T-SQL

Databases

When STRING_SPLIT() falls short

March 20, 20203 min read

SQL Server’s STRING_SPLIT() has limitations; here are the gaps to consider when splitting strings.

Databases

Blocking with OBJECT_NAME()

December 24, 20194 min read

Use OBJECT_NAME() to resolve object IDs in SQL Server blocking diagnostics and identify the affected objects.

Databases

Testing as another user...without their password

December 18, 20196 min read

Test SQL Server permissions as another user without knowing or resetting that person’s password.

Databases

Changing a column from int to bigint, without downtime

December 11, 201911 min read

Changing a column from int to bigint has gotten a lot easier since I started working on SQL Server back at the turn of the century. SQL Server 2016 introduced the ability to do ALTER TABLE...ALTER COLUMN as an online operation using the WITH (ONLINE=ON) …

Databases

How to create date buckets in T-SQL

October 28, 20195 min read

I was fiddling around with some data, looking at making a quick aging report. I probably should have reached for Power BI Desktop, but sometimes I can be stubborn, and I wanted to get my T-SQL to work–if nothing else to figure out how to make it work.

Databases

Why does ALTER let me DROP?

August 28, 20194 min read

I was recently chatting with a coworker, discussing why there is no discrete DROP permission for tables, procedures, etc. The conversation actually came from a #SQLHelp question on SQL Slack that was asked along the lines of “What if I want to let a user …

T-SQL

Databases

Year 4: May 2017 - May 2018

May 21, 20193 min read

In Year Three, I had a pretty big year. I kind of felt like I had peaked. I had received the Community Influencer of the Year Award and Microsoft MVP Award. Where do you go from there? Mostly, I just wanted to keep up what I was doing, and keep sharing what I …

Databases

Code to purge data based on creation date

April 4, 20196 min read

Yesterday, I talked about batching deletes, and the day before I talked about how much I like to delete data, and why it's necessary to do it, despite being a data pack rat. Today, let's look at just one scenario, and how I like to handle it. In my experience, …

Databases

Purging data with batched deletes

April 3, 20196 min read

Yesterday, I wrote about the importance of planning your data purges. Today, let's look at the simplest requirement for purging data: Keep data for X days after it's created.

Databases

The thrill of purging old data

April 2, 20195 min read

DBAs & Data professionals tend to be digital packrats. My personal Google Drive is filled with random files that I refused to part with--even though it's of questionable value. I lament that I do not have a copy of every paper I typed in high school or …