Pick random winners with NEWID or cryptographic randomness, handle weights and unique entrants, and save a draw with its seed and timestamp.
SQL Server emergency? Email pinal@sqlauthority.com with URGENT in the subject line.
Moving Databases to a New Server Behind a SQL Server Alias
Move databases behind a SQL Server alias or DNS CNAME by planning name redirection, backup and restore, Kerberos SPNs, and connection tests.
Validate a Date With Regex in SQL Server 2025: Shape Is Not Enough
To validate a date with regex in SQL Server 2025, pair REGEXP_LIKE with TRY_CONVERT. The tests here show impossible dates that pass a strict pattern, spellings that convert but break the format, and how to enforce both checks with a constraint.
SQL SERVER – Asynchronous Update and Timestamp – Check if Row Values are Changed Since Last Retrieve
In a bidding system, users must know if a row changed since they read it. Here is how a timestamp column helps with this asynchronous update check.
SQL Server Agent Basics
SQL Server Agent basics covers jobs, steps, schedules, proxies, and history so a first useful job runs with a clear owner and failure path.
SQL Authority News – Download SQL Server Data Type Conversion Chart
Implicit or explicit? Download the SQL Server data type conversion chart to see which conversions happen on their own and which need CAST or CONVERT.
Removing Repeated Characters From a String With GENERATE_SERIES
Remove repeated characters with GENERATE_SERIES, ROW_NUMBER, and ordered STRING_AGG, then benchmark a SQL Server 2019 fallback.
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