Data Masking for Convenience
Steve Jones talks a bit about the new data masking feature in SQL Server 2016 and how useful it can be.
OpenStack: The Good and Not-So-Good Bits
OpenStack holds a great deal of promise as a cloud platform built on open standards, and has support from the major players in cloud services. It has the potential for allowing organisations to set up their own private cloud services that are designed to inter-operate. Is it ready yet for companies that want the convenience of cloud solutions, but with more control, and without the large subscription fees? Robert Sheldon finds out.
Everyone is a Target
Today Steve Jones looks at the targeted attacks by hackers against individual security professionals.
Retrieve file sizes from the file system using Power Query
Koen Verbeeck shows how to easily extract metadata from files in your directories with Power Query.
Data Sprawl
The challenges of data growth and sprawl can be compounded by the variety of tools and platforms available. Steve Jones notes that you might need to learn a bit about different technologies.
Free webinar: DLM Demo
Redgate’s Database Lifecycle Management solution ensures database changes made in development environments are always tested and reviewed before being deployed, and adds automation to the process. Find out how by joining Steve Jones, MVP and editor of SQLServerCentral, as he demonstrates the solution and shows why such an approach is essential if you want to release changes frequently.
Interesting things about INSTEAD OF triggers
This article from Paul White examines some surprising behaviour of INSTEAD OF triggers and reveals a serious cardinality estimation bug in SQL Server 2014.
Baseline Collector Solution V2
New version of the Free Baseline Collector Solution released. Do you collect baseline data? If not, let's start doing it!
Data Liability
The issue of who owns data, and who is responsible is one that our world hasn't defined well. Steve Jones has a few thoughts on potential issues for data professionals.
Learning Stretch Database
References and links about the Stretch to Azure feature in SQL Server 2016.
Blogs
Upgrading SQL Server Containers on the Laptop
By Steve Jones
I don’t have SQL Server installed on my laptop. In an effort to keep...
How to Find Expensive Queries in Amazon Redshift
Slow-running queries can degrade your Redshift cluster’s performance and lead to increased costs. Identifying...
The Notification Trap: How Input Fatigue Is Killing Deep Work in Tech
By gbargsley
If you've been here before, you know this blog is usually about SQL Server,...
Forums
SQL 2019 instance with AG, across 2 Windows 2016 OS servers - OSin-place upgrade
Hi all Can I get some perspective from the community please on performing in-place...
How Long is a Long I/O?
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How Long is a Long...
T-SQL Trigonometric Functions in SQL Server
Comments posted to this topic are about the item T-SQL Trigonometric Functions in SQL...
Question of the Day
How Long is a Long I/O?
In SQL Server 2025, a long I/O is recorded in the error log with message 833. How long much an I/O request be outstanding before this message is written to the log?
See possible answers