Because PowerShell needs to be usable as an immediate scripting language by IT professionals who type in commands at a console, there have to be language devices such as aliases that can make for terseness when appropriate. There are several ways of cutting down the verbiage in a script, and being able to specify default values via $PSDefaultParameterValues is one of the more generally useful ones. Michael Sorens explains how it can save you time in your daily work.

How do you go about making a big decision?

by Ben Kubicek

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

This article explores the author's way of making big decisions.

SQL Login Password Audit

by Jim Youmans

SQLServerCentral.com

Audit your SQL logins to find passwords that have never been changed or that are very weak.

Using DBCC CLONEDATABASE and Query Store for Testing

by Additional Articles

SQLServerCentral

DBCC CLONEDATABASE

Erin Stellato demonstrates how to use the new DBCC CLONEDATABASE feature, in combination with Query Store, to test index and query changes.

Step by Step Configuring AlwaysOn with Log Shipping

by Ganapathi varma Chekuri

SQLServerCentral.com

always on

In this article, I will show you a procedure to combine SQL Server AlwaysOn with logshipping and to make log-shipping to work even in case of failovers between availability replicas in primary site.

Tell Me a Joke

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

We missed April 1 this year, so Steve is looking for some good jokes.

The Ideal Agile Database

by Phil Factor

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

The ideal Agile database needs to be secure, recoverable, transactional, resilient, and versatile enough to allow easy migration paths when you need to delegate tasks elsewhere, for scalability. Sounds like a relational database to Phil Factor.

Migrating a Disk-Based Table to a Memory-Optimized Table in SQL Server

by Additional Articles

SimpleTalk

memory-optimized table

The feature formerly known as Hekaton, now In-Memory OLTP can provide very useful performance gains where you carefully select the tables to become memory-optimised. How do you set about the job of converting existing tables to become memory-optimised tables? the process isn't entirely straightforward but the benefits that an In-Memory OLTP table delivers is worth your effort. Alex Grinberg takes you through the basics.

A Single-Parameter Date Range in SQL Server Reporting Services

by John F. Tamburo

SQLServerCentral.com

Reporting Services (SSRS)

Many reports you will generate in SSRS will need to report within date ranges, and most of those will need a date range parameter. Here's an way to make an easy-to-use date range parameter.

Working with Windows Containers and Docker: The Basics

by Additional Articles

SimpleTalk

Windows Containers

When you begin to work with containers, you will notice many similarities between a container and a virtual machine; but, in fact, these are two quite different concepts. Containers are going to change the way that we do Windows-based development work in the coming year, and they already underpin much of the devops work of speeding the delivery process. Nicolas Prigent explains how to use the Windows Containers feature.

PowerShell Time Saver: Automatic Defaults

How do you go about making a big decision?

SQL Login Password Audit

Using DBCC CLONEDATABASE and Query Store for Testing

Step by Step Configuring AlwaysOn with Log Shipping

Tell Me a Joke

The Ideal Agile Database

Migrating a Disk-Based Table to a Memory-Optimized Table in SQL Server

A Single-Parameter Date Range in SQL Server Reporting Services

Working with Windows Containers and Docker: The Basics

Blogs

The Book of Redgate: Hours

How to Check TDE Progress and Elapsed Time in SQL Server

PostgreSQL Support in the Data API Builder

Forums

Squared Values

I Don't Want To Do XX

Managing Feature Flags with GET_BIT() and SET_BIT() in SQL Server

Question of the Day

Squared Values