I remember SQL Server build 2039 (SP4) where we all had to apply hotfix build 2040 as soon as it came out.  I can't remember exactly what the problem was...

I think we should keep in mind what the upgrade path looks like.  Upgrades between X and X+1 I would expect to be relatively painless.

Upgrades from X that skip a...

Years ago, deployments to production had to be done out-of-hours.  We planned and rehearsed these meticulously and for the majority went well, maybe minor hiccups.  We were given a start...

For much of my career the IT department has been a slave with many masters. IT had no representation in senior management. The best you could hopeful was being an...

In the UK a house has to be built in compliance with building regulations. Other structures are covered by regulations and strict codes of conduct.

My son is an engineer maintaining...

I'm nearing the end of my career. I feel that it is the way my top 3 are interlinked that give me headaches.

One of my big 3 is keeping up...

Rod, your Federal Funds app in the cloud scenario needs exploring.

• What is the data volume?
• What is the rate of change in the data?
• How many users of the...

When we first started doing unit tests my boss insisted that we really do integration tests, using the unit tests framework. And we had to use our test databases...

With the benefit of hindsight I see the use of the cloud in the same vein as when a company isn't big enough to have its own dedicated capability so...

I have been hunting for a pyramid diagram that represents the pace of change for the different layers of applications.

The fastest layer is at the top representing the user interface. ...

Fully onboard with BULK EXPORT.

I used to use xp_cmdshell with SQL Server Agent jobs where the alternative was the complexity of having to build an SSIS job for something quite...

When Agile is used for rapid feedback with responsive customers it can be an effective way to flush out system requirements.  I've more often seen Agile used as cover...

I find that some customers really know what they want, have an in-depth knowledge of their subject and can communicate their needs in a way that is an education.  Getting...

I work with someone I regard as the best architect/developer/data engineer I have ever met.  I he wasn't also a gifted teacher/mentor then the combination of skills and seemingly inexhaustible...

With the benefit of hindsight, I didn't appreciate the wealth of metrics that SQL Server emits as part of its standard operation.  I'm not sure if it did so in...