Interfaces
The interface is crucial for getting data in and out of a system. Steve Jones talks a little about past interfaces and possible future ones.
Different Ways to Restore a SQL Server Database
This article describes the SQL Server database restore principles for full backups, differential backups and transaction log backups and how to perform the restores to get to a particular point in time. This tip describes SQL Server database restore principles on a database that is using the FULL recovery model.
Database Restore Automation
Read about Paul Brewer's Framework (Version 2) for Database Restore Automation.
Encrypting SQL Code
This Friday's poll looks at the encryption options for your code in SQL Server. Steve Jones asks if there is a benefit for these routines.
Testing Matters
Testing matters for software and Steve Jones points out a current example of where cutting testing has caused lots of problems.
Fundamentals of Vendor Management
Creating and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with external vendors is one of the pillars of good project management. Dwain Camps goes through what to expect and allow in your client-vendor relationship during the various stages of a given project to ensure its success and secure that all important win-win outcome.
Normalizing-Denormalized Tables
Explains how to normalize a table without breaking the application or doing any application code changes.
The T-SQL Paradigm
This Friday, Steve Jones looks for opinions on what you think of the T-SQL language. Is it well structured or does it really need help?
Calculating Values within a Rolling Window in Transact SQL
Before the SQL Window functions were implemented, it was tricky to calculate rolling totals or moving averages efficiently in SQL Server. There are now a number of techniques, but which has the best performance? Dwain Camps gets out the metaphorical stopwatch.
Becoming an MVP
Steve Jones has a few thoughts on the Microsoft MVP program and the desire of many people to become an MVP.
Blogs
Advice I Like: Respect
By Steve Jones
“Don’t aim to have others like you; aim to have them respect you.” –...
Blue Sky Programming – The Optimism Trap
Many years ago, before I joined Oracle, I was working on a major modernisation...
Setting Up a Mac for Data Engineering and AI Work
If you work with data pipelines, SQL, notebooks, or machine learning models, a Mac...
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...
locking down agent for new user on our dev machine
hi , a new user wants to be able to add sql agent jobs...
SQL Server Enum Implementation: A Single-Row View Strategy for Avoiding Magic Values
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Server Enum Implementation: A...
Question of the Day
BIT_COUNT I
In SQL Server 2025, I have a table (dbo.UserPermission) that contains this data:
UserID UserPermissions 15 23 37What is returned when I run this code:
select bit_count(UserPermissions) as PermissionCount from dbo.UserPermission where UserID = 3;See possible answers