Database Taming
Sometimes a database can seem to be as willful as a colt. Taming it requires an iron nerve, and unflinching eye contact. Occasionally though, you need to know when to jump the fence and regroup.
Production Scripts
Many of us have scripts that we run in SQL Agent jobs, but Steve wonders if we really treat them like production code.
How to Implement Dynamic Data Masking in Azure SQL Database and SQL Server
Anoop Kumar shows you the SQL Commands (T-SQL) to secure PII/PHI data using the SQL Server Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) feature and explores DDM's built in functions to mask all critical data elements. DDM restricts unauthorized users from accessing critical data with no changes in the application.
The COUNT Function in T-SQL
The COUNT function is among the most used functions in the T-SQL codes. Even though COUNT is easy to use, it should be used carefully because it could often not return the desired result. For the big tables, the counting of the rows could cause blocking as well as take some more time.
What to Read in 2018
Steve loves to read all sorts of books and is asking what books you'd read professionally or for fun in 2018.
Azure Cosmos DB Consistency Levels
The majority of traditional database management systems are responsible for making sure that any changes to their data are consistently reflected in the results of subsequent queries. Azure Cosmos DB extends the range of consistency options by providing support for bounded-staleness, session, and consistent prefix models.
Adaptive Query Processing – Interleaved Execution
Interleaved Execution allows SQL Server's query optimizer to get accurate cardinality estimates in places where it couldn't before.
Mobile Report Publisher – Dashboards Everywhere
The new feature, Mobile Reports, was added to SSRS in 2016. It provides the ability to create attractive and useful dashboards that can run on devices and most browsers. Robert Cain shows you how to get started building Mobile Reports with the Mobile Report Publisher.
Heaps, Deletes, and Optimistic Isolation Levels
Erik shows that heaps have even more drawbacks under optimistic concurrency.
Blogs
PlanTrace Now Supports PostgreSQL
PlanTrace Now Supports PostgreSQL The same plan analysis you know from...
A New Word: the Kinder Surprise
By Steve Jones
the kinder surprise – . the point in your early adolescence when you realize...
Crash-Consistent Snapshot Cloning - Hyper-V Edition
If you’ve been following my T-SQL Snapshot Backup series, most of what I’ve covered...
Forums
SSRS Is Dead. Here Are Your Real Options
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SSRS Is Dead. Here Are...
The Distance Metric
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Distance Metric
The New Wave of Security Threats
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The New Wave of Security...
Question of the Day
The Distance Metric
In the new VECTOR_DISTANCE() function in SQL Server 2025, the first parameter is the distance_metric. What is this?
See possible answers