Shrinking SQL Server Backup Files and Speeding Up Backups
With backup compression you can speed up our backups, while making your backups smaller.
Dealing with Failure
A minor disaster in Colorado reminds Steve about the need to prepare, and think about the failure points in our preparations.
The V1 Team’s Doomed Redesign
A new version of an existing application doesn't always provide an upgrade.
What are Inline Indexes?
New releases of SQL Server arrive at a quick pace, and it's difficult to keep up with the many features introduced in each version. In this article, Phil Factor reviews a feature you may have missed, inline indexes. He covers the syntax and the many ways they can be used and then performs some performance tests to see if they can make a difference with table variables.
Create Power BI Connection to Azure SQL Database
Learn how to use Power BI to retrieve data from an Azure SQL Database.
What should you do about memory dumps?
A SQL Server monitoring tool is warning you that you’re getting memory dumps, and you’re wondering what that means.
Building Better Stored Procedures
In a followup, this article includes discussion of more advanced features of using stored procedures.
Introduction to SQL Server Security — Part 3
SQL Server supports partially contained databases. This gives you the option of adding database users with a password inside the database. This makes the database easier to move to another instance or participate in an Always On Availability Group. In this article, Robert Sheldon explains how to work with users in contained databases.
Badly Encrypted Databases
Database encryption is hard, and somewhat controversial. Steve thinks we ought to do a better job of it.
Blogs
How AgentDBA Identifies Backup Failures
By Arun Sirpal
Every DBA has a box like this. Sitting untouched for months. Nobody’s proud of...
Tip: Expanding a SQL statement
In all recent versions of the database you can call DBMS_UTILITY.EXPAND_SQL_TEXT to get the...
AI Helps Me with My Sloppiness
By Steve Jones
I type fairly well. Well, I type fast, but I do wear out a...
Forums
From SQL Server On-Premises to Claude Desktop: How I built a Full MCP Pipeline
Comments posted to this topic are about the item From SQL Server On-Premises to...
Independence Day 2026
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Independence Day 2026
Independence Day 2026
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Independence Day 2026
Question of the Day
Independence Day 2026
In the original Independence Day movie (1996), what type of computer did Jeff Goldblum use to connect to the alien mainframe? Take a guess, don't look it up or ask AI.
See possible answers