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One of drawbacks to a Blog site layout is that it can be easy for good content to get buried and go unnoticed. I try to get around this by keeping the Popular Posts section up to date, highlighting both the last months most popular content alongside my all time most popular posts. What about all the stuff in between though? Well I’ve now simplified and organized all my post categories, which you can see on the right hand menu widget on the blog. I hope this will improve your experience of the site and maybe even introduce you to some content you’ve yet to enjoy.

Here’s your weekly roundup of SQL Server Blog Posts, News and Techie Stuff. Enjoy!

SQL Server Links

• Non use of persisted data – Discoveries from a recent client engagement, Dave Ballantyne (Blog|Twitter) demonstrates how a persisted column may not always be chosen by the optimizer.
• T-SQL Script for Estimating Compression Savings – A handy T-SQL script shared courtesy of Michelle Ufford(Blog|Twitter).
• SQL Server and Soft NUMA – Jonathan Kehayias (Blog|Twitter) continues his excellent post series on NUMA technology and it’s application within SQL Server.
• T-SQL Tuesday #19 – Beyond Backups – Talking on this months theme it’s Robert L. Davis(Blog|Twitter).
• Dipping My Toes Into SQL Azure – Part 2 – Protection Mechanisms - CSS SQL Server Engineers (Blog)
• Resolving Conflicts in the Database – The Replication technology debate is up for discussion this week by Jeremiah Peschka (Blog|Twitter). Replication can be an awesome technology but it must be integrated with the complete application platform design in order to ensure you don’t run into trouble.
• Rebind and Rewind in Execution Plans – I’m sure you’ve seen these mentioned in your execution plans but do you know what they actually mean? Grant Fritchey (Blog|Twitter) explains.
• Rankings Updated – Updating his very own chart of the Top SQL Server bloggers in our community, it’s Thomas Larock (Blog|Twitter). This is a great resource to find out which SQL Server bloggers you should be following.
• Enforcing Business Rules Vs. Avoiding Triggers: Which Is Better? – The business logic debate continues, Michael J. Swart (Blog|Twitter) discusses.
• You Probably Already Have a “Private Cloud” – This week Buck Woody (Blog|Twitter) proclaims that many of us are in fact already leveraging the power of the Cloud and that we may not know it just yet.
• Service Broker, not ETL – An interesting discussion of a recent customer project with a difference, that Jamie Thomson(Blog|Twitter) worked on.

You can make sure you don’t miss out on future posts right now by Subscribing to the Blog Feed. You can also receive posts via Email.

Here’s your weekly roundup of SQL Server Blog Posts, News and Techie Stuff. Enjoy!

SQL Server Links

• Top 10 Keys to Deploying SQL Server on VMware – A lot of SQL Server DBAs are now really starting to get stuck in with Virtualization. This week Brent Ozar (Blog|Twitter) offers some outstanding advice on the matter.
• Creating All New Database with Full Recovery Model – An administrative tip here from Pinal Dave (Blog|Twitter).
• SQL Server Locking and You! – Some people just know how to write well and this week Jeremiah Peschka (Blog|Twitter) is on form again.
• A Round-up of Round-ups and other Meta Things – A fantastic list of community Meta resources if I don’t say so myself, courtesy of Michael J. Swart (Blog|Twitter). Thanks for the mention my good sir.
• Puzzle – Statistics are not Updated but are Created Once – Everybody loves a good T-SQL puzzle, well OK maybe not everybody but if puzzles and learning are your thing then you’ll be sure enjoy this post from Pinal Dave (Blog|Twitter).
• The pros and cons of trace flags – What, you mean I shouldn’t just turn them all on for fun? More fascinating survey result from Paul Randal (Blog|Twitter) and don’t forget to also take part in this weeks Survey: do you regularly reboot SQL Server?.
• June 2011 Version of SQL Server 2008 Diagnostic Queries - Glenn Berry (Blog|Twitter) shares with us the latest edition of his Diagnostic Queries. Add them to your DBA Toolbox.
• How to Design Multi-Client Databases – More quality content from Brent Ozar (Blog|Twitter)  and the PLF crew.
• Understanding Quorum in a Failover Cluster by Symon Perriman – An nice detailed and technical article from the Failover Clustering and Network Load Balancing Team Blog (Blog).
• SQL University Troubleshooting Week: Having a Plan for Every Situation – The theme for SQLU this week is Troubleshooting and here David Levy(Blog|Twitter) holds class.
• Performance issues from wasted buffer pool memory – More sage advice from Paul Randal (Blog|Twitter).
• Be Careful Installing Windows Features – A cautionary tale from Nicholas Cain (Blog|Twitter).
• Dipping My Toes Into SQL Azure – Getting the RML Utitlies to play nicely with SQL Azure, courtesy of the CSS SQL Server Engineers (Blog).
• SSAS 2008 R2 Operations Guide – Don’t say I never give you Analysis Services folks anything. Andrew Calvett (Blog) shares the link to a recently published White Paper that I imagine will become essential reading for all SSAS DBAs. Best get the coffee in first though, it’s a big read.

You can make sure you don’t miss out on future posts right now by Subscribing to the Blog Feed. You can also receive posts via Email.

Here’s your weekly roundup of SQL Server Blog Posts, News and Techie Stuff. Enjoy!

SQL Server Links

• The most important consulting skill is… effective communication – Being one of the most renowned SQL consulting outfits there is, these folks would certainly know. This week Paul Randal (Blog|Twitter) shares with us the most important consulting skill.
• PowerShell script to help uninstall SQL Server 2008 R2 Evaluation Edition – A handy tip/script here from Rob Farley (Blog|Twitter).
• SQL Azure Query Tuning – Taking a look at the subset of DMVs that ARE available for us to use in SQLAzure it’s, Grant Fritchey (Blog|Twitter).
• Sweet Charlotte! – The big news last week was that the PASS Summit will be moving. Here PASS Board member Thomas Larock (Blog|Twitter) discusses some of the reasoning behind the decision.
• Pliant Technology, Enterprise Flash Drives For Your SQL Server: Part 1 – If you’re interested in storage hardware performance, let’s face it who isn’t, then you will want to check out this post from Wes Brown (Blog|Twitter).
• SQL Server Filegroup Piecemeal Restores – It’s been a while since Jes Borland (Blog|Twitter) has featured on SFTW, this week giving us an excellent technical walkthrough.
• I Think You’re Exceptional. No, Really. – A motivation piece here from Brent Ozar (Blog|Twitter), encouraging you to take part in this years Exceptional DBA Awards.
• Understanding Non-Uniform Memory Access/Architectures (NUMA) – High quality technical content as always from Jonathan Kehayias (Blog|Twitter), good stuff!
• Benchmarking: Multiple data files on SSDs (plus the latest Fusion-io driver) – More storage goodness from Paul Randal (Blog|Twitter) with some very interesting results reported. You don’t want to miss this.
• Covering Index because it’s Covering up the truth? – Closer inspection of query plans is on the agenda this week from Rob Farley (Blog|Twitter). It’s without a doubt very interesting reading but I can’t help but wonder about the of real world application given the contrived examples. What do you think?
• Pssdiag/Sqldiag Configuration Manager released to codeplex – This tool from the CSS SQL Server Engineers (Blog) has the potential to be very useful indeed! I’ve yet to play with it so I’d be very interested to hear about how you get on.
• New Whitepaper: Performance Evaluation of Hosting TempDB on FusionIO – A new Whitepaper is available this week and shared via Robert L. Davis(Blog|Twitter).

You can make sure you don’t miss out on future posts right now by Subscribing to the Blog Feed. You can also receive posts via Email.

The BIG news on the block this week is that the PASS Summit 2013 will be held in Charlotte NC. For the last 5 years it has been Seattle that has played host. You can find out more about the announcement on the PASS Blog. As with any decision that the PASS Board makes, there have been mixed opinions on the decision. Personally I think it’s a great step forward that will provide an opportunity for PASS to reach out to and interact with a different area of the SQL community.

I’m delighted to share with you the fantastic news that this week saw the start of a new SQL Server User Group here in the UK. It’s brilliant to see our community growing from strength to strength but what really makes this a great story is that the group was brought to life single-handedly through some serious hard work and grit on the part of Jonathan Allen (Blog|Twitter). Congratulations to SQL South West! If you are a Data Professional in and around the South West area then now is the time for you to get involved and be there at the start of something great. It’s also one of Your Techie Resolutions for this year.

Here’s your weekly roundup of SQL Server Blog Posts, News and Techie Stuff. Enjoy!

SQL Server Links

• SQL University – Internals by the Numbers – It’s Internals week at the SQL University this week, a tough topic and Erin Stellato (Blog|Twitter) handles it well for us.
• SharePoint Adventures : ADFS Setup – Part 1 – If SharePoint is your idea of an adventure then go ahead and knock yourself out, literally . More tales from CSS SQL Server Engineers (Blog).
• May 2011 SQL Server 2008 Diagnostic Information Queries – A good DBA can never have too many awesome scripts in his (or her) toolbox and Glenn Berry (Blog|Twitter) released an update to his awesome diagnostic queries this week. Be sure to get yourself copy and express your thanks/feedback.
• Cloud Computing and the Code-Based Infrastructure – Quite a ponderous discussion this week from Buck Woody (Blog|Twitter). I’ve got to admit I’m “still” not convinced about the Cloud but I really do want to be.
• Don’t Shrink TempDB! – A real world lesson shared by Nicholas Cain (Blog|Twitter). Funnily enough I was wrestling with a tempdb only last week myself so make sure you know what to do in such a crisis.
• Okay, You’ve Found Blocking, Now What? – This week Michael J. Swart (Blog|Twitter) looks at what you can do to minimise, if not eliminate excessive blocking.
• Slow performance and out of memory issues caused by large batch – Another story from the field brought to you by the CSS SQL Server Engineers (Blog). I really like these posts because they give you a valuable insight into other peoples problems. Who knows maybe one day they’ll be yours too.
• Covering, schmuvvering – when a covering index is actually rubbish – Proof that covering indexes are not the best thing since sliced bread,  it’s Rob Farley (Blog|Twitter).
• SQL University – Internals Week – More from the SQLU theme of the week it’s Thomas Larock (Blog|Twitter).
• On Transactions, errors and rollbacks – A very interesting look at error handling and transaction management from Gail Shaw (Blog|Twitter) this week. I’ll be very surprised if you do not learn something from this insightful post.

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Owing to my being away on vacation for the last few weeks there have unfortunately been no SFTW posts for you dear reader. Not wanting to sell you short, this edition is a Jumbo wrap up of the my favourite SQL content from the last 3 weeks! Man I’m good to you.

In between sunning myself in Barbados and Florida, I was both delighted and humbled to have received the Microsoft Community Contributor Award 2011. The extremely oversized logo above is proof that I really do spend too much time on SQL Server Forums

Here’s your weekly roundup of SQL Server Blog Posts, News and Techie Stuff. Enjoy!

SQL Server Links

• Counting Unreplicated Commands and Transactions – A wonderful Replication administrative query shared by Robert L. Davis(Blog|Twitter). Get your head around how this works and you will most certainly improve your understanding of SQL Server Replication mechanics.
• Drop the Noise – Although not directly SQL focused, useful advice nonetheless this week from Jen McCown (Blog|Twitter).
• CTEs – query-scoped views – Have you ever thought about the feasibility of temporary views? Rob Farley (Blog|Twitter) has. I particularly enjoyed the fact that he approaches this months theme from a different angle, looking at the wider purpose of CTEs rather than the various T-SQL implementations/uses available.
• Salary survey results – are YOU being paid enough? – Interesting reading for all Data Professionals I’m sure you’ll agree. The results of the latest survey from Paul Randal (Blog|Twitter) are in.
• Seeks, Scans, and Statistics in the Grocery Store – This week Brent Ozar (Blog|Twitter) and the PLF team go shopping.
• New extended event to track writes to the snapshot sparse file – Help at last when troubleshooting Snapshots, details shared courtesy of the CSS SQL Server Engineers (Blog).
• Considering Data Access Patterns When Determining Server Resource Requirements – A wonderfully detailed technical discussion shared courtesy of Tony Rogerson (Blog|Twitter).
• T-SQL Tuesday #18–CTE A Simpler Form Of Recursion – Another CTE post from T-SQL Tuesday but with a different spin. Nicholas Cain (Blog|Twitter) looks at recursion or rather what really is recursion, following a question that came up in a recent interview.
• Optimize Recursive CTE Query – A in depth real world performance tuning case from Microsoft SQLCAT (Blog).
• The Truth About NOLOCK Hints – Another great post from Robert L. Davis(Blog|Twitter) this time looking at the locking behaviour of the NOLOCK hint. I think you’ll be surprised to see what actually goes on.
• SOS_SCHEDULER_YIELD waits and the LOCK_HASH spinlock – Deep Dive performance tuning investigations from Paul Randal (Blog|Twitter). Good stuff!
• Distribution Agent unable to STREAM when replicating as TSQL - Microsoft SQL Server Replication Support Team(Blog).
• When To Use Blocked Processes Reports - Michael J. Swart (Blog|Twitter) tells us exactly when to make use of his freely available utility. If you’ve not yet taken a look at Michael’s Blocked Process Reports you’re missing out.
• Indexing for ORs – True to form, another excellent performance tuning insight and walk through from Gail Shaw (Blog|Twitter).
• Reducing Impact of Large Updates on Merge Replication - Microsoft SQL Server Replication Support Team(Blog).
• The Index Tuning Detective – More enlightening T-SQL tales from Brad Schulz (Blog), this week with a takeaway script that may identify some performance tuning opportunities for you.
• Checking Database Space With PowerShell – The magic of PowerShell brought to life by Nicholas Cain (Blog|Twitter).
• Why does this query consumes so much CPU? – Customer case files from CSS SQL Server Engineers (Blog).
• AlwaysON – HADRON Leanring Series: Maximum Failovers Within Specified Period – The CSS SQL Server Engineers (Blog) share more fascinating insights into the administrative nuances of SQL Server Denali.

• HATFIELD - Thu 5 May- The first SQLHerts User group evening with Christian Bolton and Jennifer Stirrup (SQL Herts – User Group site)
• LEEDS - Wed 11 May – Leeds UG meeting – Resource Govenor and Policy Based Management with Chris Testa-O’Neill
• SOUTHAMPTON - Wed 11 May – User group evening of TBA.
• MANCHESTER - Thu 12 May – Planning for Stored Procedures with Munsoor Negyal and another speaker- Thursday night meeting at BSS
• SOUTHAMPTON - Wed 8 Jun – User group evening of TBA.
• LEEDS - Thu 16 Jun – UG meeting with Andrew Fryer from Microsoft and Allan Mitchell
• LONDON - Mon 20 Jun – Multi Day Seminar – SQLskills Immersion Event on Internals and Performance – 5 day event 20th June – 25th June
• EDINBURGH - Thu 23 Jun – Scottish Area User Group Meeting
• LONDON - Fri 15 Jul – SQL in the City

Misc Technology Posts

• Brain waves from thoughts of sounds used to move cursor
• Classic Commodore 64 lives again
• British bank shuts website until April 2012
  

That’s it for this week. What was your favourite post? If I’ve missed anything that you think deserves a mention then be sure to let me know! You can leave your comments below, send me an email and find me on Twitter(@JohnSansom).

UK SQL Server Upcoming Events

UK SQL Server User Groups

• MANCHESTER – Wed 2 Mar – Presentation by Atul Thakor on “LINQ and what it does” and a “Journey into Indexes” with David Betteridge at the new location – COOP Manchester
• LONDON – Wed Mar 02 – London SQL Server User Group with Neil Hambly on XQuery fundementals and Dave Ballantyne on re-engineering for faster performance.
• LEEDS - Thu 3 Mar- Leeds UG meeting with Anthony Brown and David Betteridge talking on SQL Server Replication and Index Internals – Thursday night meeting
• SOUTHAMPTON – Wed 9 Mar – Gavin Payne speaking on different replication services SQL Server offers, primary and secondary design goals of each and considerations for deployment and in-life management.
• BIRMINGHAM - Thur 10 Mar – Allan Mitchell and Neil Hambly – Covering StreamInsight (Complex event Processing and Event Stream Processing) and an introduction to Service Broker
• CARDIFF – Thur 24 Mar – Cardiff User Group with RedGate SQL Monitor, Alex Whittles on using SSRS, DMVs & spatial data to visualise SSAS cube structures, also Chalk and Talk on HA/DR/Scaling with Tony Rogerson
• EDINGBURGH - Thur 31 Mar – Scottish Area User Group Meeting – April
• SOUTHAMPTON – Wed 4 April – User group evening of Neil Hambly.
• LEEDS - Wed 11 May – Leeds UG meeting – Resource Govenor and Policy Based Management with Chris Testa-O’Neill
• SOUTHAMPTON - Wed 11 May – User group evening of TBA.
• MANCHESTER - Thu 12 May – Planning for Stored Procedures with Munsoor Negyal and another speaker- Thursday night meeting at BSS
• SOUTHAMPTON - Wed 8 Jun – User group evening of TBA.

UK SQL Server User Groups

• MANCHESTER – Wed 2 Mar – Presentation by Atul Thakor on “LINQ and what it does” and a “Journey into Indexes” with David Betteridge at the new location – COOP Manchester
• LEEDS - Thu 3 Mar- Leeds UG meeting with Anthony Brown and David Betteridge talking on SQL Server Replication and Index Internals – Thursday night meeting
• SOUTHAMPTON – Wed 9 Mar – Gavin Payne speaking on different replication services SQL Server offers, primary and secondary design goals of each and considerations for deployment and in-life management.
• BIRMINGHAM - Thur 10 Mar – Allan Mitchell and Neil Hambly – Covering StreamInsight (Complex event Processing and Event Stream Processing) and an introduction to Service Broker
• CARDIFF – Thur 24 Mar – Cardiff User Group with RedGate SQL Monitor, Alex Whittles on using SSRS, DMVs & spatial data to visualise SSAS cube structures, also Chalk and Talk on HA/DR/Scaling with Tony Rogerson
• EDINGBURGH - Thur 31 Mar – Scottish Area User Group Meeting – April
• SOUTHAMPTON – Wed 4 April – User group evening of Neil Hambly.
• LEEDS - Wed 11 May – Leeds UG meeting – Resource Govenor and Policy Based Management with Chris Testa-O’Neill
• SOUTHAMPTON - Wed 11 May – User group evening of TBA.
• MANCHESTER - Thu 12 May – Planning for Stored Procedures with Munsoor Negyal and another speaker- Thursday night meeting at BSS
• SOUTHAMPTON - Wed 8 Jun – User group evening of TBA.