Forcing Strong Passwords
Passwords are always a challenge, but are bad passwords the users' fault? Steve Jones has a few thoughts.
SQL Server CROSS APPLY and OUTER APPLY
Arshad Ali demonstrates what the APPLY operator is, how it differs from regular JOINs, and what its applications are.
Should Production Databases Be in a VCS?
Steve Jones talks version control, but from the production perspective.
Introduction to Azure SQL Database Elastic Database Pools
Traditional deployments of Azure SQL Database involve identifying projected resource requirements and selecting individual Azure SQL Database instances. For fluctuating workloads, this frequently results in over- or under-provisioning. To address this challenge, Microsoft offers another approach to sizing Azure SQL Database that relies on Elastic Database Pools. Marcin Policht takes a look.
Zero Downtime for 2016
Someone made a call to architect zero downtime for databases. Steve Jones isn't sure this is the best thing you could do.
Using R Machine Learning Script as a Power BI Desktop Data Source
You can develop a Power BI Dashboard that uses an R machine learning script as its data source and custom visuals. Here is a simple example that shows how to connect to data sources over the Internet, cleanse, transform and enrich the data through the use analytical datasets returned by the R script, design the dashboard and finally share it.
The Push to Upgrade from SQL Server 2005
There's a push to upgrade those SQL Server 2005 instances with support ending this April.
Moved to the Cloud?
Are you thinking about the cloud yet? Redgate is conducting some research into cloud adoption to better understand both the drivers and the blockers. Whether or not you’ve taken the plunge yet, they would love to hear from you. Participate in the survey and be entered into a draw to win an Amazon gift card worth $100.
SQL Server System Views: The Basics
When maintaining or refactoring an unfamiliar database, you'll need a fast way to uncover all sorts of facts about the database, its tables, columns keys and indexes. SQL Server's plethora of system catalog views, INFORMATION_SCHEMA views, and dynamic management views contain all the metadata you need, but it isn't always obvious which views are best to use for which sort of information. Many of us could do with a simple explanation, and who better to provide one than Rob Sheldon?
Reasonable Timeframes
Steve Jones talks about the timeframes for updating and fixing security problems in applications.
Blogs
Funny Money: #SQLNewBlogger
By Steve Jones
While wandering around the documentation looking for some Question of the Day topics, I...
Why Database AI Agents need Layers?
By Arun Sirpal
Third part in my Ai series with databases. When building AI solutions within the...
Un-Migrating From the Cloud: T-SQL Tuesday #199
By Steve Jones
This month we have a very interesting invitation from Koen Verbeeck. He has hosted...
Forums
How Do the Experts Become Experts?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How Do the Experts Become...
Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments Level 4 – Preparing for Production Deployment
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments...
Secure Communications
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Secure Communications
Question of the Day
Secure Communications
As of June 2026, what is the best version of TLS to use with SQL Server?
See possible answers