A reader could not start SQL Server 2008 R2 after SP1 because the script level upgrade failed with error 598. Here is what to check to start SQL Server again.
SQL SERVER – Server Side and Client Side Trace
Running Profiler on the server does not make it a server side trace. I explain the real difference between server side and client side trace in SQL Server.
Extracting the Folder and File Name From a Full Path in T-SQL
Split a path at the last backslash and handle the odd inputs. Bare names, empty values, trailing spaces and NULL all behave.
SQL SERVER – Discussion on understanding NUMA
An attendee at my 42 tips session at SQLPass asked me a simple question. Our chat turned into a friendly lesson on understanding NUMA in SQL Server.
SQL SERVER – Connecting to Azure SQL DB
Connecting to Azure SQL DB from SSMS gave me an error at first. Here is where to find the connection string and how to allow your IP address in the portal.
SQL SERVER – Getting Started with Project Versions in the SSIS Catalog – Notes from the Field #106
Tim Mitchell shows a handy but overlooked feature: project versions in the SSIS catalog, which keep earlier deployments you can browse in SSMS.
In-Memory OLTP in Azure SQL Database: Tiers, Limits and a Local Test
In-Memory OLTP in Azure SQL Database needs the right service tier and fits inside a memory cap. This post lists today’s tiers and limits from the documentation, then tests memory-optimized tables, a native procedure and a pre-scaling check on SQL Server 2025.