Stairway to Transaction Log Management in SQL Server, Level 4: Managing the Log in Simple Recovery Mode
Tony describes in more detail the SIMPLE recovery model, and the way it works, its advantages and disadvantages.
Managed Instance Gotchas – Configuration Items
Validate all of your settings and be prepared to make some changes during your migration process. Most of the incompatible options make sense when you think about the purpose of SQL MI – it is controlled by Microsoft. Hardware settings, local file access, high-availability settings, and auditing are configured differently or completely disabled.
Azure SQL Performance Tuning: Mastering Indexes, Partitioning, and Clustered Columnstore
Learn a few ways to improve performance in your Azure SQL Databases through better indexing, partitioning, and columnstore index consideration.
Shorten the Debate
Steve talks about the process of decision making with idea for shortening the time taken.
Techniques to query Azure SQL’s new JSON Datatype
The new JSON field type and new functions in Azure SQL brings a new world of possibilities for JSON manipulation in SQL Databases. These features are slated to be a part of SQL Server 2025 as well. Let’s analyze some practical uses of these features
Level 1 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics - Create a Synapse Workspace
In this first level of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics, we learn how to set up a new workspace and add data files.
Level 2 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics: Analyze Data in Storage Account using the Serverless SQL pool
In this second level of the Stairway to Synapse, we learn how to create external tables and query data that is stored in our data storage using the serverless pool.
Level 3 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics: Analyze Data Using a Spark Pool
Introduction In Level 1 of this series, I discussed Synapse Analytics basics and the steps for creation of the Synapse Workspace. In Level 2, data analysis was done on Data Lake files using Serverless SQL Pool. In Level 3, I will analyze data from the files uploaded in Data Lake container using a Spark Pool. I will […]
Level 4 of the Stairway to Synapse Analytics: Create and Use a Delta Lake
Introduction In Level 1 of this series, I discussed Synapse Analytics basics and the steps for creating the Synapse Workspace. In Level 2, we analyzed Data Lake files using the Serverless SQL Pool. In Level 3, we analyzed Data Lake files using the Spark Pool. In Levels 4 and level 5, I will discuss the Delta […]
Blogs
T-SQL Tuesday #203: Risk and Reward
By Steve Jones
This is timely, as I’m currently on a boat in the Adriatic taking a...
dataMinds Connect 2026 – Slides & Scripts
You can find the slides and SQL scripts for my session “Spice up your...
How to Clear the SSMS Cache (SSMS 21 and Later)
By SQLPals
How to Clear the SSMS Cache (SSMS 21 and Later) Updated...
Forums
Using CHOOSE()
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Using CHOOSE()
Re-Seeding a Broken Log Shipping Secondary (Without Touching the Primary)
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Re-Seeding a Broken Log Shipping...
The DBA is Dead! Long Live the !
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The DBA is Dead! Long...
Question of the Day
Using CHOOSE()
We have this code that sets some status values and then queries them using the CHOOSE() function in SQL Server 2025.
CREATE TABLE Status
(
StatusID INT,
StatusDescription VARCHAR(20)
);
GO
INSERT dbo.Status
(
StatusID,
StatusDescription
)
VALUES
(0, 'Uncategorized'),
(1, 'Active'),
(2, 'Inactive'),
(3, 'Temp');
GO
SELECT CHOOSE(StatusID, 'Unknown', 'Active', 'Inactive', 'Temporary')
FROM Status;
When the SELECT runs, what is returned? See possible answers