Improving SSIS Update Performance
This article includes an examination of how I improved update performance. We examine four methods of loading data into a data warehouse.
Tuning Distributed Applications to Access Big Data
Distributed applications are just that: distributed across one or more hardware platforms across the enterprise. The database administrator (DBA) has the unenviable task of monitoring these environments and configuring and tuning the database server to meet multiple needs. As multiple distributed applications now require access to a very large data store, what tuning options are available to help?
Disk Is Cheap! ORLY?
People often conclude that the cheap price of storage is a license to use as much as possible, but there is a cost.
SQL Relay 2013R2
Come join in the SQL Relay in 2013, attending a user group the week of Nov 11, 2013 in the UK. There are some amazing speakers, so be sure to register and attend.
The ETL from Hell - Diagnosing Batch System Performance Issues
Too often, the batch systems that underlie a lot of database processing just grow without conscious design. When runs start to extend beyond their allotted time, and tuning no longer solves the problem, it is often discovered that batches are run in series, with draconian error handling. It is time to impose some rational design, and Nigel is a seasoned healer of batch processes.
Exporting Execution Plans - SQL Spackle
A short SQL Spackle article to fill in your knowledge of SQL Server. In this one, Jason Brimhall shows how to export execution plans when you ask for query tuning help.
SQL Saturday #248 Tampa
SQLSaturday BI & Big Data Edition is a free training event for everyone interested in learning about Business Intelligence & Big Data with a focus in the Microsoft SQL Server platform. This event will be held November 9th, 2013. In addition to our Saturday free event, we will also host four paid full day pre-conferences.
SQL Server Knockoffs
Will we see a low-cost SQL Server knock-off at some point? Steve Jones thinks it could happen as the RDBMS becomes a commodity product.
Using Views to Expose Encrypted Data in SQL Server
I'm using SQL Server's built-in encryption to hide data in one of my SQL Server databases, but this is a reporting system and my end users need to be able to query the data without having to remember the specialized decryption functions. Is there a way to do this? Yes, there is, via the use of views.
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