Exploring the Spark Connect gRPC API
All Spark Connect Posts
Code
Goal of this post In the first two posts, we looked at how to run some Spark code, firstly against a local Spark Connect server and...
2024-01-26
335 reads
Uncategorized
Configuration of Azure SQL Database Auditing
This article shows how you can configure auditing on your Azure SQL Database.
2024-01-22
2,212 reads
Learning NoSQL
NoSQL is an option for a database platform and Steve wonders if you can discuss and debate the use of NoSQL for your business partners? Or are you going to learn more? He is.
2024-01-17
253 reads
Play To Your Strengths
I really enjoy playing with radios [ed: we know, you won't shut up about it]. Something as simple as checking in to a local net (basically saying hi to a bunch of people on the radio) is fun. However, there's so much more to it. In the last few weeks I've been testing a new […]
2024-01-13
92 reads
An In-Depth Look at MIXED_PAGE_ALLOCATION and Changes in Page Allocation
Learn about the benefits of mixed extent allocation in SQL Server 2016, along with how you can check this setting or enable it in your database.
2024-01-10
1,948 reads
A Thriving Community Lifts All Boats
I'm writing this on the last day of PGConf.EU, sitting here in Prague. I'm looking forward to sitting in several more sessions today, as well as having a few more conversations with the people at the conference. It's been a great event and I'm so happy I've been able to take part. Following the PASS […]
2023-12-16
62 reads
You Are An Inspiration
Hero, Champion, Inspiration. These are words that are bantered around about people regularly. Joe was a hero when he saved that puppy. Betty was the champion runner and won the race. Pat was an inspiration; they work so hard. Hero and champion are universally understood as positive things. Inspiration is typically used as a positive, […]
2023-11-25
93 reads
Advanced SQL Server installation using Powershell DSC
Introduction In the previous article, we learned how to install a SQL Server instance with basic parameters like InstanceName, Features, SourcePath, SQLSysAdminAccounts, etc using Powershell DSC. In this article, we'll discover how to enhance our SQL Server installation with additional configurations. We'll cover things like setting up service account credentials, custom installation directories, configuring TempDB […]
2023-11-22
5,396 reads
You Never Know
I'm writing this sitting at the PASS Data Community Summit. It's been a fantastic event. I gave a community session on Azure DevOps. I was able to help Redgate launch a new product. I've received a bunch of hugs from VERY dear old friends. I've met a ton of people. It's been great. Allow me […]
2023-11-18
75 reads
Scheduling SQL Agent Jobs on Alternating Weeks
Bi-week... semi-week... fortnight... "every two weeks" Recently on the SQL Community Slack group, someone asked if there was a way to schedule a backup to run on alternate weeks. I'm not exactly sure why (maybe they wanted to run full and differential backups on alternating weeks), but yes, we can do that. In part one […]
2023-11-17
2,325 reads
Blogs
Presenting with Visual Studio Code
A while back I wrote a quick post on setting up key mappings in...
Advice I Like: In 100 Years
By Steve Jones
In 100 years a lot of what we take to be true now will...
dataMinds Saturday 2026 – Slides
At Saturday the 21st of February I’m presenting an introduction to dimensional modelling at...
Forums
AllocationType as ROW_OVERFLOW_DATA
Hello, I inherited a number of tables with like 20-30 column using nvarchar(256) in...
is it true we cant debug c# scripts in ssis anymore under vs
Hi, i'm running vs2022. I'm trying out a c# script that i'd like to...
Question of the Day
Missing the Jaro Winkler Distance
I upgraded a SQL Server 2019 instance to SQL Server 2025. I wanted to test the fuzzy string search functions. I run this code:
SELECT JARO_WINKLER_DISTANCE('tim', 'tom')
I get this error message:Msg 195, Level 15, State 10, Line 1 'JARO_WINKLER_DISTANCE' is not a recognized built-in function name.What is wrong? See possible answers