The SQL Server 2008 Datetimeoffset Data Type
The Datetimeoffset Data Type was introduced in SQL Server 2008 (and .Net Frameword 3.5) and is the most advanced date and time date type available.
Transactional Replication and the Ballooning Log File
A drive on a mission-critical server is reaching capacity, and the new DBA is panicking. How do you approach a ballooning log file that won’t stop growing?
SQL Server Analysis Services ProcessAdd for a Partition
Is there a way to process only the new data for a partition in SQL Server Analysis Services? Yes, this is accomplished in SQL Server Analysis Services with the ProcessAdd option for partitions. Daniel Calbimonte demonstrates how it works.
The Endless Upgrade Cycle
Steve Jones notes that security can be a reason to upgrade your systems, but it can also result in an endless cycle.
Private Cloud, What Is It and Why Do You Need It?
Even when organisations cannot make full use of public cloud for reasons of security or bandwidth limitations, many of the advantages of flexibility and rapid deployment can be made by providing a private cloud. Jaap Wesselius wonders if private clouds provide a new paradigm for enterprises.
Inspiring Change
Day 2 at the PASS Summit provides some inspiration for Steve Jones at the Women in Technology luncheon.
Demonstrating the Effects of Using Data Compression in SQL Server
How much space would compressing a particular index will save? How will this affect query performance? Derek Colley walks you through the effects of using data compression in SQL Server.
Divide and Conquer
Schemas may be largely irrelevant to small databases, where it is no trouble to assign permissions to individual objects, but they are vital for a hard working corporate database that is being actively developed and used by several applications, with thousands of objects that must be assigned the correct permission.
Is Unit Testing Important?
Testing our applications is important, but at what level do we need to test? Steve Jones talks about unit testing today, and wonders if this is prevalent for SQL Server developers.
Worst Day as a DBA Story Finalists
We asked DBAs to share their worst days. Some are funny, others tragic, many both. Here are the 5 finalists, vote for your favorite story to be THE worst day as a DBA.
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