Is there any difference between LEFT JOIN and LEFT OUTER JOIN? A reader asked, and here is the short answer: none at all, they are the same.
Loading a Fact Table Without Blocking Reports
Loading a fact table without blocking reports calls for isolated staging, aligned partition switching, short locks, and a tested reader path.
TRY_CAST: Parse Failure and Prohibited Conversion
TRY_CAST helps classify bounded integer text while preserving missing input separately. A prohibited int-to-xml request still needs error handling. A narrow text target can succeed while discarding characters.
Partitioning a Large Fact Table
Partitioning a large fact table can simplify loading and retention when boundaries, aligned indexes, and switch rules are designed together.
SQL SERVER – A Quick Note on DB_ID() and DB_NAME() – Get Current Database ID – Get Current Database Name
A quick note on DB_ID() and DB_NAME(): how to get current database name and ID, and how to turn a database ID into a name and back again.
Learning SQL Server on a Budget
Learning SQL Server on a budget is possible with free development editions, official documentation, samples, and community practice.
SQL SERVER – master Database Log File Grew Too Big
A reader found the master database log file grew very large even in simple recovery mode. I share the full email and ask what you would suggest.