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 ...

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 ...

Everyone wants faster database queries, and both SQL developers and DBAs can turn to many time-tested methods to achieve that goal. Unfortunately, no single method is foolproof or ironclad. But even ...

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 ...

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 ...

Database administrators and developers converged on Seattle for this week's annual Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) conference, where Microsoft is talking up its recently released SQL ...

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 ...

A free tool to reduce coding for developers who like to surface T-SQL database recordsets in a simple collection of customized POCO objects. Every so often, I find myself wishing that I had a utility ...

Microsoft is offering users on Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 a way to keep getting security updates for free after the official support period ends. Read also: Here's ...