Using Extended Properties To Keep Everyone Informed
Use CMS and Extended Properties to store information about multiple servers, including the stakeholders who should know about any maintenance you are planning.
SQL Server Optimizer – Under the Hood Part 1
In this series of short articles, we lift the hood of the SQL Server Optimizer to examine a few of the many clever tricks used to optimize query performance. In Part I, we look at partial aggregate operators – an extremely clever way of downsizing certain large joins into much smaller (and faster) joins.
2013 in Review
Steve Jones looks back at 2013, starting with his predictions on Jan 1 and looking at how data and SQL Server impacted our community.
Set Up And Schedule a Server Side Trace
How to use Profiler to generate TSQL scripts that can be modified and automated to run as a server-side trace
The DBA's Big Data Holiday Wish List
Big data is now a standard part of information technology architecture for most large organizations. As a database administrator, with the holiday season upon us, I have the following items and notions on my holiday wish list. Here's hoping that I am gifted one or more of these; each one gives me something that I want or need.
Creating templates for use in BIDS (SQL Spackle)
Learn how to create and use templates in BIDS in this short SQL Spackle article.
Mining for Quitters
Google is trying to figure out who might quit the company, using their own custom application. Steve Jones thinks this is a great idea and wishes more companies would do it.
The Ultimate Tool List
This week Steve Jones looks at a few tools that can help your productivity and links to a few more.
Migrating SQL Server Database to Windows Azure - Deploying SQL Database
There are a few challenges associated with deployments of data services in Windows Azure, focusing in particular on SQL Database. In this article we turn our attention to an actual deployment and migration of locally stored data to SQL Database.
The Zero to N Parameter Problem (Sql Server 2005 and Up -- Update)
This article uses XML to deal with optional parameters along with multiple parameter passed into a stored procedure. (Note: We are re-running this as we had a newsletter issue last week)
Blogs
A New Word: los vidados
By Steve Jones
los vidados – n. the half-remembered acquaintances you knew years ago, who you might...
In-Person CISA Training – April 13-16, 2026
By Brian Kelley
I will be leading an in-person Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam prep class...
EightKB 2026
EightKB is back again for 2026! The biggest online SQL Server internals conference is...
Forums
query to track time spent on individual tasks in SSIS
Hi everyone I am looking at building a query to determine how much time...
SQL Server Transactional Replication from Always On Availability Groups to Azure SQL Database
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Server Transactional Replication from...
Hidden Heroes
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Hidden Heroes
Question of the Day
Identities and Sequences I
When thinking of the Identity property for auto incrementing columns and sequences for the same action, which are explicitly linked to increment a number in a table when a new row is added?
See possible answers