RESTORE VERIFYONLY checks backup readability and checksums, but it cannot prove a full restore or healthy data; pair it with restore tests.
SQL SERVER – Three T-SQL Script to Create Primary Keys on Table
Three T-SQL scripts to create primary keys: two while creating the table and one with ALTER TABLE later, where the column must first be NOT NULL.
STConvexHull: Enclose a Shape Without Its Indentations
STConvexHull encloses a geometry with its smallest convex hull. Compare a concave polygon, a collinear line and a point using area and membership.
SQL SERVER – Explanation and Understanding NOT NULL Constraint
What a NOT NULL constraint does and two ways to add one: when the table is created, or after the table is created. My example covers both.
SQL SERVER – Three Rules to Use UNION
The three rules to use UNION from Ben Forta’s T-SQL book: two or more SELECT statements, the same columns in the same order, and compatible data types.
Describe a Result Set Without Executing Its Query
Describe a result set without running the query. Check column names, data types, nullability and declared parameters.
SQL SERVER – Pre-Code Review Tips – Tips For Enforcing Coding Standards
Pre-code review tips for DBAs: why I check stored procedures on our development server every day for coding standards, with a link to my full article.