Pepper, a SharePoint consultant, asked why her database is in restoring mode after taking a backup. Here is the story and the answer.
Database Maintenance Checklist: Daily, Weekly and Monthly
A database maintenance checklist keeps the dull checks from slipping. This post lists what to check daily, weekly and monthly in SQL Server, with one small read-only query for backups, errors, free space, CHECKDB, statistics, growth, logins and patch level.
SQL SERVER – Answer to Puzzle – ISNUMERIC and Unexpected Results
The answer to my ISNUMERIC and Unexpected Results puzzle: I passed a TAB character and it returned 1. Here is what readers and MSDN say about it.
SQL SERVER – Beginning Table Valued Constructors – Notes from the Field #052
Kathi Kellenberger explains Table Valued Constructors, a relatively unknown topic, in the 52nd episode of my Notes from the Field series.
ISNUMERIC Puzzle: SQL in Sixty Seconds #076
The ISNUMERIC puzzle hides a tab character. Tests on SQL Server 2025 show which strings pass ISNUMERIC but fail TRY_CONVERT, how an empty string and a lone minus sign convert to 0, and how to find control characters in imported data with a short query.
Audit Triggers That Record the Real User Behind EXECUTE AS
Your audit table says dbo for every change, and nobody can tell who really did it. Here is how to capture the person behind EXECUTE AS.
Choosing a Database IDE
Choosing a database IDE means testing SQL editing, plans, schema work, security, and team workflow across SSMS, VS Code, and other tools.