Fast exports with bcp compares native and character files, shows a format file, and explains where batch size helps and how to check a large export.
Fixing Invalid Geography Polygons and Ring Orientation
Diagnose invalid geography polygons with STIsValid and IsValidDetailed, repair with MakeValid, and check ring orientation and EnvelopeAngle.
SQL SERVER – Datetime Function TODATETIMEOFFSET Example
A quick example of the datetime function TODATETIMEOFFSET in SQL Server, and how it differs from SWITCHOFFSET when offsets change.
SQL SERVER – Datetime Function SWITCHOFFSET Example
SWITCHOFFSET changes a datetimeoffset value from its stored time zone offset to a new one. Here is a quick example of how it works in SQL Server 2008.
Unsigned Integers: Safe Type and Range Mapping
Map unsigned integers to SQL Server types without narrowing their range. Keep strict source-text validation separate from destination CHECK constraints.
SQL SERVER – Parallelism – Row per Processor – Row per Thread – Thread 0
What does Thread 0 in a parallel execution plan mean? Reader Marko Parkkola gave the best answer: it synchronizes the other threads. Here it is in detail.
SQL SERVER – The Self Join – Inner Join and Outer Join
Is a Self Join an inner join or an outer join? It can be either. I build a small new example that shows Self Join as inner join and outer join.