An introduction to using the ADO.NET - SqlCommand Object
Are you familiar with using the Command object in ADO? If so, migrating to ADO.NET should be a snap.
PASS Summit 2004
The 2004 premier SQL Server event, the PASS Summit is coming to Orlando in September. Once again we'er working with PASS to sponsor and promote this event. Read Steve Jones' take on this event and why it's worth your time and your company's money.
DB Change Management - An Automated Approach - Part 2
The second part of the series by Darren Fuller on SQL Server change management, version control, and ways that you can automate this approach. If you do any type of SQL Server development, having a version control system is key to ensuring stability and keeping to your deadlines. Whether you agree with this approach or not, it's good information to have.
ADO.NET - A Data Access Layer
Developing applications for SQL Server usually results in a variety of access methods that the programmers use. A data access layer class, given to the developers, is usually seen as the best practice, but one that isn't usually implemented. In fact, in most software I've built, each developer uses his own method, or may cut and paste from another, but rarely is there a central access class. New Author Patryk Nowakowski brings us his solution using ADO.NET.
Using Different Techniques for SQL Server Automation
Automating SQL Server tasks is the sign of an experienced DBA. One who doesn't waste time on repetitive tasks that can be easily setup in a job, task, or some other scheduling process to run when they need to run. Haidong Ji has written a number of articles on how to perform automation and brings us yet another technique. This time he looks at managing your backup files, something that we all need to do, but all too often forget to do.
Nightmare Contest
Murphy's law has struck us all, as evidenced by the disaster entries we've received in the past. Imceda software, makers of Litespeed are sponsoring a new contest, looking for your nightmares.
Review: NGSSquirrel
NGS Software is in the security business and have been very successful in finding vulnerabilities in many products, notable SQL Server. They have used their expertise to build products to help you better secure your systems. Dale Corey looks at one of those products, NGSSquirrel, which does vulnerability assessment.
Think like a DBA
What do your programmers do with nulls? Do they know nullif, isnull, what about the powerful coalesce function? Do they think DBA's look at the world differently? Why, it's all code isn't it?
Database Change Management: An Automated Approach
SQL Server change management is tough. The tools don't integrate with version control systems, there isn't good administrative controls to enforce control, and often you need to buy a third party tool to make this work. New Author Darren Fuller takes a look at the various ways in which you can implement version control in SQL Server. This is part one of a four part series on version control in SQL Server.
Lookup Table Design
Designing a SQL Server database is a challenging task. Making decisions about how to build tables, their relations, etc. can be a full time job for any DBA helping to build an application. Lookup tables are a part of just about every application that you work with or build a back end for. Leo Peysakhovich brings us an article on database design that deals specifically with lookup tables.
Blogs
A Career of Memories
By Steve Jones
Annabel retired from Redgate Software this week. Across most of my career at Redgate,...
Rethinking Index Maintenance: Why avg_fragmentation_in_percent Is Outdated and What You Should Do Instead
By Tim Radney
As a SQL Server DBA with years of experience tuning production environments, I’ve seen...
Microsoft Build 2026 announcements
By James Serra
Once again there were a number of Microsoft Build announcements related to data and...
Forums
Changes, Happiness, and a Few Tears
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BCP on Linux
Comments posted to this topic are about the item BCP on Linux
You Probably Don't Need a Vector Database
Comments posted to this topic are about the item You Probably Don't Need a...
Question of the Day
BCP on Linux
When running bcp on Linux, what is the field terminator?
See possible answers