall. It can be a crucial part of OS level security if you are not using other firewall hardware or software. Since I do not have another firewall I have a need to enable Windows Firewall for my SQL Server database server. In this article I go through the process of configuring Windows Firewall for different scenarios along with the associated considerations.
Key Discovery III
In Part I and Part II of the series, I discussed documenting and discovering Primary Keys and Clustered Indexes. In...
Newsletter Changes for Yahoo Mail
We have recently made a few changes in our newsletter sending process and been working with Yahoo to ensure delivery. If you are just receiving this newsletter to a Yahoo account, welcome.
The Best Laptop
Steve Jones recently went on a search for a new laptop, looking for the "best" one for him. But what it the best? And is it worth pursuing?
Time Bomb Coding
Do your system contain a time bomb in the code? David Poole looks at some potential situations where you might be experiencing performance issues and delves into why.
Find Efficiencies or Add Horsepower?
In our world sometimes it’s worth the time and effort for in depth tuning to get the machine to run...
Using Analysis Services Processing Task & Analysis Services Execute DDL Task in SSIS
Learn how the Analysis Services Processing Task can be used to process analysis services objects such as cubes, dimensions and mining models.
An Administrative Security Hole?
Is it a problem for SQL Server to have a backdoor that lets a Windows Administrator connect as a sysadmin? Steve Jones thinks so and gives a reason why this might be a problem.
Professional Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Integration Services - Sample Chapter
Get a feel for this book from
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