Many of our security issues come down to not patching software when there are updates available.

SQL Server in Azure Virtual Machines - Performance Optimizations

by Additional Articles

Database Journal

Azure VM

When deploying SQL Server in an Azure virtual machine, you can take advantage of several Azure Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) features that enhance performance of the SQL Server database engine. This article explores a couple of these enhancements, with a particular focus on increased I/O throughput facilitated by the Solid State Drive (SSD) storage available on most Azure virtual machines (VMs).

A Possible Alternative to SQL UNPIVOT

by Paul Milligan

SQLServerCentral.com

pivot

Understand how to use the SQL UNPIVOT statement and then an equivalent using XML and XPath Querying in SQL Server.

The Development Lab

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

This week Steve Jones looks at hardware and the ways in which you might assemble a set of computers for building software.

Writing the Correct Query is Important

by Steve Jones

SQLServerCentral.com

Editorial

Making simple mistakes in queries can have far reaching consequences.

Free Webinar – Database DevOps Demo

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Redgate

Learn how to extend DevOps practices to SQL Server databases in our free demo webinar on January 17th. Microsoft Data Platform MVP, Steve Jones will demonstrate how Redgate’s database automation tools plug into Git, Jenkins & Octopus Deploy. Learn how to branch and merge with SQL Source Control then automate the build and deployment of changes with DLM Automation. Register now.

Using Power BI Desktop to Visualize SQL Server Metadata

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SimpleTalk

Power BI Desktop

You can easily use PowerBI Desktop to show graphically how your database is growing, which tables are taking the most space, how various parts of SQL Server is consuming memory, its use of indexes and so on. Sure, you can create graphs in SSMS, but with PowerBI, you can create reports that you can then publish to others, and which allow drill-down. It is a great way to get familiar with PowerBI Desktop as well. Rob Sheldon shows how simple it is to do.

Scrubbing Personally Identifiable Information

by Daniel Brown

SQLServerCentral.com

Restore

Managing personally identifiable information when moving databases to unsecure environment can be challenging. With this flexible and extendable solution for scrubbing it, you can save yourself some time and effort.

Configure SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Group on a Multi-Subnet Cluster

by Additional Articles

MSSQLTips.com

always on

A “multi-subnet” environment is defined when the OS cluster used as the backbone for AlwaysOn has server nodes that are located in multiple/different subnets. Deploying SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Groups requires a Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC) cluster and each availability replica of a given availability group must reside on a different node of the same WSFC cluster. This post from Manvendra Singh will help you in configuring an HA and DR solution for SQL Server AlwaysOn in multi-subnet networks.