Blogs

Create a Build with YAML for SQL Change Automation in Azure DevOps

Create a Build with YAML for SQL Change Automation in Azure DevOps

By Kendra Little on June 25, 2020 • 1 min read

I used to make fun of YAML because I was scared of it. I still make fun of YAML, but I’m not scared of it anymore now that Rob Sewell showed me how to avoid having to write it myself.

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Use Chocolatey to Install Multiple SQL Server 2019 Instances for Testing

Use Chocolatey to Install Multiple SQL Server 2019 Instances for Testing

I’m working on a project where it’s useful to automate environment setup and teardown for testing some devops deployment scenarios for databases using transactional replication.

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Learn T-SQL for Free Online: Starting Today

Learn T-SQL for Free Online: Starting Today

By Kendra Little on May 11, 2020 • 1 min read

T-SQL for Beginners course thumbnail

Thanks to the support of Redgate, I’ve launched a new course which teaches you the basics of T-SQL. The course is totally free, no logins required: we don’t even ask for the email address.

Check Out the Course on Redgate University

The course is here:

https://www.red-gate.com/hub/university/courses/t-sql/tsql-for-beginners

Each week has an embedded video for the course, along with a link to the syllabus and scripts. The videos also have a timeline in case you wish to jump to a particular part of the discussion.

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Learner's Guide to SQL Server Query Tuning

Learner's Guide to SQL Server Query Tuning

Following on from my Learner’s Guide to SQL Server Performance Triage, I’m tackling Query Tuning. In this guide, I’m experimenting with an outline style rather than expanding each paragraph.

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Join the Best Worst Code Contest Today at 5pm BST / Noon Eastern #BestWorstCode

Join the Best Worst Code Contest Today at 5pm BST / Noon Eastern #BestWorstCode

By Kendra Little on April 24, 2020 • 3 min read

I have an idea! Let’s have a “Worst Code Contest.”

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Make Database Code Reusable in SQL Source Control with Deployment Filters

Make Database Code Reusable in SQL Source Control with Deployment Filters

When I first began working with databases, I was lucky to land a job at a little start-up which had solid development and operations processes: all our code, including database code, was in version control. We had a strong database architect who instilled good coding practices into the way we managed database code as well: code was expected to be reusable whenever possible.

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Connecting to the SQL Server Community Online: Uplifting Folks

Connecting to the SQL Server Community Online: Uplifting Folks

By Kendra Little on March 23, 2020 • 3 min read

Neon sign of a speech bubble around the word 'hello'

We’ve got a session coming up in the free Redgate Streamed virtual conference on, “How database DevOps levels up remote work.” When thinking about that session I began thinking about other ways to improve remote work.

While I worked remotely for nearly ten years until recently and have established practices which work well for me , moving to another country and the general chaos and uncertainty right now as the world tries to cope with a global pandemic have increased my feelings of worry and loneliness.

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