SQL Saturday #255 Dallas

SQL Saturday is coming to Dallas on November 2. This is a free, one day conference for SQL Server training and networking.

On November 1, there will be a pre-conference event featuring Andy Leonard, Grant Fritchey, and Drew Minkin.

SQL Server Reporting Services Advanced Charting

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) has evolved over the years to incorporate many new data visualization capabilities. In this article, Scott Murray illustrates how DBAs can use these tools to produce reports that include Indicators, Embedded Charts, Sparklins, and Chart overlays.

Recharge and Relax

Steve Jones has vacation planned for the remainder of the year and encourages you to make sure you are taking your own time off.

Steps to rollback database changes without impacting SQL Server Log Shipping

When pushing a major release to a large production database, you want to know that you'll be able to rollback changes if the need arises. These are some simple steps which we can follow to ensure that we don't have to reconfigure log shipping all over again thereby saving time and ensuring systems are not affected when rolling back changes.

Minor Problems

Steve Jones encourages you to write today on your blog. Don't worry about what anyone else writes; share your own stories and knowledge to grow your brand.

Talend vs. SSIS: A Simple Performance Comparison

With all of the ETL tools in the marketplace, which one is best? Jeff Singleton brings us simple performance comparison pitting SSIS against open source powerhouse Talend.

Identifying Incompatibility Issues When Migrating SQL Server Database to Windows Azure

In this article, Marcin Policht looks at migrating existing SQL Server databases to Windows Azure, starting with identifying obstacles associated with such migrations.

Database Queries and Scalability

Does the database limit the scale of your application? Without a doubt, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't use an RDBMS.

When the reporting team needs an assist...

Collect your data from your servers easily using linked servers.

SQL Server Storage Internals 101

This article is an extract from the book Tribal SQL. In this article, Mark S. Rasmussen offers a concise introduction to the physical storage internals behind SQL Server databases. He doesn't dive into every detail, but provides a simple, clear picture of how SQL Server stores data.