Documenting with Tests
The idea of using more unit tests to improve code quality has been around for some time. However Steve Jones notes today that some people use tests for documentation.
Real-time moving averages for IoT with R
Computing an average over all your data is easy, but what if your data arrives incrementally and you need to be able to compute real-time averages on the fly? That's what we are going to look at.
SQL Server Security Part 2
In part one Chris Kempster covered a variety of security recommendations primarily for production systems. In Part two of this series he continues to explore security at a variety of levels where you may not realize you are vulnerable.
Database Build Blockers: Cross-Server Database Dependencies
Phil Factor demonstrates how to tackle builds when databases make cross-server references. The technique uses synonyms to represent the remote objects, and local 'stub' objects to overcome the problems caused by 'missing references' when building the individual objects.
Entity Framework Core Raw SQL Queries Examples
In this article we look at how to run SQL Server queries with Entity Framework Core using the DbSet.FromSql method, parameterized queries, stored procedures and using the Database.ExecuteSqlCommand property.
Getting a List of the Striped Backup Files
If you have a list of striped backup files, how can you find the latest backup set? Steve Jones uses dbatools and PowerShell to automate this process.
SQL Server 2019 Graph Database and SHORTEST_PATH
With SQL Server 2019 on the way, it’s time to begin learning about all the new features. In this article, Dennes Torres demonstrates how to use the new SHORTEST_PATH function that is part of the Graph Database feature.
You just Build It don’t you? 12 Common Database Build Blockers
Database deployments, like the sheep of exasperated hill-farmers, often find strange and unexpected ways to self-destruct. Phil Factor describes the most common things that can go wrong, and how a reliable automated database build process can prevent messy accidents.
Searching for Answers Inside
Learning how an organization, or even just a codebase, works can be a challenge for new employees.
Blogs
A New Word: on tenderhooks
By Steve Jones
on tenderhooks – adj. feeling the primal satisfaction of being needed by someone, which...
Ramblings about data communities and your contributions, no excuses
By DataOnWheels
I have been active in the data community throughout my career. I have met...
SQL Server Journey till 2025 (brief)
By Vinay Thakur
Quick Summary for Microsoft SQL Server till 2025, I am fortunate to be part...
Forums
how do i map the "current" object entry in for each to one variable
hi, in an ssis for each loop over an object variable called MyListVariable, i...
Simulating Mercury’s Orbital Motion Using Pure T-SQL (NASA 2025 Dataset)
SQL Server is typically viewed as a transactional or analytical database engine. However, it...
Azure SQL Database | CREATE EVENT SESSION [Blocking_Capture] ON DATABASE
Hello, Is there a way in Azure SQL Database to change the 'Blocking Process...
Question of the Day
String Similarity I
On SQL Server 2025, when I run this, what is returned?
SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE_SIMILARITY('SQL Server', 'MySQL') See possible answers