Should you call Microsoft for support?
I've had to call Microsoft quite a few times for support this year. Was it worth it? Read on to see when you should decide to call.
Using Exotic Joins in SQL - Part 2
In the previous article, you saw how the BETWEEN operator could be used in joins to solve problems dealing with range-based data. In this article, Chris Cubley will show you how to take joins even further by using multiple criteria in joins as well as using the greater than, less than, and not equals operators in joins.
Initial Installation of the Production Database
Your software has passed all testing phase(s) and it is time to install your database into production. Andy Jones will outline below how he accomplished this task. This article is concerned with an evolving system and how to migrate it to production.
Who's to Blame for the SQL Slammer Virus?
Last week the SQL Sapphire (or SQL Slammer) virus hit corporate networks throughout the Internet. Although damage has not been estimated yet, it is sure to be in the tens of millions of dollars. So who is to blame when a virus like this manhandles a corporate environment?
What's ROI Got to Do With It?
This article by Simon Galbraith (from Red-Gate Software, one of our valued advertisers!) in .Net Magazine talks about how to calculate ROI when evaluating software purchases.
Managing Jobs - Part 1
How many jobs do you have? 10? 100? 1000? Andy makes the point that what works to manage for a small number of jobs doesn't work when that number doubles or triples (well, unless you only had 1 job to start with!). In part one of two, this article looks at ideas for using categories and naming conventions to get things under control.
Server Hardware Standards
Standards are important in the computer business, both the hardware and software side. After looking at Coding Standards in a previous series, Steve Jones looks at the server side of standards beginning with hardware.
Freeware: Terminator Opens Gigabyte Files Easily
Ever tried to open 1 Gig ASCII file with Notepad? WordPad? Do you remember ASCII codes of Tab and Carriage Return? Enter Terminator; huge ASCII file viewer and BCP helper. Terminator reads top 10 (and more if asked) records of ASCII file of any size. It detects record terminators and calculates current cursor position (field offset) and length of selected area (field length). Best of all, it's free!
Block the DBA?
Can you block a DBA from performing certain actions on a server if he has sysadmin rights? The real answer is no, but this article shows you how to block an unknowledgable DBA from performing certain actions.
Another SQL Server Virus Hits the Internet
On Friday the 24th, a virus that preys on a SQL Server vulnerability began to attack networks, taking down many networks. This brief network describes the virus and how to protect yourself from it.
Blogs
A New Word: los vidados
By Steve Jones
los vidados – n. the half-remembered acquaintances you knew years ago, who you might...
In-Person CISA Training – April 13-16, 2026
By Brian Kelley
I will be leading an in-person Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam prep class...
EightKB 2026
EightKB is back again for 2026! The biggest online SQL Server internals conference is...
Forums
query to track time spent on individual tasks in SSIS
Hi everyone I am looking at building a query to determine how much time...
SQL Server Transactional Replication from Always On Availability Groups to Azure SQL Database
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Server Transactional Replication from...
Hidden Heroes
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Hidden Heroes
Question of the Day
Identities and Sequences I
When thinking of the Identity property for auto incrementing columns and sequences for the same action, which are explicitly linked to increment a number in a table when a new row is added?
See possible answers