Windowing Functions: Tell me when that changes
Windowing functions aren't just for analyzing numbers/dates. Using windows functions to analyze when a character field changes is a little know resource
SQL Server Bulk Insert Row Terminator Issues
We often need to import data into SQL Server from a file. Sometimes unwanted end of line characters are part of the source file and these can create issues when importing the data. One of the ways to avoid this issue is to use SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), but it doesn't always make sense to use SSIS for simple operations. Rahul Mehta explains that he uses BULK INSERT sometimes faces issues with Line Feeds and Carriage Returns. In this post, Rahul shows some examples and explains how to fix the issue.
Ding - The World’s Largest Mobile Top-up Network Streamlines QA with SQL Server Containers
In this case study, see how database containers can help improve a QA process.
Installing SQL Server vNext on an AWS EC2 RHEL Instance
The steps required to create an Amazon Web Services EC2 instance and install the latest SQL Server version on the EC2.
How to Find Queries Using an Index (and Queries Using Index Hints)
Sometimes you know a query is out there, but it’s hard to find the exact query. In this post, Kendra Little gives example code to find queries using a specific index, or using an index hint.
DevOps Isn't Perfect
Mistakes will still be made with a DevOps process, but the benefits outweigh the mistakes.
Enable Trace Flags in SQL Server
Learn how to enable trace flags to change the behavior of your SQL Server instance.
Deployment Automation for SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
SSIS was not originally designed with automated deployment in mind. However, any database that uses SSIS projects and their packages needs a way of scripting the deployment of them if the database is to be deployed rapidly, or via a build server. Nat Sundar shows a technique that can be extended to manage the scripted deployment of SSIS projects.
Blogs
Advice I Like: Pyramid Schemes
By Steve Jones
If someone is trying to convince you it’s not a pyramid scheme, it’s a...
Using Prompt AI for a Travel Data Analysis
By Steve Jones
I was looking back at my year and decided to see if SQL Prompt...
FinOps for Kubernetes: Leveraging OpenCost, KubeGreen, and Kubecost for Cost Efficiency
In the era of cloud-native applications, Kubernetes has become the default standard platform for...
Forums
Database file shrink issue.
Hi experts, I have a 3+ TB database on a 2019 sql server which...
The North Star for the Year
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The North Star for the...
Multiple Escape Characters
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Multiple Escape Characters
Question of the Day
Multiple Escape Characters
In SQL Server 2025, I run this code (in a database with the appropriate collation):
SELECT UNISTR('%*3041%*308A%*304C%*3068 and good night', '%*') AS 'A Classic';
What is returned? See possible answers