How to Identify Useful SQL Server Table Statistics
In this article, Fikrat Azizov describes the different approaches to maintaining statistics and shows how you can use the data from your servers for intelligent statistics updates.
More Overloads
The overloading of terms creates confusion, which means that communication is more difficult.
Third Party Visuals in Power BI Desktop
Power BI is as extensible as it is powerful In this article you will see how to impress your users with added visuals
Is a RID Lookup faster than a Key Lookup?
For T-SQL Tuesday #78, Aaron Bertrand takes a look at whether RID Lookups are faster than Key Lookups, with a small battery of fairly simple duration tests.
Great Developers
A great developer is worth more than an average one, but how much more? Steve Jones has a few thoughts for you to think about.
Mentors and Professional Groups
When wrestling with technical problems or ideas, it is good to discuss with, argue against, present ideas to, and listen to your colleagues. This is true of anyone working in IT, but really important for the likes of database professionals who are engaged in a very rapidly-developing engineering specialism that demands that you keep up […]
Connecting to SQL Data Warehouse
The most frustrating thing with any new system is often just working out how to connect to it. Oddly, you can’t use SSMS with SQL Data Warehouse, but it is fine with SSDT, SSIS, Power BI desktop, sqlcmd, BCP, and a range of Microsoft cloud services - there are PowerShell Cmdlets too. Rob Sheldon provides the details.
Bias, the Serial Killer of Diversity
Today we have a guest editorial from Kellyn Pot'Vin that tackles the tough topic of diversity.
Dynamically Query a 100 Million Row Table-Efficiently
This article describes methods of creating dynamic queries without the use of dynamic SQL to efficiently access large tables.
Automatically Creating UML Database Diagrams for SQL Server
SQL Server database developers seem reluctant to use diagrams when documenting their databases. It is probably because it has, in the past, been difficult to automatically draw precisely what you want, other than a vast Entity-relationship diagram. However, you can do it without buying any third-party tool, just using some existing Java-based open-source tools; and can even automate it entirely, using SQL and PowerShell. Phil Factor shows how.
Blogs
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...
A Fabric solution can be very cost effective
By ChrisJenkins
Are you currently using Microsoft Fabric or considering migrating to it? If so, there...
Track SQL Server Configuration Changes Using the Error Log
By SQLPals
Track SQL Server Configuration Changes Using the Error Log If you...
Forums
Before Using AI with Business Data, Read This
Artificial intelligence tools are quickly becoming part of daily business operations, from document analysis...
Designing SQL Server ETL Pipelines That Don't Break at Scale
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Designing SQL Server ETL Pipelines...
Detecting Deadlocks Quickly
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Detecting Deadlocks Quickly
Question of the Day
Detecting Deadlocks Quickly
In the Database Engine, when a deadlock is detected, what does the detection interval shrink to (in time)?
See possible answers