The Unique Identifier datatype in SQL Server has tremendous potential to solve many of the issues one finds with Identity fields, other primary keys, etc. However it also has some drawbacks and limitations. Author Sharad Nandwani looks at some of the pros and cons of this datatype.
How many of you dig into Windows XP extensively? Working with hardware and the OS isn't something that many DBAs deal with these days. Most companies have an admin to work on servers, hardware, workstations, etc. But sometimes you need to help yourself out. Steve Jones had to work to get his laptop back after an XP disaster. Read on and hopefully this will help you one day recover your system.
In this follow up Andy looks into some of the options available when you're dealing with situations where you're joining a case sensitive column to a case insensitive column. We think after reading this you'll be ready to just say no!
SQL Server backups are rock solid. But checking them is another matter and something that every DBA is responsible for doing. Another followup article by new Author Kevin O'Donovan to the issue of looking at which database
The SQL Server ports 1433, was blocked recently by an ISP. New Author Denny Figuerres read our release and decided to bring you some comments about why this isn't such a bad idea. Read on and see if you agree that blocking the SQL Server ports shouldn't present you any problems.
See what a reader had to say about Part 1, make sure you've read Part 2, then feel the pain as the author describes a lookup table that should have had unique values and doesn't.
Entegra for SQL Server has been available for some time, but Lumigent has recently announced support for Oracle. So if you're in a heterogenous environment...
String manipulation in SQL Server or T-SQL can be a challenage. There are multiple ways to accomplish every task and often learning a new one may spark some creativity in yourself or teach you a better way to accomplish an old task. New Author Stephen Lasham brings us his technique for extracting a string that is delimited from within a larger string. Something I'm sure we'll all have use for in the future.
SQLCentric is a fully functional Web-based MSSQL Centric Network Database Monitoring System which is deployed on your corporate intranet. Now for a limited time, Pearl Knowledge Solutions is running a sale on this product.
This is rich. A hotel sets up Internet access using Linux for guests. But they run SQL Server internally. So much for all the FUD coming from MS.
By Brian Kelley
I will be leading an in-person Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam prep class...
EightKB is back again for 2026! The biggest online SQL Server internals conference is...
By HeyMo0sh
Working in DevOps long enough teaches you two universal truths: That’s exactly why I...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Fun with JSON II
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Changing Data Types
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Answering Questions On Dropped Columns
I have some data in a table:
CREATE TABLE #test_data
(
id INT PRIMARY KEY,
name VARCHAR(100),
birth_date DATE
);
-- Step 2: Insert rows
INSERT INTO #test_data
VALUES
(1, 'Olivia', '2025-01-05'),
(2, 'Emma', '2025-03-02'),
(3, 'Liam', '2025-11-15'),
(4, 'Noah', '2025-12-22');
If I run this query, how many rows are returned?
SELECT t1.[key] AS row,
t2.*
FROM OPENJSON(
(
SELECT t.* FROM #test_data AS t FOR JSON PATH
)
) t1
CROSS APPLY OPENJSON(t1.value) t2; See possible answers