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Database Weekly
The Complete Weekly Roundup of SQL Server News by SQLServerCentral.com
Hand-picked content to sharpen your professional edge
Editorial
 

Celebrate Together

Today is Christmas, and hopefully, most of you are busy enough to not read this until Sunday or Monday. This is a time of year where we try to enjoy life and have fun with friends and family. We can enjoy life together, something that has been lacking quite a bit during the pandemic.

If you know of someone alone, please invite them over. If you are alone, make an effort to get time with others. One of the amazing and powerful things that I've discovered over the last 20 years with the PASS Summit and SQL Saturdays is how much better life is when we can be together. I hope we get some opportunities in 2022, some virtually, but others in person.

My best wishes to you all for a holiday season and a Happy New Year.

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Join the debate, and respond to the editorial on the forums

 
The Weekly News
All the headlines and interesting SQL Server information that we've collected over the past week, and sometimes even a few repeats if we think they fit.
Vendors/3rd Party Products

Exploring the Flyway Schema History Table

Flyway uses a schema history table to track the version of each database, recording in it every versioned migration file applied to build that version. It's worth understanding exactly how Flyway uses this table, the possible dangers of moving it to a non-default location and how to do it safely, if required.

.NET Related Articles

Estimating a Random Distribution in .NET

From 36 Chambers – The Legendary Journeys

Today’s a fairly short post, all about building ...

AI/Machine Learning/Cognitive Services

Angles of AI Ethics

From Dataversity

Discussing the rights and wrongs of artificial intelligence (AI) is more urgent than ever before – and more difficult. In the first of a series of articles, I will propose ways...

2021 was the year of monster AI models

From Technology Review Feed - Tech Review Top Stories

It’s been a year of supersized AI models.  When OpenAI released GPT-3, in June 2020, the neural network’s apparent grasp of language was uncanny. It could generate convincing sentences, converse with...

Administration of SQL Server

Determining the last time your SQL Server instance was restarted

From Steve Stedman

The following query will show the last time your SQL Server instance was started. I used this just today for planning purposes for doing SQL Server updates on a...

Check Your SQL Server Backup Performance & Safety with sp_BlitzBackups

From Brent Ozar Unlimited

Out of all of the scripts in our free First Responder Kit, sp_BlitzBackups is probably the one you’ve used the least. Let’s talk about what comes out of it,...

Sticking with One Log File

From Callihan Data

We’ve had some discussions about multiple data files for a database. Do we get much benefit from setting up databases with multiple log files? Not likely. Let’s discuss why...

Creating a SQL Server Agent Job to Run Python Scripts in a Virtual Environment

From MSSQL Tips

In this article we walk through how you can run Python scripts using SQL Server Agent, so you can setup scheduled jobs to run your Python code.

Azure CosmosDB

Continuous Backups in Azure Cosmos DB

In this article, we will learn what continuous backup is and how to configure it on an Azure Cosmos DB account.

Continuous Backups in Azure Cosmos DB

From SQLShack

In this article, we will learn what continuous backup is and how to configure it on an Azure Cosmos DB account. Introduction Databases come in a variety of flavors...

Azure Databricks, Spark and Snowflake

Advent of 2021, Day 22 – Spark in Azure Databricks

From TomazTsql

Series of Apache Spark posts: Dec 01: What is Apache Spark Dec 02: Installing Apache Spark Dec 03: Getting around CLI and WEB UI in Apache Spark Dec 04: Spark Architecture – Local and...

DevOps for Databricks: Databricks Rest API & Python

In this blog series I explore a variety of options available for DevOps for Databricks. This blog will focus on working with the Databricks REST API & Python. Why you ask? Well, a large percentage of Databricks/Spark users are Python coders.

Data Engineering with Microsoft Azure Databricks, Synapse and Apache Spark

From MSSQL Tips

Microsoft Azure has two services, Databricks and Synapse, that allow the developer to write a notebook that can execute on a Spark Cluster. Today, we are going to talk...

Advent of 2021, Day 21 – Spark GraphX operators

From TomazTsql

Series of Apache Spark posts: Dec 01: What is Apache Spark Dec 02: Installing Apache Spark Dec 03: Getting around CLI and WEB UI in Apache Spark Dec 04: Spark Architecture – Local and...

Advent of 2021, Day 18 – Time windows for Spark streaming

From TomazTsql

Series of Apache Spark posts: Dec 01: What is Apache Spark Dec 02: Installing Apache Spark Dec 03: Getting around CLI and WEB UI in Apache Spark Dec 04: Spark Architecture – Local and...

Advent of 2021, Day 19 – Data engineering for Spark Streaming

From TomazTsql

Series of Apache Spark posts: Dec 01: What is Apache Spark Dec 02: Installing Apache Spark Dec 03: Getting around CLI and WEB UI in Apache Spark Dec 04: Spark Architecture – Local and...

Azure Synapse (SQL Data Warehouse and Data Lake)

Synapse CICD – Manage Triggers

Manage the Synapse pipeline triggers as part of your CICD DevOps process.

Indexes, Distributions, and Partitions in Dedicated SQL Pools

From 36 Chambers – The Legendary Journeys

Not too long ago, I ended up taking the DP-203 certification exam for sundry reasons. On that exam, they ask a lot about Azure Synapse Analytics, including indexing, distribution,...

Computing in the Cloud (Azure, Google, AWS)

Why Some Types of Parallel Scans can be Slow on Cloud Storage

From Erik Darling Data

Upon reading the title, you may be thinking that o...

Use ARM templates to deploy Azure container instances with SQL Server Linux images

From SQLShack

The Azure Resource Manager (ARM) template is a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) file for deploying Azure resources automatically. You can use a declarative syntax to specify the resources, their...

Building a Data Mesh Architecture in Azure – Part 2

From Paul Andrew

Data Mesh vs Azure –Theory vs practice Use the tag Data Mesh vs Azure to follow this blog series. As a reminder, the four data mesh principals: domain-oriented decentralised...

Database Design, Theory and Development

Wholesale and retail execution in composite models

From SQLBI

In composite models, any query can be executed on the remote model (wholesale execution) or by mixing local and remote engines together (retail execution). This video describes the differences...

Tales of Data Modelers

From Dataversity

Reading Larry Burns’ “Data Model Storytelling” (TechnicsPub.com, 2021) was a really good experience for a guy like me (i.e., someone who thinks that data models are narratives). I agree...

DevOps and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD)

What Is DevOps?

From IT Pro - Microsoft Windows Information, Solutions, Tools

DevOps combines software development and IT operations to speed the delivery of applications while improving their quality. This article breaks down what DevOps is as well as its pros...

ETL/SSIS/Azure Data Factory/Biml

SSIS Catalog Reports – Operations Report

From AndyLeonard.blog()

I recently added an Operations Report to DILM Suit...

SSIS Catalog Execution Ended Unexpectedly

From AndyLeonard.blog()

There are a handful of reasons for an “Ended Unexpectedly” package execution status in the SSIS Catalog. One reason is: the SSIS package was reporting a “Running” status when...

Hardware

Samsung Announces First PCIe 5.0 Enterprise SSD: PM1743, Coming In 2022

From AnAndTech

Even though CES 2022 is technically still a couple of weeks away, CES-related announcements are already starting to roll in. Among these are Samsung, who is announcing their first...

Intel Alder Lake DDR5 Memory Scaling Analysis With G.Skill Trident Z5

From AnAndTech

One of the most agonizing elements of Intel's launch of its latest 12th generation Alder Lake desktop processors is its support of both DDR5 and DDR4 memory. Motherboards are...

MDX/DAX

EARLIER, EARLIEST – DAX Guide

From Sqlbi

EARLIER: Returns the value in the column prior to the specified number of table scans. https://dax.guide/earlier/ EARLIEST: Returns the value in the column for the very first point at...

CROSSFILTER – DAX Guide

From Sqlbi

CROSSFILTER: Specifies cross filtering direction to be used in the evaluation of a DAX expression. https://dax.guide/crossfilter/

Microsoft Resources

Find Out if a PC Will Meet Windows 11 TPM 2.0 Requirement

From IT Pro - Microsoft Windows Information, Solutions, Tools

Organizations can potentially upgrade to Windows 1...

Performance Tuning SQL Server

Software Vendor Mistakes With SQL Server: Not Using An Optimistic Isolation Level

From Erik Darling Data

The Champ Is Here For developers who have worked with, or who write applications that work across multiple database platforms, working with SQL Server can often be a jarring experience. Problems...

Software Vendor Mistakes With SQL Server: Modifying Millions of Rows At A Time

From Erik Darling Data

But Why? I often see people get stuck hard by this. Even worse, it happens when they’re using a merge statement, which are like throwing SQL Server a knuckleball. It has...

Software Vendor Mistakes With SQL Server: Mistaking NOLOCK For Concurrency

From Erik Darling Data

Corner Boppin’ I totally understand the Cult Of NOLOCK. Blocking sucks. Fixing it is annoying. Read Committed is a garbage isolation level. Then along comes some beleaguered colleague who whispers the...

PowerPivot/PowerQuery/PowerBI

Power BI DirectQuery Query Labels For SQL Server-Related Sources

From Chris Webb's BI Blog

If you’re using Power BI in DirectQuery mode against a SQL Server-related data source (ie SQL Server on-prem, Azure SQL DB or Synapse) you may have noticed a new...

Making sense of the Power BI Premium Gen2 Metrics App

From Guy in a Cube

Struggling ramping up on the Power BI Premium Gen2...

Integrated Sparklines for the Native Matrix and Table Visuals in Power BI

From Havens Consulting

Video by: Reid Havens Learn how to add and configu...

Answering questions: another option for many to many relationships in Power BI – Unplugged #39

From SQLBI

Analyze and measure the performance of an alternat...

Product Reviews and Articles

Testing a Flyway Database Migration

From Product learning – Redgate Software

Often, we want to test the new version of a database, produced by a Flyway migration, before committing the new migration file, or to test the same migration run...

Product Upgrades and Releases

Released: SCOM Management Packs for SQL Server, RS, AS, Azure SQL Managed Instance (7.0.34.0)

From MS SQL Server Blog

Updates to SQL Server, Reporting Services, Analysis Services, and Azure SQL Managed Instance Management Packs are available (7.0.34.0). You can download the MPs from the links below. Majority of...

Early technical preview of JDBC Driver 10.1.0 for SQL Server released

From MS SQL Server Blog

We have released a new early technical preview of the JDBC Driver for SQL Server which contains a few additions and changes.   Precompiled binaries are available on GitHub and also on Maven Central.   Encrypt...

Azure Key Vault Managed HSM support for TDE BYOK now available for Azure SQL

From Azure SQL

Transparent data encryption (TDE)?in Azure SQL Database and Managed Instance helps protect against the threat of malicious offline activity by encrypting data at rest.?Azure SQL?TDE?with Customer-Managed Key (CMK) enables...

User-Assigned Managed Identity support for TDE BYOK for Azure SQL is in preview!

From Azure SQL

Transparent data encryption (TDE)?in Azure SQL Dat...

Microsoft Announces Secured-Core Hardware for Windows Server 2022 and Azure Stack HCI

From Petri IT Knowledgebase

Earlier this year, Microsoft unveiled its plans to expand the Secured-Core initiative to its server products to help protect organizations from firmware attacks. The company has recently unveiled its...

Python

Python Regular Expressions Explained with Examples

From MSSQL Tips

In this article we cover in depth how Regular Expressions (RegEx) works along with several examples using Python to explain RegEx.

Interactive Plots Using Plotly Express (Part 1): Line Plot And 3D Scatter Plot

This blog series is a beginners’ tutorial on how you can make interactive plots in a Jupyter notebook using Plotly Express. In this first blog post on this topic, we will go through the steps needed for creating a basic line Python plot and a 3D scatter plot.

R Language

Verifying a stat from The Athletic NBA Show

From Statistical Odds & Ends

A few weeks ago, I was listening to The Athletic NBA Show podcast (Episode 581: “5 Players I was wrong about, 20 Games in Contenders, and Sam Vecenie on...

Replication

What for do you yearn? Watch that Replication Burn!

Replication is not my favorite, it is kind of far from my favorite. No further than that. Little further.

Reporting Services

SSRS Interview Questions and Answers

From MSSQL Tips

In this article we cover some questions and topics that may come up in an interview related to SQL Server Reporting Services along with many links for further learning.

SQL Server on Linux

How to Move SQL Server System Databases to a different directory on Linux

From MSSQL Tips

In this article we cover the steps on how to move SQL Server system databases to a new location when SQL Server is running on Linux.

Security News and Issues

CISA's New Log4j Scanner Aims to Find Vulnerable Apps

From Dark Reading: Dark Reading News Analysis

The open-sourced scanner was derived from scanners built by members across the open source community, CISA reports.

Researchers Discover Four New Security Flaws Affecting Microsoft Teams

From Petri IT Knowledgebase

Security researchers have revealed several new sec...

Preemptive Strategies to Stop Log4j and Its Variants

From Dark Reading: Dark Reading News Analysis

Zero trust is key to not falling victim to the next big vulnerability.

93% of Tested Networks Vulnerable to Breach, Pen Testers Find

From Dark Reading: Dark Reading News Analysis

Data from dozens of penetration tests and security assessments suggest nearly every organization can be infiltrated by cyberattackers.

Microsoft’s Response to CVE-2021-44228 Apache Log4j 2

Microsoft continues our analysis of the remote code execution vulnerabilities related to Apache Log4j (a logging tool used in many Java-based applications) disclosed on 9 Dec 2021. Currently, Microsoft is not aware of any impact, outside of the initial disclosure involving Minecraft: Java Edition, to the security of our enterprise services and has not experienced any degradation in availability of those services as a result of this vulnerability.

Four Out of Five Organizations Are Increasing Cybersecurity Budgets for 2022

From Dark Reading: Dark Reading News Analysis

Half of security decision makers also say the cyber skills gap will significantly impact their 2022 strategy, according to new research from Neustar.

Cybersecurity in 2021: ITPro Today’s Top 10 Stories

From IT Pro - Microsoft Windows Information, Solutions, Tools

Our most-read articles about cybersecurity explore how organizations evolved to meet IT challenges of the COVID era.

Software Development

Version control for SQL Server Management Studio templates using Azure Repos

From Kevin Chant

Reading Time: 6 minutes In this post I want to cover how to do version control for SQL Server Management Studio templates using Azure Repos. I wanted to...

T-SQL

TOP CLAUSE VS SET ROWCOUNT

In a recent talk with the Sacramento SQL Server User Group (@SACSQLUG), a question was asked I wanted to address, and the answer seemed more like a short blog than a tweet. I was presenting on how to use the TOP clause to break down large operations into short, fast, bite-sized operations. The mechanics are things I learned from writing processes that do garbage collection, backfill new columns, and anonymizing PII data on existing tables.

How to return the character values based on ASCII character number values

From SQLServer-DBA.Com

I want to view the character values based on the ASCII character number values

Tech News

KQL - The Next Query Language You Need to Learn | Data Exposed: MVP Edition

From Azure SQL

Azure is the leading platform for many companies, and to manage your databases and other infrastructure you need to have insights into what is happening.   You need to be able...

Managing IT Operations in 2021 Went Beyond Just the Tools

From IT Pro - Microsoft Windows Information, Solutions, Tools

Managing IT operations for DevOps, CloudOps and AIOps workloads became increasingly important in 2021, and while the technology is critical, so too are culture and processes.

Virtualization and Containers/Kubernetes

The container throttling problem

From Dan Luu

This is an excerpt from an internal document David...

 
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