One of the most common problems when running SQL Servers is slow queries. The help desk or database team usually hears that described as the application is slow or ...

A common SQL habit is to use SELECT * on a query, because it’s tedious to list all the columns you need. Plus, sometimes those columns may change over time, so why not just do things the easy way? But ...

I have been testing SQL Server 2008 RC0 (Release Candidate Zero) that was made available recently and I must admit I am beginning to like it. Even the new logo is growing on me. There are many new ...

I have taught several classes on the new features of SQL Server 2008, made a Web Seminar and written a Whitepaper on the subject. I have also attended the SQL PASS Summit in Seattle where there were ...

SQL Server 2008, aka “Katmai,” gives SQL Server shops plenty of reasons to get excited. The best SQL Server release to date, it sports more nice new features than you can count, and the improvements ...

Database troubleshooting is not for the faint of heart, especially when it comes to troubleshooting locking and blocking problems. Sometimes the elephant in the room is actually a rhino, a problem ...

In-memory databases are all the rage for very fast query processing, but you have to have the right balance of compute and memory for queries against in-memory databases to really scream. Sometimes, a ...

With JSON now the default format for moving data between clients and servers, SQL Server adds JSON support to make it easier to get your data out of the database and down to the client. SQL Server ...

SQL Server 2016 lets you treat JSON objects like rows in a table, allowing you to use data from AJAX queries in joins, updates and any other SQL statement you can think of. SQL Server 2016 provides ...