Going Native
This Friday Steve Jones asks about advice for other DBAs. What's the best way for those intermediate and accidental DBAs to handle maintenance on their servers?
My Approach to Writing for SQLServerCentral
Are you looking to raise your profile? Add something to your resume? Consider writing for SQLServerCentral. Longtime author and expert David Poole gives us some hints.
Prepare SQL Server 2005 in a Clustered Environment for SP3
This article from shows how to prepare your SQL Server 2005 clustered environment for Service Pack 3 and avoid some common problems.
Improving Performance with SQL Server 2008 Indexed Views
This document describes the indexed views capability of SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008, including the new support for partition-aligned views added to SQL Server 2008. Indexed views are explained and specific scenarios in which they may provide performance improvements are discussed.
The Wide-Ranging Effects of MDM on BI Systems
When an enterprise first encounters master data management, it often doesn’t have a clear understanding of how MDM will affect the architecture of its business transaction systems or business intelligence systems. This article describes master data patterns in legacy system architectures, a general MDM architecture and some ways the new MDM layer affects the master data patterns in the legacy layers.
Three Years late, Was It Worth The Wait? Windows 7, Vista Promises Delivered.
Having been married to Microsoft for most of my professional career doesn’t mean I drink the Kool-Aid. I have had the distinct privilege to grow up in interesting times. I loved DOS. As a BBS operator DOS was the de facto OS for most BBSes that ran on..
Creating User-Defined Data Types - SQL School Video
Learn how you can create your own data types in this SQL School video. MVP Andy Warren explains the process of setting up user-defined data types.
The Best Minds
What do you want when you go to a conference? Great speakers or great information? Steve Jones talks a little about how we get both in the future.
Use Backup/Restore to Minimize Upgrade Downtimes
Learn how to minimize downtime while moving databases using Backup/Restore in SQL Server.
Going Native
This Friday Steve Jones asks about advice for other DBAs. What's the best way for those intermediate and accidental DBAs to handle maintenance on their servers?
Blogs
The Book of Redgate: Spread across the world
By Steve Jones
This was Redgate in 2010, spread across the globe. First the EU/US Here’s Asia...
Merry Christmas
By John
Today is Christmas and while I do not expect anybody to actual be reading...
Self-Hosting a Photo Server the Whole Family Can Use
By Bert Wagner
Until recently, my family's 90,000+ photos have been hidden away in the depths of...
Forums
Happy Holidays, Let's Do Nerdy Stuff
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Happy Holidays, Let's Do Nerdy...
UNISTR Escape
Comments posted to this topic are about the item UNISTR Escape
Celebrating Tomorrow
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Celebrating Tomorrow
Question of the Day
UNISTR Escape
In SQL Server 2025, I run this command:
SELECT UNISTR('*3041*308A*304C\3068 and good night', '*') as "A Classic";
What is returned? (assume the database has an appropriate collation)
A: 
B: 
C: 
See possible answers