What do you do with a new SQL Server?
This article highlights some basic steps to take when you have a new install of SQL Server or take over support of existing databases.
Close these Loopholes - Reproduce Database Errors
This is the final part of Alex's ground-breaking series on unit-testing Transact-SQL code. Here, he shows how you can test the way that your application handles database-related errors such as constraint-violations or deadlocks. With a properly-constructed test-harness you can ensure that the end-user need never see the apparent gobbledegook of database system error messages, and that they are properly and robustly handled by the application.
Security Overview for Database Administrators
SQL Server 2008 is secure by design, default, and deployment. Microsoft is committed to communicating information about threats, countermeasures, and security enhancements as necessary to keep your data as secure as possible. This paper covers some of the most important security features in SQL Server 2008. It tells you how, as an administrator, you can install SQL Server securely and keep it that way, even as applications and users make use of the data stored within.
The Vacation Dilemma
Does vacation cause extra stress at your job before or after you leave? Steve Jones asks a poll question this Friday to see how you feel.
The Vacation Dilemma
Does vacation cause extra stress at your job before or after you leave? Steve Jones asks a poll question this Friday to see how you feel.
The Vacation Dilemma
Does vacation cause extra stress at your job before or after you leave? Steve Jones asks a poll question this Friday to see how you feel.
Audit Database Changes in the Real World
Tjay Belt brings us a story of how auditing was actually implemented and a discussion of why particular decisions were made.
Entity Framework: The Cribsheet
Prasanna Amirthalingam provides an overview of Entity Framework and how it can be used. He shows that it can provide an excellent interface between the Object-oriented model and the relational. The Entity Framework allows developers to work with data in the form objects and properties without having to concern themselves directly with either the stored procedures or functions of the defined interface, or the the underlying database tables and columns where this data is stored.
Finding and listing all columns in a database with default values
I was troubleshooting an issue last week on a vendor-developed database when they stated we needed to look at each one of the 50 tables in their database to make sure that all fields expecting default values, had default values assigned.
Blogs
Who Are You Doing It For?
By Brian Kelley
But as I've matured over the years, I came to realize that I needed...
Presenting Twice in May 2026
By alevyinroc
I will be presenting my latest session, Documenting Your Work for Worry-Free Vacations, in-person...
Finding the Next Sequence Value: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
I saw a question asking about the next sequence value and decided to try...
Forums
DB Design Methods
I've read a few posts regarding what we use to design DB models and...
Auto Update Statistics not triggering on filtered indexes
I've got a table with 186,703,969 rows, about 300GB of data. There are several...
What is the difference between SQL Server and SQL Database?
I created a SQL Database in Azure Portal but I've just noticed it also...
Question of the Day
An Unusual Identity
What values are returned when I run this code?
CREATE TABLE dbo.IdentityTest2
(
id NUMERIC(10,0) IDENTITY(10,10) PRIMARY KEY,
somevalue VARCHAR(20)
)
GO
INSERT dbo.IdentityTest2
(
somevalue
)
VALUES
( 'Steve')
, ('Bill')
GO
SELECT top 10
id
FROM dbo.IdentityTest2 See possible answers