Stairway to U-SQL Level 4: U-SQL and Data Lake Tooling with Visual Studio
A guide to using Visual Studio to create U-SQL projects and scripts.
The Relentless Cloud
The march to the cloud is ongoing and Steve Jones says you should prepare yourself. Even if your company doesn't move.
Number of Rows Read / Actual Rows Read warnings in Plan Explorer
Rob Farley looks at information exposed in query plans about residual predicates and actual rows read, showing how Plan Explorer helps identify the issue.
Databases in Azure: Copy and Exports
Toady we are going to make a copy and export your DB to Azure Storage. Lets get started.
Scary Deployments
Today Steve Jones talks about the problem of having code that people are afraid to change or deploy.
Planning for a Successful Database Lifecycle
Although it is well-known that the best efforts of a development team can be derailed by mistakes in the architecture, design and general governance of a development project, few attempts have been made to describe what needs to be done to increase the chances of success in the development of a database application. William Brewer steps into the breach to itemise what a delivery team needs to succeed.
Delivering Rapid Improvements to SSMS
SSMS has spent years being neglected, merely being kept compatible with SQL Server and its features: But now we have, instead, the promise of monthly delivery of new functionality
Security is Getting Serious
Today Steve Jones notes that back doors could be inserted into chips, which would be a huge problem.
SQL Authentication Via AD Groups Part III: What About Orphaned Users?
With AD Authentication via groups, SQL Server is vulnerable to orphaned Windows users' logins being added to SQL Server at a later date. This article gives an improved user audit script that detects orphaned DB Users and also a delete script.
Encrypting and Decrypting SQL Server Stored Procedures, Views and User-Defined Functions
You work in a shop that puts business or application logic in SQL Server using stored procedures, views and functions to return values to the calling applications or perform tasks. This is not unusual for companies that use the SQL Server layer to perform
Blogs
Databases and AI Agents
By Arun Sirpal
As part of my wider work exploring Claude Code and AI-assisted database engineering, I...
Creating a Pulsing Conducting Baton - Part 1
By Bert Wagner
Train Wreck The last time I watched a high school band nearly fall apart mid-performance...
ISACA AI Material/Exam Prep Discount (May 18 – June 30, 2026)
By Brian Kelley
If you are considering any of the ISACA AI certs like the Advanced Artificial...
Forums
Why Your Index Isn't Being Used? - Reading Execution Plans to Find the Real Culprit
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Why Your Index Isn't Being...
Distance Metric Algorithms
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Distance Metric Algorithms
What Can AI Really Do?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item What Can AI Really Do?
Question of the Day
Distance Metric Algorithms
What are the distance metric algorithms that can be used in VECTOR_DISTANCE()?
See possible answers