Using the WMI Event Watcher Task in SSIS to Process Data Files
With the WMI Event Watcher Task in SSIS we can import files as soon as they arrive.
You Can Still Vote for PASS
If you couldn't vote last week or didn't get a ballot, you still can. Please go to www.sqlpass.org and learn more.
Ninja Immutable Databases
'Immutable' databases operate under the principle that data or objects should not be modified after they are created. Once again they hold the promise of providing strong consistency combined with horizontal read scalability, and built-in caching. Are Immutable databases a new idea? Are they different in any way from the mainstream RDBMSs?
Data Compression and Snapshot Isolation
Data Compression and Snapshot Isolation don't play well together, you may not see a performance benefit
The Final Service Packs
Microsoft has released a final service pack for SQL Server 2008 R2, which many of you might want to install.
Protect Confidential SQL Server Data Q and A
Following on from a webcast, Tim Smith answers some questions on SQL Server security like: Is It Better To Mask At the Application Level Or The SQL Server Database Level? Are there any options to find SSNs in SQL Server besides RegEx? And, why would anyone store sensitive data un-encrypted in SQL Server?
Life Logging
This editorial was orignally published on Dec 8, 2009. It is being re-run as Steve is on vacation. Would you like the idea of capturing everything you do? Audio, video, text, code, a log of your life. A new book from Microsoft Research talks about this and Steve Jones things it could be an interesting capability for your career.
Filling In Missing Values Using the T-SQL Window Frame
Since SQL Server delivered the entire range of window functions, there has been far less justification for using the non-standard ex-Sybase 'Quirky Update' tricks to perform the many permutations of running totals in SQL Server. One of these related problems is the 'Data Smear'. Do window functions make this easier, and what is performance like? Dwain Camps investigates.
Challenge Yourself
How do you grow your career? Steve Jones has a few ideas on what you can do to both improve your skills and build your brand.
Synchronize Salesforce with SQL Server using SSIS
Easily synchronize live Salesforce data with SQL Server using the Salesforce SSIS DataFlow Tasks.
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