DBxtra Discount
We periodically negotiate a discount withe vendors for the SQLServerCentral.com readers. We've gotten another one from DBxtra for a Professional license if you're interested in this reporting tool.
10 Things You Shouldn't Do with SQL Server
I posted a blog entry and a forum entry in a couple places to ask the question, "What are the things you see developers doing with SQL Server data access that they shouldn't?" The list grew to about 25 or 26 things that were hot topics (so much that the Microsoft SQL Server product team was passing the thread around).
SQL Backup 3.0
SQL Server 2000 has a rock solid backup process and one that many people have relied upon for years. However with the growth in database sizes and the constant load on many database servers, a third party backup utility is almost required in many environments. Kathi Kellenberger takes a look at Red-Gate Software's SQL Backup 3.0 and how it performs in her environment.
The Advent of E3
A few months ago we ran a series of columns dedicated to defining each of the major disciplines of data integration: extract, transformation and load (ETL); enterprise application interchange (EAI); and enterprise information integration (EII). We also asked for input as to which method or methods of integration are in use, or planned to be used, in your organizations.
Inside SQL Server Development
After the announcement last week by Microsoft that there would be no Beta 3 for SQL Server 2005 and that the CTP process would take over, Steve Jones had the opportunity to interview Thomas Rizzo and Allan Ros from the SQL Server development team about the CTP process and testing the SQL Server builds.
SQL Server 2005: The CLR Enters the Relational Stage
This article describes the CLR integration into the SQL Server 2005 Database Engine in detail and provides some background for answering two integration-related questions.
Formatted emails from SQL Server
Collaboration Data Objects, also called CDO, is designed to simplify writing programs that create or manipulate Internet messages. CDO for Windows 2000 is an integral part of the Windows 2000 and higher series of operating systems. It is easy to send SMTP email from SQL Server using CDOsys. It is an alternate method to SQLMail. This article illustrates how to use CDOSys to send formatted emails from Query Analyzer and SQL Server Alerts.
SQL Server 2005 - Management Utilities
A review of some other SQL Server 2005 graphical and command line programs, which should be part of the toolkit of every SQL Server 2005 database administrator and programmer.
Managing the "Surface Area" of SQL Server 2005
As every developer knows by now, Microsoft has focused renewed attention on security in recent product releases. One of the important concepts in this effort is surface area. Roughly speaking, a piece of software has a smaller surface area if there are fewer ways to attack it: fewer open ports, fewer APIs, fewer protocols, and so on. OSQL Server 2005 takes this concept to the next level by letting you explicitly manage the software's surface area.
Selecting a Web Host for your SQL Server Driven Website Part 2
Many of us have SQL Servers at work that we learn on, test with work, etc. But getting your own SQL Server for a website can be a tricky thing. Especially on a budget. Or maybe your company wants to have their website hosted. Before you spend any hard earned money, read part 2 of this two part series by Jon Reade on what to look for when setting up a SQL Server hosting company.
Blogs
How to Find Expensive Queries in Amazon Redshift
Slow-running queries can degrade your Redshift cluster’s performance and lead to increased costs. Identifying...
The Notification Trap: How Input Fatigue Is Killing Deep Work in Tech
By gbargsley
If you've been here before, you know this blog is usually about SQL Server,...
Designing a Storage Load Test for SQL Server
I’ve been doing storage load tests for SQL Server for a long time, both...
Forums
SQL 2019 instance with AG, across 2 Windows 2016 OS servers - OSin-place upgrade
Hi all Can I get some perspective from the community please on performing in-place...
How Long is a Long I/O?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How Long is a Long...
T-SQL Trigonometric Functions in SQL Server
Comments posted to this topic are about the item T-SQL Trigonometric Functions in SQL...
Question of the Day
How Long is a Long I/O?
In SQL Server 2025, a long I/O is recorded in the error log with message 833. How long much an I/O request be outstanding before this message is written to the log?
See possible answers