While I've very rarely been jealous of Oracle, 23c added something I really want in SQL Server.

I discuss reasons you might think a data change was successful when it wasn't – or vice-versa.

I talk about the evolution of my thinking on featured images, and how I use generative AI for most post companions these days.

Bit columns can be tricky, and I discuss a few techniques for sanity and performance – including filtered indexes when skew is dramatic.

UNPIVOT works great when you're populating a single output column, but I talk about how CROSS APPLY can work better in more complex scenarios.

I discuss decisions and trade-offs when migrating Stack Overflow for Teams – first to a new cluster, and then to a new version of SQL Server.

In this tip, I talk about checklists to keep everyone involved in a deployment or migration – regardless of technical acumen – on the same page.

SQL Server has an update that fixes several vulnerabilities, for all modern versions, from SQL Server 2014 SP3 right on up to SQL Server 2022. Go get it!

In this tip, I talk about various reasons a query's performance can change over time – even when the application hasn't changed.

I talk about making a minor schema improvement to large log-type tables containing repeated strings.

I talk about how I use dynamic SQL to handle many databases with not-quite-identical schema.

I discuss my roller coaster of emotions since learning that SQL Server 2022 would support instant file initialization for log files.

In this tip, I take a quick look at some changes to Always Encrypted that make it easier to use.

While it might promote less than ideal practices, I show how to use a DDL trigger to keep views in sync with a volatile schema.

In the final part of this series, I convert my T-SQL code to MySQL, so you can build a fancy archives page in WordPress.

I show that a new experimental feature in Docker 4.16+ lets you run "real" SQL Server on Apple M1+ chips.

In the second part of this series, I show how to use a calendar table to simplify rendering an archives page.

A good round of updates for most modern versions of SQL Server, including the first cumulative update for SQL Server 2022.

I started a short series on building visual calendars, like those seen in the monthly archives page here.

I discuss an organization’s responsibility for protecting personal information.

I talk about some of the pivotal criteria guiding how Stack Overflow will migrate to Azure.

In part 3, I show how to automate creating new tables, dropping old tables, and adjusting the view.

In part 2, I look at general strategies for partitioning an archive table (even without Enterprise!) to reduce long-term data movement.

In this series, I look at strategies for archiving data and how it can impact your entire infrastructure.

In this tip, I show how to simplify calculations involving nth weekday or non-weekday, with and without a calendar table.

On the 10th anniversary of SQLPerformance.com, I look back on my favorite posts – one from each year.

For this month's T-SQL Tuesday, Deb Melkin asks us get up on our favorite soapbox. I have so many, but this time I picked a new one…

Logging tables can grow unchecked for years, and date range queries against them get more and more expensive if they don't use the clustered index. Read about one way I've mitigated this problem.