SQL Server Tips, Articles and Training

SQL Server resources to solve real world problems for DBAs, Developers and BI Pros - all for free. Check out tips, articles, scripts, videos, tutorials, live events and more all related to SQL Server.

Next Webcast - How to manage SQL Server Agent Jobs

SQL Server Agent is a fantastic tool that ships with most editions of SQL Server and offers some basic management tools. But when your environment grows beyond a few servers and a few jobs, those management tools can fall short of your needs.

Author: Eric Blinn

Power BI Filter Pane

Data Filtering | Configurations - In this tip we look at a new feature in Power BI that allows users to filter data in Power BI reports using the new Filter Pane.

Author: Scott Murray

Create SQL Server Database with PowerShell

PowerShell | CREATE DATABASE | Scripts - In this tip we look at different ways to create a new SQL Server database using PowerShell.

Author: Joe Gavin

SQL Server 2019 Installation Enhancements for MAXDOP and Max Memory

SQL Server 2019 | MAXDOP | Max Memory - In this article we look at some new configuration settings you can set during installation of SQL Server 2019 that did not exist in earlier versions.

Author: Aaron Bertrand

10 Sources for the Best Professional Recommendations

Interviewing | Recommendations - In this article we look at different ways to create great recommendation sources to help you with that next job or consulting gig.

Author: Erica Woods

Create an Azure Function to execute SQL on a Snowflake Database - Part 2

Snowflake Database | Azure Data Factory - In this article we look at how to create an Azure Function that can be used in Azure Data Factory to query a Snowflake Database.

Author: Koen Verbeeck

Memory-Optimized TempDB Metadata in SQL Server 2019

TempDB Performance | Configuration - In this article we look at a new feature in SQL Server 2019 that can help improve TempDB performance.

Author: Aaron Bertrand

SQL Server 2019 Has Launched

News | SQL Server 2019 - SQL Server 2019 was released on November 6, 2019 with new features including Azure SQL Edge, Big Data, analytics, Azure Data Studio and the TPC-H world record.

Author: Edgewood Solutions

Query AWS Athena Data from SQL Server

AWS Athena | Development | Linked Servers - Learn how to query data from AWS Athena using SQL Server linked servers and openquery.

Author: Maria Zakourdaev

SQL Server Function to Measure CPU Usage Per Database

Performance | CPU Usage | T-SQL Script - In this article we look at a script that can be used to show CPU usage by SQL Server database to get an idea which databases are consuming the most CPU on your server.

Author: Eli Leiba

Securing Azure Storage Account with Shared Access Signature

Azure Storage Account | Security - In this tip we learn how to secure objects stored in Azure Storage using Shared Access Signatures.

Author: Mohammed Moinudheen

SQL Server User Defined Function Example

User Defined Functions | T-SQL | Examples - In this tip we look at examples for creating SQL Server user defined functions for scalar-valued, table-valued and multi-statement table-valued functions.

Author: Rick Dobson

Script all Primary Keys, Unique Constraints and Foreign Keys in a SQL Server database using T-SQL

As SQL Server DBAs we may need to generate a script for the creation of all Primary Keys, Unique and Foreign Key constraints. We know with the SQL Server native tools that there is not a way to meet this need all at the same time. In this tip we look at two simple scripts to generate the SQL Server Primary Keys, Unique and Foreign Key constraints and also provide two scripts for dropping these constraints.

Author: Percy Reyes

SQL Database Project Code Branching in Git

Source Control | Git | Branching - In this article we look at how to use Git for source control when working on SQL Server projects and specifically how to create and work with code branches using Git.

Author: Haroon Ashraf

Seamless Monitoring and Reporting for SQL Server

SolarWinds Server and Application Monitor (SAM) provides a one-stop method to easily and seamlessly implement a top tier monitoring and reporting system for your SQL Servers and entire infrastructure.

Author: Scott Murray

Create a SQL Server Linked Server to Azure SQL Database

Linked Server | Azure SQL Database - In this article we look at how to setup a linked server between a local SQL Server and an Azure SQL Database.

Author: Nisarg Upadhyay

UNION vs. UNION ALL in SQL Server

Sometimes there is a need to combine data from multiple tables or views into one comprehensive dataset. This may be for like tables within the same database or maybe there is a need to combine like data across databases or even across servers. I have read about the UNION and UNION ALL commands, but how do these work and how do they differ?

Author: Greg Robidoux

Create an Azure Function to Connect to a Snowflake Database - Part 1

Snowflake Database | Azure Data Factory - In this tip we look at how to connect to a Snowflake database when using Azure Data Factory pipelines.

Author: Koen Verbeeck

Entity Framework Core Disconnected Entities with TrackGraph

Entity Framework Core | Disconnected Applications - In this article we look at how to handle complex data in disconnected scenarios using the TrackGraph method in Entity Framework Core (EF Core).

Author: Joydip Kanjilal

Simulating ON DELETE CASCADE in SQL Server

T-SQL DELETE | Foreign Key References | Code Samples - In this tip we look at a SQL Server script you can use to see the impact of deleting a record from a table has on other tables that have foreign key references to table.

Author: Aaron Bertrand

Recover SQL Server Resource Database

SQL Server Post Update Failure | Troubleshooting - In this tip we look at the steps to recover missing SQL Server mssqlsystemresource database files that cause SQL Server not to startup. This can occur when an update to SQL Server does not complete successfully therefore making these files absent from the folder where they need to reside.

Author: Daniel Farina

Azure Data Factory Until Activity Example

Azure Data Factory | Until Activity | Iterative Logic - In this tip we look at how to use an Until activity in an Azure Data Factory pipeline for iterative logic.

Author: Fikrat Azizov

Skip-2.0 Malware Impacts SQL Server - Should I Be Worried?

Security Notice | skip-2.0 - There's a new piece of malware named skip-2.0 and it targets SQL Server. In this article learn what is it, where it came from, and how to protect your SQL Servers.

Author: K. Brian Kelley

Compare SQL Server Results of Two Queries

Code Tuning | Data Comparison | T-SQL Samples - In this tip we look at a simple way to compare the output from two different queries that are supposed to provide the same output to make sure the query results are exactly the same for both.

Author: Jim Evans

SQL Server Implicit Conversions Performance Issues

Performance Tuning | Diagnostics | Resolution - In this tip we learn about implicit conversions that occur in SQL Server. We will look at an example, how to fix and also how to detect using extended events.

Author: K. Brian Kelley

Setup SQL Server Database Mail to use a Gmail, Hotmail, or Outlook account

Database Mail | Configuration - In this tip we will walk through how you can setup SQL Server Database Mail to use email services like Gmail, Hotmail or Outlook.

Author: Mohammed Moinudheen

Create SQL Server Database using SQL Server Management Studio

Database Management | Beginner | Step by Step - In this tip we look at how to create a new SQL Server database using the SQL Server Management GUI along with some database option settings you can use when creating a new database.

Author: Joe Gavin

Power BI Workbooks

Power BI Workbooks | Step by Step - In this tip we look at how to work with Power BI workbooks and in the previous tip we looked at working with Power BI datasets.

Author: Koen Verbeeck

Entity Core Framework Query Types

Entity Framework | Code Samples - In this article we look at how to use Query Types when working with Entity Framework Core, compare and contrast the features and provide code samples to get started.

Author: Joydip Kanjilal

Azure Storage Explorer Overview

Azure | Azure Storage Explorer - Learn how to manage the contents of an Azure storage account using the Azure Storage Explorer.

Author: Mohammed Moinudheen

Find Embedded SQL Server Logins in Jobs, Linked Servers or SSISDB

Script | Login and Password | Search - In this tip we look at a script you can use to see if a login and password is embedded somewhere with in your Linked Servers, SQL Server Agent Jobs or SSISDB information.

Author: Pablo Echeverria

Azure Data Factory ForEach Activity Example

Azure Data Factory | ForEach Activity | Step By Step - In this tip we look at how to use the ForEach activity when there is a need for iterative loops in Azure Data Factory.

Author: Fikrat Azizov

Using hash values in SSIS to determine when to insert or update rows

When you want to load data into your data warehouse, for example into one of your dimensions, you need to determine if an incoming row is either an update – a historical change – or an insert, which is a new occurrence of a record. In this tip we show how you can use hash values to eliminate unnecessary inserts and updates for existing data.

Author: Koen Verbeeck

Create a basic KPI in SQL Server Reporting Services 2016

We are using SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) 2016. I'd like to create a key performance indicator (KPI) to track the status of my orders. I'd also like to show this KPI on any mobile device. Read this to learn how.

Author: Koen Verbeeck

Logging Level Recommendations for the SQL Server Integration Services Catalog

In the Integration Services (SSIS) catalog, there are several options for the built-in logging. These options are called logging levels and they control the granularity of the logging when SSIS packages run in the catalog. In this tip we will cover each of these logging levels.

Author: Koen Verbeeck

Impact of UTF-8 support in SQL Server 2019

SQL Server Data Type | Storage | Performance - SQL Server 2019 introduces support for UTF-8 for data storage. In this tip we take a look at this new option and whether it is something worth considering using or not.

Author: Aaron Bertrand

SQL Server Transparent Data Encryption Alternative Solution - NetLib Security Encryptionizer

Whether you are facing GDPR, HIPAA, PCI, etc. regulations, encrypting your SQL Server databases is a critical component to be compliant. SQL Server offers a few different options to encrypt databases including column level encryption and transparent data encryption with Enterprise Edition. Learn about alternative solutions to be compliant.

Author: Jeremy Kadlec

How to create a table using SQL Server Management Studio

Table Creation | How-To | Step By Step - In this article we look at how to create a table using the SQL Server Management Studio Table Designer as well as how to create a primary key and foreign key relationships.

Author: Gauri Mahajan

Troubleshoot Slow RDS SQL Servers with Performance Insights

AWS | Performance Monitoring | Performance Insights - In this article we look at using AWS Performance Insights to help monitor and troubleshoot SQL Server performance issues when running on RDS.

Author: Sadequl Hussain

Read Excel File in SQL Server with OPENROWSET or OPENDATASOURCE

SQL Server and Excel | Integration | OPENROWSET and OPENDATASOURCE - In this tip we look at how to read an Excel file from within SQL Server using OpenRowSet and OpenDataSource along with the possible errors you may encounter and how to fix these issues.

Author: Diana Moldovan

Splitting a SQL Server Table Over Multiple Files

Database File Management | Table Configuration - In this tip we look at how to move SQL Server tables from one filegroup to another filegroup.

Author: Kenneth Igiri