Converting Rows to Columns (PIVOT) and Columns to Rows (UNPIVOT) in SQL Server
Learn how to convert row values into column values (PIVOT) and column values into row values (UNPIVOT) in SQL Server.
How do you use change scripts for your database deployments?
Redgate is researching how people deploy their database changes. This is a very quick survey, and there's an opportunity to sign up for a research call in exchange for a $50 Amazon voucher.
Cellular Automation – SQL Server CPU, IO and Hekaton Stress Testing
This article shows how you can use SQL Server spatial methods, mathematical rules and oscillating patterns to benchmark CPU, IO and Hekaton performance.
Five Minute Refactoring
The debate over how to change code or solve a problem can create arguments that last for years. Steve Jones notes the idea of limiting debates to five minutes is interesting.
The Challenges of Space
CSS Engineers at Microsoft are reporting more space issues with database systems. Steve Jones has a few comments.
Powershell day-to-day Admin tasks: WMI, CIM and PSWA
WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) is the basic way of querying and changing basic information about any windows server, including SQL Server or Exchange Server. It provides a logical structure and representation of systems and services that are hosted on the server and is essential for anyone who is keen to automate routine monitoring and administration work via PowerShell, especially where many servers are involved in the task.
Stored Procedures and SQL Injection
Why do stored procedures help with security? In this piece, MVP Brian Kelley explains why SQL Injection and information gathering are hampered with stored procedures.
Managing Test Data as a Database CI Component - Part 2
Tim Hidalgo goes through some practical demos to show you how you can automatically keep your testing environments up to date, and ship more robust databases.
Add Styles to Your Reporting Services Reports
Reporting Services provides a robust reporting platform that rivals many other products. New author Adam Aspin stars a series on how you can dress up your reports and maintain good development practices.
Blogs
Automatic Index Compaction
By ReviewMyDB
Index maintenance has always meant nightly jobs and a window you have to defend....
The Goldilocks problem – Materialized Views
I’m sure you’ve all heard the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but...
Monday Monitor Tips: Virtual Machine Usage and Cost
By Steve Jones
One of the things I’ve been requesting for a number of years is cost...
Forums
SQL Art, Part 4: Happy 4th of July — A British DBA's Guide to Celebrating a War We Don't Talk About
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Art, Part 4: Happy...
How We Handled a Vendor Retry That Loaded Twice in Snowflake
Comments posted to this topic are about the item How We Handled a Vendor...
Cognitive Coverage
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Cognitive Coverage
Question of the Day
Getting the Average
I have this data in the dbo.Commission table in a SQL Server 2022 database.
salesperson commission Brian 12 Brian 16 Andy 7 Andy 14 Andy 21 Steve 20 Steve NULLAll the data is a varchar, and I decide to run this query to get the totals for each salesperson.
SELECT SalesPerson
, AVG(TRY_PARSE(Commission AS int)) AS TotalCommission
FROM commission
GROUP BY SalesPerson
GO
What average commission is calculated for Steve? See possible answers