Holding Code in Your Head
Steve has a few thoughts on software development and coding today when working in teams and trying to keep the entire solution in your head.
Understanding CRUD Operations Against Heaps and Forwarding Pointers
In this article, we examine how data changes are made against heaps.
How to Generate Fake Test Data for SQL Server
How to use a SQL random data generator to fill SQL Server tables with realistic test data, to shift left database unit testing, integration testing and performance testing so that it is performed during the early stages of database development.
SQL Server Memory Usage Query
Check out this SQL Server function that can return memory usage information for a SQL Server instance such as the amount of memory SQL Server is using and available memory on the machine.
No-code Software Engineering
The idea that software engineers might be better with no-code tools is a direction Steve thinks is misaligned with the problem. We should help developers learn to be better.
“Included columns” for non-clustered indexes explained
Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of using INCLUDE columns in your index.
Documentation. The Under Recognised Skill
Documentation may not be something we aspire to do, but it is a valuable skill.
Reducing the Frequency of SQL Server Central Newsletters
We are reducing the sending of the SQL Server Central newsletter to three days a week.
Power BI for Business Intelligence
Power BI is becoming widely used for reporting and data analysis. There are many different versions of Power BI and the features that are offered and this article provides an overview of what is available.
Running SQL Code Analysis during Flyway Migrations
A set of PowerShell automation script tasks for running database build and migrations tasks. This article describes the SQL code analysis task, which will check the syntax of the SQL code in your databases and your migration scripts for 'code smells'.
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