PowerShell Solutions - Working with files
When we administer a SQL Database, we always have to work with files. This new article shows how to handle them using PowerShell.
Questioning the Interviewer
Asking questions in an interview is important, but there can be issues. Steve Jones talks a little about how to approach this.
Managing SQL Server Backup and Restore History Information
Greg Larson explains that SQL Server provides a couple of different ways to delete backup and restore history. If you want to remove backup and restore information for all databases based on a date you can use the sp_delete_backuphistory system stored procedure. Or you can use the system stored procedure named sp_delete_database_backuphistory if you want to remove all backup and restore history for a specific database.
Coming Attacks
What happens if we can't access the Internet? We should be prepared, at home and work. Steve Jones has a few comments.
Constant Data Types
Data types are an important part of how tables and variables work. Did you know that constants have databases too?
Intelligence from Data
This week Steve Jones looks at the idea of using AI and machine learning with your data to develop amazing new insight.
Predicates With Subqueries
The ALL, SOME and ANY predicates aren't much used in SQL Server, but they are there. You can use the Exists() predicate instead but the logic is more contorted and difficult to read at a glance. Set-oriented predicates can greatly simplify the answering of many real-life business questions, so it is worth getting familiar with them. Joe Celko explains.
The Exciting World of Data
Steve Jones gave a keynote, and has a little fun this week with the topic of his talk.
Understanding the OVER Clause in SQL Server
Having a solid knowledge of the window functions if vital to high performance T-SQL Code. The key to these functions is how the OVER clause is used. This article will dive into how to use the OVER clause.
SQL Server for Linux
Although SQL Server for Linux removes the concern that adopting SQL Server forces you to also adopt the Windows platform, it could also provide a useful alternative platform, and a more obvious alternative to Oracle. There are, however, several obvious concerns as to how such a product could ever achieve parity with the existing Windows-based product. Microsoft have made an interesting move with several ramifications, as Robert Sheldon explains.
Blogs
Microsoft Fabric OneLake Shortcuts: When to Use Them and When Not To
By James Serra
An architecture scenario Imagine separate Sales, Finance, Shared Data, and Executive Analytics workspaces. Sales...
SQL Server Security Hardening Guide Using the DoD STIG Checklist
Security on your SQL Server is important. That doesn’t need any explaining. But where...
EightKB 2026: Registration is Open!
It’s that time of year again! EightKB is back on August 20th at 13:00...
Forums
Backing Up a DMK
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The Quiet Part
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BIT_COUNT in SQL Server
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Question of the Day
Backing Up a DMK
In SQL Server 2025, I have a database with a Database Masker Key (DMK). I want to back up this key and keep a copy offline. When do I have to open this key before running the backup?
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