Dear SQL DBA: Remembering Robert Davis, DBA Hero
What makes a person a DBA Hero? In this episode, I talk about how Robert Davis made a huge impact on the SQL Server community, and the traits that Robert displayed that I hope to emulate.
SQL Operations Studio: Keyboard Shortcuts, Actual Plans, & More
Last week I posted a quiz on SQL Operations Studio, a free, multi-platform tool from Microsoft..
This tool is under active development and the features are improving by the day – which makes it a great time to start trying out the tool and see what you like: because you can suggest changes!
Changing Your Highlight Color in SQL Operations Studio
I’ve been enjoying working with SQL Operations Studio lately - a new, free, cross-platform editor from Microsoft. The tool is under active development and it’s a great time to try it out and suggest changes for how you’d like to see the product work. (Here’s a suggestion I made this week, for example.)
CROSS APPLY in T-SQL: Why to APPLY
Michelle asked a great question:
In your own words, why would one want to use a cross apply operator rather than a join operator? I’m old school, and I’m just not getting why a cross apply would be so much better to use than a join.
Dear SQL DBA: Why I Rarely Mention Service Broker
I’ve gotten a few questions about whether I recommend learning Service Broker, and recently I was asked if I’m planning to make any courses on Service Broker.
In this 23 minute episode, I talk about why I personally haven’t become an expert with Broker, the factors that I believe play into Service Broker adoption, and other resources online for learning Service Broker in SQL Server.
The BREAK Keyword in Transact SQL
BREAK is a useful piece of control-of-flow language in SQL Server, but it only works in specific situations. Break Questions, Answers, and Explanations 1) If you run this code in a SQL Server Management Studio session, what will appear in the Messages window? BREAK; PRINT 2; Answer: Msg 135, Level 15, State 1, Line 6 Cannot use a BREAK statement outside the scope of a WHILE statement. How’d people do?
What the Microsoft MVP Award Means to Me in 2018
I recently received my seventh “Most Valuable Professional” award from Microsoft. Oddly, I don’t think I’ve ever written about what this award means to me until this point.
Using RETURN in Transact SQL: Quiz Results
RETURN is a “control of flow” language keyword in Transact-SQL. It’s very useful for managing when code does – and does NOT – get executed in procedural code, and it can also be used to communicate the status from procedural code.
But not everyone knows how to use RETURN, and learning about it can be awkward because of some quirks of SQL Server Management Studio. It is well worth taking the time to get used to it, though!
The Right to Be Erased is Coming to California, Along with Other Privacy Rights
In the last year, developers and DBAs have heard a lot about the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law passed by the European Union. These regulations not only impact companies that are incorporated in Europe, but all companies processing the data of Europeans.
Find the Scalar Function Call: What it Means when it Hides in Probe Residual
User defined functions are fairly simple to create in SQL Server, but figuring out exactly how they are being used can take a little time - even in a simple execution plan. This is because the functions can be tucked away into lots of different operators in the plan, even join operators.
The good news: once you learn what to look for, it’s not terribly complicated. There are some fancy terms involved, but the definitions are pretty simple.