Automated Trace File Collection
This article shows how to create a trace and capture it into a table using a combination of SQL and VBScript. Direct and to the point, you can read this and try it easily.
Where Do I Want To Go Today? - Upsert
Where should SQL Server go in the future? What enhancements are needed? Steve Jones starts to explore his wish list for future versions of SQL Server.
Finding and Deleting Duplicate Data
Bad data is almost a given, but true duplicate data can really cause you some headaches. How do you remove all the duplicates and still leave a 'keeper' record? If you think procedural code it's not too hard, but can you do a set based solution? Chris shows you show!
Database Server Clash Revisited (Eweek)
This is a follow up article on the database comparison they did about 18 months ago.
Creating a Chart From a Table
New author! This article has a stored procedure that will generate an HTML document - as long as the table has the proper schema. If you try it, be sure to download the associated zip which has some images and the script for the stored procedure.
The SQL Delete Statement
New Author! Narayana has some ideas on the delete statement and how you can have a fall back plan if something goes wrong.
Replacing BCP with SQLBulkLoad
New Author! Stephan writes about why he thinks the bulk load capabilities added in the SQLXML3 addition are a great way to handle imports - maybe so good that you'll stop using BCP.
Review: EditPlus
Everyone uses a text editor. Whether for programming, editing configuration files, or reviewing logs. Here's a look at an inexpensive replacement for notepad that performs a number of functions that DBAs might be interested in having.
Freeware : DDL Source Safe Archive Utility
If your shop is even close to the typical Microsoft SQL Server environment there are several people that can make changes to the production environment and what's in SourceSafe does not match what's on the SQL Server. This freeware by Bill Wunder will make archiving DDL and DTS packages a piece of cake and simplify deployment of SQL Server code. Available exclusivily for SQLServerCentral.com members.
MSMQ Extended Stored Procedures For SQL Server
As you might guess from the title, this is an extended stored procedure that you can use to interact with MSMQ. It's supposed to be extremely fast, able to handle 4-5k messages per second and have a very small memory footprint. (Press Release)
Blogs
Webinar: Navigating the Database Landscape in 2026
By Steve Jones
For a number of years, we’ve produced the State of the Database Landscape report,...
Claude AI Convinced Me Not to Build an iPad App
By Steve Jones
I coach volleyball and I do a lot of stat stuff on paper. I...
A New Word: Dolorblindness
By Steve Jones
dolorblindness – n. the frustration that you’ll never be able to understand another person’s...
Forums
The Power of Data and Privacy
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What's the Date?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item What's the Date?
Two New Shortcuts for Fabric Lakehouse Developers: The Fabric Modern Data Platform
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Two New Shortcuts for Fabric...
Question of the Day
What's the Date?
In SQL Server 2025, there is a new function that returns the current date without the time. What is it?
See possible answers