Technical Article

Automatically Utilizing XML's Untapped Semantic Goldmine

A mind is a terrible thing to waste and so is the vast quantity of untapped data structure meta information available free for the using in any XML document. This semantic data available in XML is like gold lying on the ground ready to be scooped up and cashed in with little or no effort. This is meta information that can be utilized immediately to significantly increase the value of the raw XML data. By automatically utilizing this valuable structure meta information, hierarchical fourth generation languages (4GLs) can nonprocedurally process XML's complex multi-leg hierarchical structure. This significantly increases the usefulness of the data and makes it immediately available for use at its enhanced value. This article describes the semantics of hierarchical data structures and how they can be automatically utilized by 4GLs.

Technical Article

Generate SQL Automatically Without Compromising Quality

Most database developers dread including such navigation features as paginated reports, hierarchical navigation, filtering, and full-text search because the amount of time they take to develop is not proportional to the utility or interest they create. In addition, connecting individual pages and controls to the database is mind-numbing work. Since writing SQL is non-trivial in any circumstance, it typically requires a specialist DBA's involvement.
..... As Web-based applications proliferate to bring more functionality directly to end-users, writing every SQL statement for every web-based application in your shop is likely to become a never-ending Sisyphean task for your DBA.

Technical Article

Using the Table Data Type in SQL Server 2000

Performing routine database maintenance such as reindexing is important for keeping your databases running at peak performance. When you use INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE statements to modify table data, indexes can become fragmented. Index fragmentation can happen when the logical sequence of pages is disrupted or when an index page contains less than its maximum amount of data, creating a gap in the data page or index. As indexes become fragmented, you get inefficient data reads when accessing tables and slower database performance.

External Article

SQL Server 2005 Security - Part 3 Encryption

After discussing authentication and authorization behavior of SQL Server 2005 Beta 2 in the previous two articles of this series, it is time to look into other security-related changes. In particular, we will focus on the freshly introduced native database encryption capabilities. While some encryption functionality existed in the previous versions (e.g. involving column encryption APIs within User Defined Functions or PWDENCRYPT password one-way hash function), it was relatively limited and rarely used. SQL Server 2005 provides significant improvements in this area.

SQLServerCentral Article

Performance Tips Part 1

SQL Server 2000 is a self tuning, self balancing application that performs wonderfully under a wide variety of loads and conditions with a minimal of administrative tuning. However there are some things that you can do when building T-SQL code and working with SQL Server to maximime performance and assist the query optimizer in selecting the best query plans. Leo Peysakhovich brings us the first part of his series looking at some different scenarios and how you can structure your code to achieve

Blogs

Finding Balance: Things Will Come Up

By

I have a presentation on finding balance in your career that got quite a...

Who Are You Doing It For?

By

But as I've matured over the years, I came to realize that I needed...

Presenting Twice in May 2026

By

I will be presenting my latest session, Documenting Your Work for Worry-Free Vacations, in-person...

Read the latest Blogs

Forums

The day-to-day pressures of a DBA team, and how we can work smarter with automation and AI

By Terry Jago

Comments posted to this topic are about the item The day-to-day pressures of a...

Migrate SSRS Reports to PowerBI Report Server in SQL Server 2025

By Deepam Ghosh

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Migrate SSRS Reports to PowerBI...

Identities and Sequences III

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Identities and Sequences III

Visit the forum

Question of the Day

Identities and Sequences III

When thinking of the Identity property for auto incrementing columns and sequences for the same action, which can be used with the BIGINT data type?

See possible answers