SQL Server Sequence Numbers
In this tip we look at the Sequence Number feature in SQL Server and compare it to the use of identity columns.
Non-Stop Learning
There was a recent discussion in the forums here at SQL Server Central regarding the difficulties presented by the constantly shifting technology landscape. The core question was, how on earth do you master stuff? Especially, how do you master things when they're both new and constantly changing? Honestly, you don't. I mean, you can, but […]
Getting Started Remotely
Today Steve wonders what advice you might give someone starting out their career in technology.
Optimize Your SQL by Reformulating the Spec
As SQL developers, we tend to think of performance tuning in terms of crafting the best table indices, avoiding scalar and table valued functions, and analyzing query plans (among other things). But sometimes going back to the spec and applying some properties of elementary math can be the best way to begin to improve performance of SQL queries which implement mathematical formulas. This article is a case study of how I used this technique to optimize my SQL implementation of the Inverse Simpson Index.
DevOps as a bludgeon
With both personal experience and the real world evidence to back it up, Grant Fritchey says, unequivocally, a well-implemented DevOps process helps the organization. But it's not always easy to bridge a siloed organization, and sometimes organizations adopt DevOps for the wrong reasons.
Getting Started with MLflow in Azure Databricks
In this article we cover how to get started with MLflow using Azure Databricks which manages the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle.
Cloud Database Growth
The use of cloud databases is growing, and Azure SQL Database is one of the more popular ones.
Finding Dependencies in SQL Server Databases using SQL Dependency Tracker
Before you alter a database object, you need to understand what other objects will be affected. This article shows how to generate a simple dependency diagram that reveals both those objects that reference the target object, and those referenced by it, and includes foreign key references, column references and all the other details you need.
Insurance price prediction using Machine Learning (ML.NET)
In this article, Chandra Kudumula shows how to use ML.NET to train a model for predicting costs from an insurance dataset.
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.
Blogs
How to Find Expensive Queries in Amazon Redshift
Slow-running queries can degrade your Redshift cluster’s performance and lead to increased costs. Identifying...
The Notification Trap: How Input Fatigue Is Killing Deep Work in Tech
By gbargsley
If you've been here before, you know this blog is usually about SQL Server,...
Designing a Storage Load Test for SQL Server
I’ve been doing storage load tests for SQL Server for a long time, both...
Forums
SQL 2019 instance with AG, across 2 Windows 2016 OS servers - OSin-place upgrade
Hi all Can I get some perspective from the community please on performing in-place...
How Long is a Long I/O?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How Long is a Long...
T-SQL Trigonometric Functions in SQL Server
Comments posted to this topic are about the item T-SQL Trigonometric Functions in SQL...
Question of the Day
How Long is a Long I/O?
In SQL Server 2025, a long I/O is recorded in the error log with message 833. How long much an I/O request be outstanding before this message is written to the log?
See possible answers