Max Server Memory Matrix
When we perform diagnostics on an existing SQL Server instance, or if we are setting up a new machine, it’s very important to make sure that we change the Max Server Memory setting to an…
Forecast: Azure Skies Over the Amazon
Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services are taking over. Last week, a client approached me to migrate their complex environment in two phases from two physical data centers, first to Azure VMs, and ultimately to…
Update to Azure Blob Storage Sync and Restore
Blob Storage Sync tool updated During a SQL Server migration this month, I found some inconsistencies in my Azure Blob Storage Sync tool, so I made several improvements, and fixed an outstanding bug. As you…
Basic Availability Groups in SQL Server 2016
One of the new features in SQL Server 2016 Standard Edition, which may appeal to users of the deprecated Database Mirroring feature, is Basic Availability Groups, a variation of Availability Groups found in the Enterprise…
Filmmaking as a Metaphor for the DBA
I worked on four films in 2015, three shorts and one feature-length movie, all shot in Calgary where I live. That has resulted in seven IMDb credits for me, someone who earns a living as…
Happy New Year
Instead of a survey or a technical post, I will take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy new year. 2015 was a good year for me, although it was a bit slow during the summer.…
Survey: Light or Dark
This week I am continuing with the simple survey series. Today my question is, do you prefer using a dark or light background when writing code? I like a light background with dark text (usually…
Survey: Tabs or Spaces
This is my second survey for the month of December. Last week I asked about join predicate order. This week, it’s a simple question: Do you prefer tabs or spaces to indent your T-SQL, and…
Survey: Join Predicate Order
It’s a quiet month as we look forward to 2016, so I’m asking a series of survey questions for the next few posts. My first one is about the order of join predicates. When joining…
Temporal Tables – When To Use Them
Last edited on 18 December 2019. This is the final part of my Temporal Table series. You can read parts one, two and three here. Last week I demonstrated how to modify temporal tables in…
Modifying Temporal Tables – A Primer
This is part three of the Temporal Tables series. You can read parts one and two here. Last week I demonstrated how temporal tables in SQL Server 2016 work. If you have implemented a history…
Temporal Tables Under The Covers
(This is a more technical post than last week. If you are not familiar with SQL Server internals, I will not be upset if you skip it. Otherwise, let’s dive in.) Last week I introduced…
An Introduction to Temporal Tables in SQL Server 2016 using a DeLorean
In 1983, Cyndi Lauper recorded the Billboard chart-topping single, Time After Time, which went on to win the hearts of many lovers in the three decades since then. In 1985, Marty McFly used a DeLorean,…
The SQL Server Family
(This is a non-technical post, and is part of the #SQLNewBlogger Challenge.) This year was my second PASS Summit, and my favourite one so far. Many of the data professionals in attendance with whom I…
Time to upgrade your SQL Server 2005 instance
Last edited on 17 November 2016. As you know, SQL Server 2005 is now over ten years old. Microsoft has helpfully provided a list of ten reasons why you should be upgrading from SQL Server 2005. The…