Goodbye to the Microsoft Professional Program
Kathi Kellenberger addresses the retirement of the Microsoft Professional Program in the latest SImple Talk Editorial. Stop by and let her know your thoughts.
Neglecting to Use, or Misusing, the RETURN Keyword (BP016)
Phil Factor demonstrates the correct use of the RETURN keyword in stored procedures or batches, to pass back a non-zero RETURN code to the calling process, informing it of the error. He also explains some of its misuses.
How to Stop a SSIS Package Execution from Code
In this tip we look at a way to stop the execution of a SSIS data flow task that is running by executing an outside process to stop the data flow immediately.
Self-service and Delegation with SQL Clone 4 Teams
SQL Clone 4 introduces a new access control feature called Teams, allowing granular control over the SQL Server instances, images and clones to which each group of users has access. Here James Murtagh explains how Teams makes it easier to manage the safe distribution of database copies throughout the organization, to the various teams that need them for development, testing, training or analysis.
Business Pressures
The business pressures can often change how we work, or even how we build our software. A few notes on Github from Steve Jones.
Deployment of SQL Server 2019 Always On Availability Groups on Azure AKS
Step through a demonstration illustrating a sample deployment of SQL Server 2019 Always On Availability Group cluster on Azure AKS. You'll discover how to leverage the Microsoft Azure-hosted managed Kubernetes service referred to as AKS.
What should you expect from a third-party monitoring tool?
Over 800 SQL Server professionals took part in the 2019 State of SQL Server Monitoring survey. Travis Hoffacker takes a look at the report and advises what is now expected of a third-party monitoring tool based on the responses from the community.
The Scientific Method: a call to action
Gail Shaw issues a rallying call for the SQL Community to adopt the Scientific Method when investigating and reporting on SQL Server behavior.
PowerShell and Secure Strings
Greg Moore demonstrates how to work with the Get-Credential PowerShell cmdlet and secure strings when authenticating to an SFTP server.
Resolving Cross Database Dependencies in SQL Change Automation using Local Databases or Clones
Kathi Kellenberger explains how to avoid build problems, when working with set of inter-dependent databases, by restoring or provisioning copies of all required databases to the development, build, or test instance.
Blogs
Are you getting value from your reporting?
By ChrisJenkins
Do you spend so long manipulating your data into something vaguely useful that you...
The Book of Redgate: SQL Server Central
By Steve Jones
It was neat to stumble on this in the book, a piece by me,...
Git forked
Forgive me for the title. Mentally I’m 12. When I started my current day...
Forums
Microsoft Security Changes and SQL Server
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Microsoft Security Changes and SQL...
Expanding into Print
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Expanding into Print
Downtime Caused by the Postgres Transaction ID Wraparound Problem
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Downtime Caused by the Postgres...
Question of the Day
The String Distance I
In SQL Server 2025, what is returned by this code:
SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE('Steve', 'Stan')
Assume preview features are enabled. See possible answers