Arshad Ali

I have been working with Microsoft for almost five years now and have 10+ years of extensive experience in the software industry. As a DB/BI Consultant, in an end-to-end delivery role, lately I have been working on a several enterprise scale data warehousing project for enabling\developing BI/Analytic solutions. I specialize in Database, Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence application design, development and deployment, at enterprise level, with SQL Server, SSIS, SSRS, SSAS, Service Broker, MDS, DQS, SharePoint and PPS. In past, I also performed performance optimization for several projects with significant performance gain.

I am a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) in Microsoft SQL Server - Database Development 2008, Data Administration 2008 and Business Intelligence 2008.

In my earlier experience, I had also been developing applications in VB/ASP/.NET/ASP.NET/C# and am a Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD), Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) for the .NET platform in Web/Windows/Enterprise.

I have presented in several technical events and have written 150+ technical and performance optimization technique articles on SQL Server and its related technologies which have been published on several sites.

On educational front, I am a Master in Computer Applications (MCA) and Master in Business Administration in IT (MBA-IT).

Disclaimer: I work for Microsoft and help people and businesses make better use of technology to realize their full potential. The opinions mentioned herein are solely mine and do not reflect those of my current employer or previous employers.

2014 Awards   

2013 Awards   

2011 Awards   

2010 Awards   

Category	Title
Analysis Services Administration	Understanding the SQL Server 2012 BI Semantic Model (BISM)
Analysis Services Development	Comparing Data Warehouse Design Methodologies for Microsoft SQL Server
Analysis Services Development	Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence - What, Why and How - Part 1
Analysis Services Development	Microsoft SQL Server Business Intelligence System Architecture - Part 2
Analysis Services Performance	SQL Server Analysis Services Best Practices for Performance Optimization - Part 2 of 4
Analysis Services Performance	SSAS - Best Practices and Performance Optimization - Part 1 of 4
Analysis Services Performance	SSAS - Best Practices and Performance Optimization - Part 3 of 4
Analysis Services Performance	SSAS - Best Practices and Performance Optimization - Part 4 of 4
Analysis Services Tutorials	Getting started with Tabular Model in SQL Server 2012 - Part 1
Analysis Services Tutorials	Getting started with the SQL Server 2012 Tabular Model - Part 2
Application Development	Using Data Access Application Block DAAB in SQL Server Part 2 of 2
Application Development	Using SQL Server Data Access Application Block (DAAB) Part 1 of 2
Application Development	Writing a Data Access Layer (DAL) for SQL Server
Azure	Creating backups and copies of your SQL Azure databases
Azure	Getting started with SQL Data Sync
Azure	Getting Started with the SQL Azure Database Manager
Azure	Moving your database to the cloud with SQL Azure
Azure	SQL Azure enhancements with SQL Server 2008 R2
Azure	Understanding SQL Data Sync for SQL Server
Azure Backup and Restore	SQL Server Backups and Restores Directly with Windows Azure Blob Storage Service
Azure Backup and Restore	SQL Server Database Backup and Restore with Windows Azure Blob Storage Cloud Services using T-SQL Commands
Azure Backup and Restore	Windows Azure SQL Database Backup and Restore strategy
Backup	Backup and Restore SQL Server databases programmatically with SMO
Backup	Backup and Restore SQL Server databases with Azure cloud services and SMO
Backup	Backup and Restore with Cloud services (Windows Azure Blob Storage Service) using PowerShell
Change Data Capture	Using Change Tracking in SQL Server 2008
Comparison Data and Objects	SQL Data Comparison with Visual Studio 2010
Comparison Data and Objects	SQL Schema Comparison with Visual Studio 2010
Data Quality Services	Creating a knowledge base and cleansing data using Data Quality Services in SQL Server 2012 - Part 3
Data Quality Services	Getting Started with Data Quality Services of SQL Server 2012 - Part 2
Data Quality Services	Getting Started with Data Quality Services of SQL Server 2012 Using SSIS - Part 4
Data Quality Services	Getting Started with SQL Server 2012 Data Quality Services - Part 1
Database Administration	Different strategies for removing duplicate records in SQL Server
Debugging	SQL Server 2008 TSQL Debugger is back in SSMS
Debugging	SQL Server 2012 TSQL Debugging enhancements
Dynamic Management Views and Functions	Understanding Catalog Views in SQL Server 2005 and 2008
Dynamic Management Views and Functions	Understanding Dynamic Management Views and Functions in SQL Server 2008
Dynamic SQL	Dynamic SQL execution on remote SQL Server using EXEC AT
Error Handling	SQL Server 2012 THROW statement to raise an exception
Extended Events	An Overview of Extended Events in SQL Server 2008
Extended Events	Getting Started with Extended Events in SQL Server 2008
Fragmentation and Index Maintenance	Fixing Index Fragmentation in SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008
Fragmentation and Index Maintenance	Index Fragmentation Report in SQL Server
Functions System	SQL Server 2005 and 2008 Ranking Functions DENSE_RANK and NTILE
Functions System	SQL Server 2008 Functions for Tables, Views, Indexes, Columns, Stored Procedures
Functions System	SQL Server 2008 System Functions to Monitor the Instance, Database, Files, etc.
Functions System	SQL Server Ranking Functions Row_Number and Rank
In Memory OLTP	Getting started with Indexes on SQL Server Memory Optimized Tables
In Memory OLTP	Getting started with SQL Server 2014 In-Memory OLTP
In Memory OLTP	Getting started with the AMR tool for migration to SQL Server In-memory OLTP Tables
In Memory OLTP	Overview of Applications, Indexes and Limitations for SQL Server 2014 In-Memory OLTP Tables
In Memory OLTP	SQL Server 2014 In Memory OLTP Durability, Natively Compiled Stored Procedures and Transaction Isolation Level
In Memory OLTP	SQL Server 2014 In-Memory OLTP Architecture and Data Storage
Indexing	SQL Server 2012 Column Store Index Example
Indexing	SQL Server Filtered Indexes What They Are, How to Use and Performance Advantages
Integration Services Best Practices	SQL Integration Services SSIS Troubleshooting Best Practices
Integration Services Best Practices	SQL Server Integration Services Best Practices
Integration Services Best Practices	SQL Server Integration Services Design Best Practices
Integration Services Best Practices	SQL Server Integration Services Performance Best Practices
Integration Services Configuration Options	Data tapping during SSIS package execution in SQL Server 2012
Integration Services Configuration Options	SSIS Project Deployment Model in SQL Server 2012 (Part 1 of 2)
Integration Services Configuration Options	SSIS Project Deployment Model in SQL Server 2012 (Part 2 of 2)
Integration Services Control Flow Transformations	SQL Server Integration Services FTP Task for Data Exchange
Integration Services Control Flow Transformations	Transfer Database Task and Transfer SQL Server Objects Task in SSIS
Integration Services Control Flow Transformations	Transfer SQL Server Jobs Task and Transfer SQL Server Logins Task in SSIS
Integration Services Data Flow Transformations	SSIS Multicast Transformation vs Conditional Split Transformation
Integration Services Development	Creating SSIS Package Templates for Reusability
Integration Services Development	SQL Server 2012 SSIS Enhancements Part 1 of 2
Integration Services Development	SQL Server 2012 SSIS Enhancements Part 2 of 2
Integration Services Email	Sending email from SQL Server Integration Services
Integration Services Email	Sending HTML formatted email in SQL Server using the SSIS Script Task
Integration Services Excel	Importing Data From Excel Using SSIS - Part 1
Integration Services Excel	Importing Data From Excel Using SSIS - Part 2
JOIN Tables	SQL Server CROSS APPLY and OUTER APPLY
JOIN Tables	Understanding SQL Server Physical Joins
Master Data Services	Excel add-in for SQL Server 2012 Master Data Services - Part 1
Master Data Services	Let's Explore Excel add-in of Master Data Services of SQL Server 2012 - Part 2
Microsoft Excel Integration	Creating Power View Reports in Excel 2013
Microsoft Excel Integration	Getting started with Power View Reports with SharePoint, Excel and SQL Server
Microsoft Excel Integration	Teach Business Users How To Create Power View Reports With SQL Server Data Sources
Paging	SQL Server 2012 Server Side Paging
Professional Development Interview Questions BI	SSIS Architecture and Internals Interview Questions
Professional Development Interview Questions BI	SSIS Interview Questions - Part 1
Professional Development Interview Questions BI	SSIS Interview Questions for Basic Concepts and Event Logging
Professional Development Interview Questions BI	SSIS Interview Questions for Data Profiling, Protection Level and Package Configuration
Professional Development Interview Questions BI	SSIS Interview Questions for Memory Management and Deployment
Professional Development Interview Questions BI	SSIS Interview Questions on Transactions, Event Handling and Validation
Reporting Services Overview	SQL Server Reporting Services vs. PerformancePoint Services
Resource Governor	Handling workloads on SQL Server 2008 with Resource Governor
Scripts	Iterate through SQL Server database objects without cursors
Service Broker	Event Notifications in SQL Server for Tracking Changes
Service Broker	SQL Server Service Broker Poison Message Handling
SharePoint	Understanding WSS 3 and MOSS 2007
SharePoint Administration	Diagnostic logging in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Administration	Backup and Restore in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Administration	Developer Dashboard in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Administration	Exporting and Importing SharePoint 2010 Content
SharePoint Administration	Getting Started with the SharePoint Logging and Reporting Database in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Administration	Granular Backup and Restore in SharePoint 2010 (Part 2)
SharePoint Administration	Health Analyzer in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Administration	How the Recycle Bin Works in SharePoint
SharePoint Administration	Installing and Configuring Windows SharePoint Service (WSS) 3.0
SharePoint Administration	Unattached Content Database Recovery in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Configuration	Creating Web Applications, Site Collections and Sites in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Document Management	Document Versioning in SharePoint 2010
SharePoint Document Management	The Ins and Outs of SharePoint Document Check-In and Check-Out
SharePoint Document Management	Understanding and creating libraries in SharePoint 2010
SQL Server Agent	Running a SSIS Package from SQL Server Agent Using a Proxy Account
SQL Server Configurations	Understanding SQL Server Net Libraries
SQL Server Management Objects SMO	Generate Scripts for database objects with SMO for SQL Server
SQL Server Management Objects SMO	Getting started with SQL Server Management Objects (SMO)
SQL Server Management Objects SMO	Transfer SQL Server database schema objects and data with SMO
SQL Server Management Studio	Getting started with Code Snippets feature of SQL Server 2012
SQL Server Management Studio Shortcuts	SQL Server Management Studio keyboard shortcuts (Part 1 of 2)
SQL Server Management Studio Shortcuts	SSMS keyboard shortcuts (Part 2 of 2)
Testing	Generating SQL Server Test Data with Visual Studio 2010
Testing	SQL Server Unit Testing with Visual Studio 2010
TSQL	Using MERGE in SQL Server to insert, update and delete at the same time
XML	Importing and Processing data from XML files into SQL Server tables

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Analysis Services	Analysis Services Administration (31)
Analysis Services	Analysis Services Development (95)
Analysis Services	Analysis Services Dimensions (16)
Analysis Services	Analysis Services Measure Groups (7)
Analysis Services	Analysis Services Performance (14)
Analysis Services	Analysis Services Security (7)
Analysis Services	Analysis Services Tools (1)
Analysis Services	Analysis Services Tutorials (6)
Analysis Services	Cortana (5)
Analysis Services	Performance Point (4)
Business Intelligence	Big Data (23)
Business Intelligence	Data Warehousing (4)
Cloud	Amazon AWS (45)
Cloud	Apache Spark (3)
Cloud	Azure (187)
Cloud	Azure Backup and Restore (25)
Cloud	Azure Cosmos DB (11)
Cloud	Azure Data Factory (68)
Cloud	Azure Databricks (23)
Cloud	Azure Integration Services (14)
Cloud	Azure Synapse Analytics (35)
Cloud	Cloud Strategy (3)
Data Quality	Data Quality Services (7)
Data Quality	Master Data Services (41)
Database Administration	Availability Groups (74)
Database Administration	Backup (78)
Database Administration	Central Management Servers (9)
Database Administration	Clustering (73)
Database Administration	Comparison Data and Objects (14)
Database Administration	Compression (21)
Database Administration	Contained Databases (4)
Database Administration	Containers (12)
Database Administration	Database Administration (189)
Database Administration	Database Configurations (17)
Database Administration	Database Console Commands DBCCs (25)
Database Administration	Database Mail (18)
Database Administration	Database Mirroring (33)
Database Administration	DBA Best Practices (39)
Database Administration	Dedicated Administrator Connection (4)
Database Administration	Deprecated Features (5)
Database Administration	DevOps (34)
Database Administration	Disaster Recovery (23)
Database Administration	Error Logs (10)
Database Administration	Express Edition (16)
Database Administration	Extended Events (22)
Database Administration	FILESTREAM (9)
Database Administration	Fragmentation and Index Maintenance (27)
Database Administration	Hardware (13)
Database Administration	High Availability (3)
Database Administration	Indexing (82)
Database Administration	Install and Uninstall (32)
Database Administration	Licensing (4)
Database Administration	Linked Servers (18)
Database Administration	Locking and Blocking (38)
Database Administration	Log Shipping (18)
Database Administration	Maintenance (34)
Database Administration	Monitoring (115)
Database Administration	Other Database Platforms (69)
Database Administration	Partitioning (15)
Database Administration	Performance Data Warehouse (4)
Database Administration	Performance Tuning (121)
Database Administration	Policy Based Management (29)
Database Administration	PowerShell (128)
Database Administration	Profiler and Trace (20)
Database Administration	Query Store (7)
Database Administration	Recovery Models (4)
Database Administration	Replication (75)
Database Administration	Resource Governor (5)
Database Administration	Restore (41)
Database Administration	SQL Server 2016 (100)
Database Administration	SQL Server 2017 (44)
Database Administration	SQL Server 2019 (19)
Database Administration	SQL Server 2022 (6)
Database Administration	SQL Server Configurations (75)
Database Administration	SQL Server on Linux (76)
Database Administration	StreamInsight (2)
Database Administration	System Databases (31)
Database Administration	Upgrades and Migrations (54)
Database Administration	Virtualization (25)
Database Administration	Windows Internal Database (1)
Database Development	Application Development (36)
Database Development	Change Data Capture (15)
Database Development	Common Runtime Language (13)
Database Development	Common Table Expressions (3)
Database Development	Constraints (20)
Database Development	Data Cleansing for Validation (2)
Database Development	Data Science (3)
Database Development	Data Types (17)
Database Development	Database Design (68)
Database Development	Dates (47)
Database Development	Debugging (4)
Database Development	Dynamic Management Views and Functions (33)
Database Development	Dynamic SQL (7)
Database Development	Entity Framework (13)
Database Development	Error Handling (8)
Database Development	Full Text Search (21)
Database Development	Functions System (65)
Database Development	Functions User Defined UDF (40)
Database Development	Identities (17)
Database Development	Import and Export (76)
Database Development	In Memory OLTP (32)
Database Development	JOIN Tables (21)
Database Development	Language Integrated Query LINQ (7)
Database Development	Microsoft Access Integration (8)
Database Development	Microsoft Excel Integration (39)
Database Development	Microsoft Flow (1)
Database Development	Paging (5)
Database Development	Python (38)
Database Development	Query Optimization (14)
Database Development	Query Plans (20)
Database Development	R Language (11)
Database Development	Scripts (35)
Database Development	Service Broker (11)
Database Development	Spatial Data Storage (9)
Database Development	SQL Injection (5)
Database Development	SQL Server Management Objects SMO (3)
Database Development	Stored Procedures (27)
Database Development	Synonyms (4)
Database Development	Table Valued Parameters (4)
Database Development	Temp Tables (9)
Database Development	Temporal Tables (13)
Database Development	Testing (31)
Database Development	Transactions (8)
Database Development	Triggers (44)
Database Development	TSQL (303)
Database Development	User Defined Type UDT (3)
Database Development	Views (13)
Database Development	XML (14)
Integration Services	Data Transformation Services (5)
Integration Services	Integration Services Administration (10)
Integration Services	Integration Services Analysis Services Tasks (5)
Integration Services	Integration Services Best Practices (11)
Integration Services	Integration Services Configuration Options (21)
Integration Services	Integration Services Connection Managers (5)
Integration Services	Integration Services Control Flow Transformations (14)
Integration Services	Integration Services Data Flow Transformations (19)
Integration Services	Integration Services Development (107)
Integration Services	Integration Services Email (3)
Integration Services	Integration Services Error Handling (8)
Integration Services	Integration Services Excel (14)
Integration Services	Integration Services Execute Package Options (8)
Integration Services	Integration Services Import and Export Wizard (2)
Integration Services	Integration Services NULL Management (4)
Integration Services	Integration Services Oracle (4)
Integration Services	Integration Services Performance (12)
Integration Services	Integration Services Security (7)
Integration Services	Integration Services Upgrade (4)
Power Platform	Power Apps (17)
Power Platform	Power BI (129)
Power Platform	Power BI Charts (44)
Power Platform	Power BI Formatting (15)
Professional Development	Professional Development Books (3)
Professional Development	Professional Development Branding (13)
Professional Development	Professional Development Career (17)
Professional Development	Professional Development Career Planning (16)
Professional Development	Professional Development Career Transition (4)
Professional Development	Professional Development Certifications (47)
Professional Development	Professional Development Community (16)
Professional Development	Professional Development Conferences (2)
Professional Development	Professional Development Interview Questions BI (15)
Professional Development	Professional Development Interview Questions DBA (22)
Professional Development	Professional Development Interview Questions Developer (6)
Professional Development	Professional Development Interviewing (38)
Professional Development	Professional Development Job Search (17)
Professional Development	Professional Development Management (9)
Professional Development	Professional Development Recruiters (6)
Professional Development	Professional Development Resume (13)
Professional Development	Professional Development Skills Development (18)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Administration (19)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Analysis Services (4)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Best Practices (6)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Charts (25)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Configuration (10)
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Reporting Services	Reporting Services Filtering (3)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Formatting (26)
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Reporting Services	Reporting Services Migration (5)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Monitoring (5)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Network Load Balancing (4)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Overview (5)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Parameters (15)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Performance (6)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Report Builder (9)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Report Models (1)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Security (8)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services SharePoint (1)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Subreports (4)
Reporting Services	Reporting Services Tutorials (1)
Security	Auditing and Compliance (45)
Security	Encryption (31)
Security	Security (194)
Security	Surface Area Configuration Manager (4)
SharePoint	SharePoint (130)
SharePoint	SharePoint Administration (46)
SharePoint	SharePoint Configuration (27)
SharePoint	Sharepoint Design (46)
SharePoint	SharePoint Document Management (20)
Tools	Azure Data Studio (11)
Tools	SQL Operations Studio (11)
Tools	SQL Server Agent (92)
Tools	SQL Server Management Studio (76)
Tools	SQL Server Management Studio Configuration (22)
Tools	SQL Server Management Studio Shortcuts (9)
Tools	Tools (32)