SQL Server PCI DSS Security Patching Checklist
PCI DSS has strict requirements about implementing security updates and using only applications which are supported by the vendors. How do you create a patching policy for SQL Servers?
Multiple Backup Files
This Friday Steve Jones looks at your backup system and wonders how many people use striped backups.
Backing up your SQL Server to Amazon's Cloud in Three Easy Steps
John Grover explains how to set up Amazon S3 storage, install and configure the Amazon PowerShell module, and set up a Maintenance plan using SQL native backups and PowerShell.
Two Days Off
Verizon is taking their cloud service offline for maintenance for two days. Steve Jones doesn't think that sounds good.
Archiving Hierarchical, Deleted Transaction Using XML
When you delete a business transaction from the database, there are times when you might want to keep a record of the data for posterity. In this article, Dwain Camps looks at a tidy means of doing just that.
Test Your Situation
One of the important things is to be able to recover your environment. That doesn't mean you need to know everything about SQL Server and potential disasters, but you should know their affect on your situation.
Importance of Statistics and How It Works in SQL Server – Part 1
SQL Server Query Optimizer uses statistical information to estimate the cardinality in a query result. This enables the SQL Server Query Optimizer to create a high-quality query execution plan. Read on to learn how to use statistics and why it’s needed.
Recovering from Bad Deployments
When you deploy software, what do you do if things don't go well? Steve Jones talks about a few options you might have.
Add a linear trendline to a graph in SQL Server Reporting Services
In this article, Koen Verbeeck illustrates how to add a linear trendline to a graph in SSRS, similar to the way it would appear if done Excel.
SQL Monitor Custom Metric: Identity Columns Near Limit
If your application relies on identity columns, this metric is a useful measure of the number of identity columns that are near to the limit per database. You can then avoid logical problems in your application and SQL Server errors.
Blogs
A Cloud Dependency Failure from Amazon
By Steve Jones
I went to sleep while reading a Kindle book on my phone. I know...
Deploying AI in logistics (the unfiltered version)
A conversation with Jan Laš, CIO at HOPI, about what deploying a data agent...
T-SQL Tuesday #198 Invitation: How Do You Detect Data Changes?
It's time for T-SQL Tuesday #198! This month's topic is change detection. The post T-SQL...
Forums
SPAM Issues May 2026
We suffered a SPAM attack from May 1-6, which unfortunately corresponded with time off...
SQL Password enforcing
Hi to all We have situation at a client where someone is illegally changing...
SQL Password enforcing
Hi to all We have situation at a client where someone is illegally changing...
Question of the Day
Creating a JSON Document III
I have this data in a table called dbo.NFLTeams
TeamID TeamName City YearEstablished ------ -------- ---- --------------- 1 Cowboys Dallas 1960 2 Eagles Philadelphia 1933 3 Packers Green Bay 1919 4 Chiefs Kansas City 1960 5 49ers San Francisco 1946 6 Broncos Denver 1960 7 Seahawks Seattle 1976 8 Patriots New England 1960If I run this code, how many rows are returned?
SELECT TOP 2
json_objectagg('Team' : TeamName)
FROM dbo.NFLTeams;
See possible answers