What Were Your 2021 Wins
The first poll question of the year has Steve asking you to look back at 2021 and pick something good that happened.
Azure Policies and Management Groups
You can define policies for your Azure SQL Databases for security and meeting your organization’s standards. Management groups simplify policies over multiple subscriptions. Michael Wood explains Azure Policies and Management Groups.
Using Flyway Teams with SQL Change Automation PowerShell Cmdlets
Use Flyway to run your database migrations, each time automatically creating a SQL Change Automation release object to provide object-level scripts and a build script for the new version, along with change reports and code analysis reports.
Challenging Trends
Steve notes the changes in the world might affect how to view and use data in our work.
Stairway to Advanced T-SQL Level 6: Creating Rows Of Data Using The UNPIVOT Operator
The UNPIVOT operator does just the opposite of the PIVOT operator, which we looked at in the previous level. By using the PIVOT operator we can take multiple rows of data and create as single row as output. The UNPIVOT operator will take values from a single row and will create multiple rows. Microsoft introduced the UNPIVOT operator when they rolled out SQL Server 2005. In this level I will be showing you different examples of how to use the UNPIVOT operator.
Exploring Auto-fix in SQL Code Analysis
Phil Factor presents a useful but slightly flawed 'table report' script as an adventure playground for exploring SQL Code analysis issues. He demonstrates use of the auto-fix feature, to arrive at a pristine script free from wavy green underlines.
How to return multiple sequence numbers with sp_sequence_get_range
Developers can work with multiple range values at once using sp_sequence_get_range. Greg Larsen explains how to return multiple sequence numbers with sp_sequence_get_range.
Data Cleanup
Steve wishes we could do some data cleanup and archival every year. Or even more often.
How to (Somewhat) Increase SQL Server Security
Problem Some time ago Argenis Fernandez(@DBArgenis) found and described a vulnerability that allows you to get into SQL Server with 'sa' rights. This method does not require a restart of the SQL Server service or the whole machine, the condition is a local administrator account on the server. Reminder SQL Server until 2008R2: Until SQL 2008R2, […]
Adding Users to Azure SQL Databases
Learn about the options to add users to Azure SQL Databases including SQL authentication logins, contained SQL users, contained Azure Active Directory users, mapped logins to users - including code examples you can copy and use immediately.
Blogs
“We love to debate minutiae”
By Brian Kelley
I am guilty as charged. The quote was in reference to how people argue...
Advice I Like: Knots
By Steve Jones
Learn how to tie a bowline knot. Practice in the dark. With one hand....
Shifting Mindsets: Why FinOps is Essential for Cloud Efficiency
By HeyMo0sh
As a DevOps practitioner, I’ve always focused on performance, scalability, and automation. But as...
Forums
Windows logins for users migrated from DomainA to DomainB
Hi, I have a SQL Server instance where users connect to via Windows Authentication,...
Multiple Deployment Processes
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Multiple Deployment Processes
How to Use sqlpackage to Detect Schema Drift Between Azure SQL Databases
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How to Use sqlpackage to...
Question of the Day
Upgrading Admin Queries
I have a query from a former DBA that we run on SQL Server 2025 to check on database metadata. This query references sys.sysaltfiles. I want to refactor this code to be more modern. Which DMV should I reference instead?
See possible answers