A transaction in SQL Server is a group of changes that all happen or none do. A rollback that undid 16,440 rows, what ACID means in four short words, and the open transaction that quietly fills a drive.
![A table of 12 first names with the 6 matches marked Yes, beside the pattern LIKE '[a-m]%z' split into three parts: one letter from a to m, any run of characters, and a final z](https://blog.sqlauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/querying-pattern-ranges-with-like-a-wildcard-puzzle-with-the-answer-cover.webp)
Querying Pattern Ranges With LIKE: A Wildcard Puzzle With the Answer
Querying pattern ranges with LIKE takes the % wildcard and a range in square brackets. This puzzle asks which of six queries finds every first name that starts with a letter from A to M and ends with z. The answer is tested on a small Members table, along with the = trap, the NOT range and a collation trap. Every result comes from SQL Server 2025.
GREATEST, LEAST and Other Small Helpers
GREATEST, LEAST, and recent T-SQL helpers replace bulky CASE patterns while preserving explicit rules for NULL and data types.
SQL SERVER – The Story of a Lesser Known Startup Parameter in SQL Server – Guest Post by Balmukund Lakhani
Balmukund Lakhani turns his popular SQL Bangalore UG session into a guest post: the story of the -m startup parameter and a lesser known way to use it.
Rebuilding One Partition Online Instead of the Whole Index
A big partitioned table does not need a full index rebuild every night. Here is how to rebuild one partition safely.
Enforcing Object Naming Rules With a DDL Trigger
Enforce procedure and index names with a DDL trigger, inspect EVENTDATA, audit rejected attempts, and list existing violations.
SQL SERVER – QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON/OFF Explanation and Example – Question on Real World Usage
Six years after my first post, a follow up on QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON/OFF with a quick example of double quotes in identifiers and a real world question.