Reading, Writing, and Creating SQL Server Extended Properties

There is a great gulf between wanting to document your database properly with extended properties and actually doing it. Extended Properties have many uses but they aren't easy to use. Phil Factor is on a mission to make it easier for ordinary mortals to use extended properties as intended, to aid the database development process.

Data Preservation

Today Steve Jones talks about the challenges of preserving data across long periods of time, decades perhaps.

Extended Events for Tracking Backup and Restore Progress

Microsoft has introduced new extended events in SQL server 2016 which will give us detailed information about restore and backup process.

Spills SQL Server Doesn’t Warn You About

Table variables get a lot of bad press, and they deserve it. They are to query performance what the TSA is to air travel. No one’s sure what they’re doing, but they’ve been taking forever to do it.

Provisioning

This week Steve Jones is asking about the timeframe for you to get a new SQL Server instance? Is it substantial? Do you really know? Answer this week.

Managing Packages Using Windows PowerShell

Windows hasn't had a package manager in the style of the Advanced Packaging Tool (APT) of Linux distributions. Apt-get is a great way of installing packages and other software. We have Chocolatey, of course which has a growing library of software and even allows you to automatically update software. Now PowerShell has an 'official' way of using any system, such as NuGet, Chocolatey, GitHub or PSget. It is definitely useful and likely to mature into an indispensable tool for Windows users. Nicolas explains wh.

The Future of Auditing

Auditing is a weak point in SQL Server according to Steve Jones. He looks at a few of its flaws.

Using Mod to Generate Work Shifts

A short story on using the mod function to a shifting query.

Capacity Planning Using Performance Data

Erin Stellato discusses the types of performance data needed to help with capacity planning.

Byte Me: Christmas Contingency