How to Calculate Distance Between Coordinates in SQL Server
Learn a quick way to calculate distances without resorting to spatial calculations.
2026-05-08
2,048 reads
SQL Server
Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments Level 2 - Defining the Deployment Contract
Level 2 formalizes the behavioral guarantees that a changeset must provide in order to be safely deployed and rolled back. It introduces the deployment contract, checkpoint semantics, and the structural scope of Create and Rollback scripts. Data changes are addressed through a dedicated Update mechanism, with clear boundaries and limitations. By the end of this level, a changeset becomes a predictable and well-defined unit that can be reasoned about independently of execution context.
2026-05-06
738 reads
Understanding Deadlock Victim Selection in SQL Server
A short introduction to how deadlocks work and how you can affect their behavior inside your system.
2026-05-01
2,570 reads
T-SQL Trigonometric Functions in SQL Server
Introduction SQL Server includes several built-in mathematical functions that allow developers to perform complex calculations directly within queries. Among these are trigonometric functions such as SIN(), COS(), and TAN(), which are useful in scenarios involving engineering calculations, geographic data processing, simulations, and analytics. Although these functions are straightforward to use, developers occasionally encounter unexpected results […]
2026-04-29
2,239 reads
Designing Database Changes Before Deployment: Level 1 of the Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments
Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments introduces a progressive approach to managing database changes with clear intent, predictable rollback, and explicit behavioral guarantees. Starting from change design and moving toward execution and coordination in complex environments, the Stairway provides a conceptual framework for deploying database changes safely and consistently, independent of specific tools or automation platforms.
2026-04-15
1,472 reads
Creating a Simple and Flexible Random Password Generator in SQL Server
Generating temporary passwords is a common requirement in many applications. Users may need to reset a forgotten password, new accounts may require an initial password, or developers may generate test credentials. While password generation is often implemented in application code, doing it directly in SQL Server provides clear advantages. It centralizes the logic, ensures consistency […]
2026-04-10
1,874 reads
2025-11-21
152 reads
SQL Automate - A DBA's Time-Saving Toolkit
SQLAutomate is a lightweight PowerShell tool that simplifies SQL Server deployment by automating both installation and post-installation configuration. Whether you're setting up one instance or dozens, this guide shows how to use SQLAutomate to save time and reduce manual work.
2025-06-06
10,409 reads
Analyzing Tempdb Spills and Usage Across Recursive Queries
This article examines how tempdb is affected by recursive queries, using a few different methods.
2025-05-23
2,186 reads
How to Safely Remove a SQL Server Data File Without Downtime
Learn how to safely remove a SQL Server .ndf data file without any downtime using DBCC SHRINKFILE (EMPTYFILE). This hands-on tutorial walks through real-world Azure-based setup, data redistribution, and storage cleanup — ideal for DBAs managing enterprise SQL Server environments.
2025-05-16
2,993 reads
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Forums
Unraveling the Mysteries of the Ephemeral Model: The Fabric Modern Data Platform
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Unraveling the Mysteries of the...
QUOTENAME Behavior
Comments posted to this topic are about the item QUOTENAME Behavior
Running script without having permission to Function
Good Morning. I have a T-SQL Script which has been developed to execute a...
Question of the Day
QUOTENAME Behavior
I use QUOTENAME() like this in code?
DECLARE @s VARCHAR(20) = 'Steve Jones' SELECT QUOTENAME(@s, '>')What is returned? See possible answers