Gap Analysis Using Algebra
This article shows how to solve a gaps and islands problem using simple algebra.
Analyze SQL Server Results in Excel with Conditional Formatting
Learn how to format your SQL Server results in Excel using conditional formatting to quickly identify patterns and issues.
Meeting your CCPA needs with Data Classification and Masking
This article will explain how to import the data classification metadata for a SQL Server database into Data Masker, providing a masking plan that you can use to ensure the protection of all this data. By applying the data masking operation as part of an automated database provisioning process, you make it fast, repeatable and auditable.
Implementing Drill Through Actions in SSAS
Business users get great value from SSAS cubes. In this article, learn how to create a drill-through action in an SSAS multi-dimensional model cube.
The Panjandrum Conundrum
With progress thwarted by a committee of panjandrums, will T-SQL forever remain in the doldrums? So wonders Phil Factor.
Storage 101: Understanding the Hard-Disk Drive
In this article in the series, Robert Sheldon provides a deep dive into HDDs.
Why you Should Always Specify Whether a Column Accepts Nulls
Phil Factor explains the factors that determine whether a column will allow null values, if you don't specify it explicitly in the column definition. If you rely on the default behavior established by your connection settings, you could be in for some nasty surprises.
Displaying Hierarchical Data
Producing hierarchies from SQL tables can necessitate joining a table to itself. This article will explain how you can do this.
The Developer Arguments for Stored Procedures
Today Steve asks what reasons a developer has for using stored procedures.
Blogs
Programmatically Retrieving MLV Lineage and Refresh Times
Materialized lake views (MLVs) in Microsoft Fabric are an effective way to implement medallion...
Upgrading SQL Server Containers on the Laptop
By Steve Jones
I don’t have SQL Server installed on my laptop. In an effort to keep...
Forums
Having Issue deploying a report to an on prem server from PowerBI desktop
Using PowerBI Version1.25.9508.3237(January 2026). Installed Microsoft Power BI Desktop (Optimized for Power BI Report...
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...
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