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.
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.
Blogs
Redgate and Rome
By Steve Jones
I’m at the UK Redgate office today, meeting with senior leaders in all areas...
Quick Tip: Check Most DTU Expensive Queries in Azure SQL Database
Optimizing Azure SQL Database performance often begins with identifying the most resource-intensive queries. Understanding...
PowerShell Newbie – Variables
By gbargsley
This is Week 2 of PowerShell Strikes Back – a four-week May series for...
Forums
SSRS Is Dead. Here Are Your Real Options
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SSRS Is Dead. Here Are...
The Distance Metric
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Distance Metric
The New Wave of Security Threats
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The New Wave of Security...
Question of the Day
The Distance Metric
In the new VECTOR_DISTANCE() function in SQL Server 2025, the first parameter is the distance_metric. What is this?
See possible answers