How SQL Server stores data types: sql_variant
This post looks at a curious data type that isn’t really a data type. Instead, sql_variant tries to be all things to all people. As with most things in...
2020-09-30
226 reads
Born SQL with Randolph West
A new malware attack on SQL Server
Tencent Security has released a report (written in Chinese) describing a new malware attack by the name of “MrbMiner” on SQL Server instances exposed to the Internet with passwords that can...
2020-09-23
382 reads
If not me, then who?
[Content Warning: this post contains references to subjects that may trigger a trauma response. Read with caution.] This is not a technical post. I was going to write about...
2020-09-16
47 reads
How SQL Server stores data types: XML
This week we’re looking at how the database engine stores the XML data type in SQL Server and Azure SQL Database. If you would like to read about storage of...
2020-09-09
151 reads
The final word on storage for DATETIME2
Two years ago I wrote a post that got a lot of traction in the comments at the time. Last month there was renewed interest because one of the...
2020-09-02
13 reads
Using the Xero OAuth 2.0 API from a .NET Core console application
This is not a post about SQL Server, but I need to write about something that I’ve been struggling with for a number of weeks so that other people...
2020-08-26
236 reads
Finally, PASS is a proper association now
For the longest time PASS was known as the Professional Association for SQL Server, and made all of its money from a single event each year, the PASS Summit. If...
2020-08-19
29 reads
Fun and profit with UTF-8
When SQL Server 2019 was announced, it brought with it UTF-8 support. Also available in Azure SQL Database, UTF-8 is exciting if you have a legacy database and application...
2020-08-12
52 reads
Managing virtual machine drives on ESXi
Recently I migrated my home lab from a SuperMicro SYS-E300-8D to something a little beefier. There were ten virtual machines on the SuperMicro server, nine which were allocated 127...
2020-08-05
10 reads
I am speaking at the PASS Virtual Summit 2020
After being selected to present my full day pre-conference session at the Summit, I am very pleased to announce that I will also be presenting my Database Administration Through...
2020-07-29
22 reads
Blogs
Choosing to not drive the Tesla
By Steve Jones
I started a short thread on Twitter/X and Bluesky recently after leaving the Tesla...
Advice I Like: Transactions and Relationships
By Steve Jones
Life gets better as you replace transactions with relationships. – from Excellent Advice for...
Free PostgreSQL Performance Monitoring with pgNow
I’ve been putting together a new PostgreSQL session called “Performance Monitoring for the Absolute...
Forums
Understanding Bit Manipulation Functions: BIT_COUNT, GET_BIT, and SET_BIT in SQL Server 2022
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Understanding Bit Manipulation Functions: BIT_COUNT,...
Mixed Backups
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Mixed Backups
Or condition in where clause works differently in MS SQL comparing with Sybase
Hello, I ran below statements in MS SQL, and got error, but fine in...
Question of the Day
Mixed Backups
I have a complex database with a few filegroups and files. Can I run a backup command like this? (assume file/filegroup names are valid).
BACKUP DATABASE [complex]
FILE = N'thirdone'
, FILE = N'thirdtwo'
, FILEGROUP = N'second'
TO DISK = N'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL16.SQL2022\MSSQL\Backup\complex.bak'
WITH NOFORMAT, NOINIT, NAME = N'complex-Full Database Backup', SKIP, NOREWIND, NOUNLOAD, STATS = 10
GO
See possible answers