SQL Server 7.0 Undocumented Extended Stored Procedures
A few stored procedures that are not documented in SQL Server 7.0, but may come in handy for DBAs
Worst Practices - Assigning Users Rights
Continuing with Andy Warren's series on Worst Practices for a DBA, Steve Jones joins in this week with his worst practice.
DBA Job Description: What type of DBA are you?
One of the common questions that Brian Knight sees in the newsgroups is what is a DBA officially supposed to be doing? In this article, Brian covers the many hats a DBA can and does wear.
Certification Counterpoint - Why You Should NOT Certity
In this article, Andy Warren presents his views on why obtaining certification is not a good idea. Read this one and the one by Steve Jones that supports certification - which has the more compelling argument
Certification Should Be Required
Steve Jones presents his case for why certifications should be required. Read this and the counter point article by Andy Warren to hear the other side of this argument - then post your comments
XML for SQL Server 2000: Optimizing Your Performance
The XML features of Microsoft® SQL Server® 2000 and the subsequent XML for SQL Server 2000 Web releases enable a whole new class of XML-aware applications. This article shows you how to improve the performance of this new feature.
Review of Data Compare v.151
In this product review Andy takes a look at Data Compare, the second of three products in the SQL Bundle available from Red-Gate software. It's a very handy program that lets you compare data between two tables and optionally generate sql statements to syncronize the data. An interesting alternative to replication!
Allowing BULK INSERT for non-SysAdmin Users in SQL 7.0
One of the largest security "issues" in SQL Server 7.0 is that a user must be in the SysAdmin role to run the BULK INSERT command. This article by Paul Ibison shows you a workaround.
SQL Server 6.5: Index Statistic Details
This article examines how index statistics are used in SQL Server 6.5
Blogs
Identity Columns Can’t Be Updated: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
I’m not sure I knew identity column values could not be updated. I ran...
Rolling Back a Broken Release
By Steve Jones
We had an interesting discussion about deployments in databases and how you go forward...
A bespoke reporting solution doesn’t have to cost the earth
By ChrisJenkins
You could be tolerating limited reporting because there isn’t an off the shelf solution...
Forums
Can someone please explain what happens?
I have mentioned this several times over several years. Can someone please help me...
SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT) returns null when nothing is found instead of 0
SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT Component) AS Found FROM tblComponents WHERE(Component NOT LIKE '%[a-z]%') AND(LTRIM(RTRIM(Component)) = 'GM13622')...
Remotely Engineer Fabric Lakehouse objects: The Fabric Modern Data Platform
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Remotely Engineer Fabric Lakehouse objects:...
Question of the Day
Creating JSON III
In a SQL Server 2025 table, called Beer, I have this data:
BeerIDBeerName 1Becks 2Fat Tire 3Mac n Jacks 4Alaskan Amber 8KirinI run this code:
SELECT JSON_OBJECTAGG(
BeerID: BeerName )
FROM beer;
What are the results? See possible answers