Reusing Customer Specific Order Filtering Logic with CROSS APPLY and an Inline TVF (Part 4)
In part 4 of this series, we look at using CROSS APPLY to filter in a function.
Training the next generation
Many years ago, I started at a smaller-sized company. About 150 employees; it was a SaaS company that provided survey software. It was growing quickly, and I was the primary DBA. I was hired not only to be a DBA, but to build a DB team to handle many of the issues the company faced […]
What happens when your AI coding agent starts a database on its own
How to build an app through an LLM: switching from CoPilot to Claude, a directional term-lookup feature
Risk Vs Reward, The never ending ROI discussion.
This week I hosted T-SQL Tuesday. This monthly event suggests a topic for bloggers to write about. It’s been going on for many years, and you can find more details here. https://tsqltuesday.com/ For my specific post, you can find the summaries here. T-SQL Tuesday #203 — Summary/Follow up I’ve spent 20+ years being asked questions about […]
I Struggle
This one is going to involve a lot of honesty & self-reflection. Run now. You've been warned. I know for a fact that I'm blessed. I'm healthy. I have a loving family. There are friends out there happy to see me when we meet. I've got one of the single greatest jobs ever. I live […]
The SQL Server Date Magic: When CAST and CONVERT Keep Your Index Seek
This article shows two scenarios, tested independently, with the full scripts and the real numbers from each run.
Explanation of SQL Server IO and Latches
I eventually found an explanation for this error message that, while not completely satisfactory, did lead me to diagnose wider-reaching I/O issues on the affected instance and led me to a better understanding of latching in general.
Re-Seeding a Broken Log Shipping Secondary (Without Touching the Primary)
A SQL Server upgrade left a log shipping secondary unable to accept transaction logs. Re-seeding it without touching the primary or its mirror is straightforward in principle — drop, restore full + diff + log with NORECOVERY, hand back to the job — but three undocumented traps will stop you along the way. Here's what they are and how to get past them.
The DBA is Dead! Long Live the !
I'm sure I've never mentioned this before, but I'm a little aged. I'm not real far from 40 years in IT, and I got started a little late in life. Regardless, I've heard this tale of woe before. And no, this isn't going to be a rehash of all the old stories ("self-tuning" SQL Server […]
Should your SQL Server database use foreign key constraints?
Should SQL Server databases enforce foreign key constraints? A veteran DBA breaks down the real arguments
Blogs
Asking for Help Isn’t a Weakness
By Brian Kelley
During COVID, I attended training on software/enterprise architecture given by Mark Richards. One of...
The Proof of the Backup Is in the Pudding
For me, the objective is straightforward: have a backup strategy that is reliable, understandable,...
T-SQL Tuesday #204 – Are blogs still relevant?
By DesertDBA
Note: This post is the invitation for T-SQL Tuesday #204 on November 3rd, 2026....
Forums
SQL Server Vector Support II
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Great Things
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Great Things
Troubleshooting Slow Queries That Already Have an Index
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Troubleshooting Slow Queries That Already...
Question of the Day
SQL Server Vector Support II
With regard to SQL Server 2025's Vector support, what is an embedding?
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