(James Serra) Microsoft Azure provides you two options when hosting your SQL Server-based data warehouse: Microsoft Azure SQL Database and SQL Server in Azure Virtual Machine. Which one is appropriate based on the size of the data warehouse? What are some hardware features to choose from for an Az

(Derik Hammer) My organization enabled READ COMMITTED SNAPSHOT ISOLATION (RCSI) on one of our major systems before we entered a peaking operating cycle. We had tested the impact to our system and felt that it was pretty safe. About half way through our operating cycle we were sick of fixing duplicat

(Alex Kuznetsov) It is quite common for perfectly-functioning SQL code to be knocked off its feet by a change to the underlying database schema, or to other objects that are used in the code. If we are “lucky,” the code will suddenly start producing error messages; if not, it may just silently start

(Marlon Ribunal) Beginning in version 2005, SQL Server is making manipulation of partitioned set of rows easier by using Window Functions (ROW_NUMBER(), aggregate functions with OVER(), etc.). You can manipulate partitions of rows on the fly with Window Functions.

(Paul White) The general strategy the SQL Server database engine uses to keep an indexed view synchronized with its base tables – which I described in more detail in my last post – is to perform incremental maintenance of the view whenever a data-changing operation occurs against one of the tables r

(Pinal Dave) One in a while I come across such interesting side of SQL Server that it even surprises me. Just the other day I came across function AGENT_DATETIME. I had never used it before and now I just found usage example of the same.

(Dino Esposito) When you’re designing an application, there is a temptation to build it to a super-scalable future-proof architecture, even when the immediate requirements can be met by a simple single-tier application that can exploit the pure power of IIS and SQL Server.

(Adam Machanic) Working with hierarchies in SQL Server never fails to be absolutely fascinating.

(Marcin Policht) As we explained in our previous article, there are several different approaches to automating deployment of the SQL Server Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) virtual machines in Microsoft Azure. To briefly summarize, your options include:

(Scott Hanselman) When managing Azure resources (Virtual Machines, Web Apps, etc) I like to do most of my work in Azure from the command line using the “Azure xplat cli” – the Azure Cross Platform Command Line Interface.