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.
Your chance to speak at PASS Summit
When I decided to switch careers about 25 years ago, I had no idea how far I would go in tech. I just wanted to leave the profession for which I had trained and become a developer. My goal was to make the switch by the end of 1998. It actually happened in the summer […]
Distributed Computing Principles and SQL-on-Hadoop Systems
A look at SQL-On-Hadoop systems like PolyBase, Hive, Spark SQL in the context Distributed Computing Principles and new Big Data system design approach like the Lambda Architecture.
Turn Out the Lights
Today we have a guest editorial from Andy Warren that looks at the costs associated with our behavior.
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.
Managing Data Masking Rules in Larger Teams using Source Control
What if you have several people in the team who are responsible for data security across your databases, and they need to work together to develop and maintain the data masking configurations, which must then be applied consistently as part of an automated provisioning process? How should they do it? The solution turns out to be simple: source control.
The Ongoing Costs of Building Software
There are lots of costs to building your own software, which Steve Jones notes might not be what you want to spend over time.
Create, Alter, Drop and Execute SQL Server Stored Procedures
In this tip we look at some examples of how to get started with creating, modifying and deleting SQL Server stored procedures.
Blogs
Funny Money: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
While wandering around the documentation looking for some Question of the Day topics, I...
Why Database AI Agents need Layers?
By Arun Sirpal
Third part in my Ai series with databases. When building AI solutions within the...
Un-Migrating From the Cloud: T-SQL Tuesday #199
By Steve Jones
This month we have a very interesting invitation from Koen Verbeeck. He has hosted...
Forums
Backup Availability Group
Please I am hoping for some feedback Specifications: Windows Server 2022 SQL Server 2022...
How Do the Experts Become Experts?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How Do the Experts Become...
Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments Level 4 – Preparing for Production Deployment
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments...
Question of the Day
Secure Communications
As of June 2026, what is the best version of TLS to use with SQL Server?
See possible answers