The Exceptional DBA: Soft Skills
If impeccable technical skills are a "given", what are the soft shills that will make you an Exceptional DBA rather than a competent DBA?
All Data Readers Are Evil
The DBA's Mantra: All data readers are evil. Steve Jones talks about a proposed corollary that might be appropriate to ensure security.
All Data Readers Are Evil
The DBA's Mantra: All data readers are evil. Steve Jones talks about a proposed corollary that might be appropriate to ensure security.
All Data Readers Are Evil
The DBA's Mantra: All data readers are evil. Steve Jones talks about a proposed corollary that might be appropriate to ensure security.
Connection Strategy for Multiple Database Environments
Greg Larsen looks at one way to design your database connection strategy to simplify changing application connections so you can plug-n-play databases with less administrative overhead when the need arises.
SQL Server 2005 log shipping setup using the wizard
Along with some best practices, SQL Server MVP Hilary Cotter shares a log shipping setup process from start to finish.
Easy or Hard
How should we build tools? Should they be easy to use? Or does it make sense to have some things hard to do so that only experienced used choose them. Steve Jones comments on usability and the implications of your choices.
Easy or Hard
How should we build tools? Should they be easy to use? Or does it make sense to have some things hard to do so that only experienced used choose them. Steve Jones comments on usability and the implications of your choices.
Converting Hexadecimal String Values to Alpha (ASCII) Strings
In an interesting exercise in data conversion, Stephen Lasham brings us a nice article on basic manipulations.
Seeing Double
SQL Server allows some interesting index behavior and there's been some debate over whether it makes sense or not. This Friday Steve Jones asks if you have a reason for this.
Blogs
March 2026 SQL Server Security Updates
By Brian Kelley
On Patch Tuesday, in addition to OS and Office security patches, Microsoft also released...
How Fabric Mirroring Transformed with SQL Server 2025
When mirroring was first released for Azure SQL Database, it used Change Data Capture...
The DIY Cost of Masking Test Data For Smaller Organizations
By Steve Jones
One of the things I’ve tried hard to do in database development situations if...
Forums
XACT_ABORT being set to ON by web services
We have two "identical" instances of an ASP.NET web service (or so I have...
OPENQUERY Flexibility
Comments posted to this topic are about the item OPENQUERY Flexibility
A Full Shutdown
Comments posted to this topic are about the item A Full Shutdown
Question of the Day
OPENQUERY Flexibility
Which of these are valid OPENQUERY() uses?
See possible answers