Common SQL Server Problems: Invalid Object Name
This post is part of a series on common issues encountered in SQL Server. This time, we’ll talk about the invalid object name error: Msg 208, Level 16, State 1 Invalid object name ‘{object_name}’. What are some of the primary reasons behind the invalid …
[Video] Office Hours at the Last Spike
I drove the Graffiti Gulf out to The Last Spike (video) outside of Las Vegas and took your top-voted questions from https://pollgab.com/room/brento. Here’s what we covered: 00:00 Start 01:45 Jan de Graaf: Our database landscape seems CPU-bound. We some …
Identity Columns Can Have Gaps, and That’s Okay.
Say you’ve got a table with an identity column, something that’s supposed to start at 1 and go up to a bajillion: DROP TABLE IF EXISTS dbo.Orders; CREATE TABLE dbo.Orders (Id INT IDENTITY(1,1) PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED, OrderDate DATETIME2, CustomerName NV …
Let’s Build a Better KILL. What Do We Need to Consider?
When there’s a performance emergency, a lot of us perform the same manual tasks over and over. We run sp_BlitzWho or sp_WhoIsActive, look for blocking, long-running or out-of-control queries, and kill them. I’m going to build a new sp_kill for the Firs …
How to Build an AI-Powered Semantic Search in PostgreSQL with pgvector
Learn how to build a sleek, AI-powered semantic search engine that lives inside your existing database. We’ll walk through how to store vector embeddings, run similarity-based queries, and turn ordinary text searches into meaning-aware retrieval with n …
Watch My Training Classes Offline with the Latest Teachable App
If you’re the kind of person who likes to learn on the go, my training provider Teachable just updated their apps. Now, both the Android and iOS apps let you download classes ahead of time and watch ’em disconnected. I also love the built-in reminder f …
[Video] Office Hours: Everything’s Gone Wrong Edition
I threw in the towel on my workday at 3PM when everything started going wrong in the Ozar home office, so I switched to answering your top-voted questions from https://pollgab.com/room/brento. Here’s what we covered: 00:00 Start 03:59 MyTeaGotCold: How …
Evolving SQL Saturday
This is a guest editorial by Steve Jones (President of the SQL Saturday Corporation). The last four years have seen a successful reboot of the SQL Saturday franchise. After Redgate Software donated the brand to a new independent nonprofit corporation i …
Update: SQL Server 2025’s REGEX Performance Isn’t So Bad!
Back in March 2025 when Microsoft first announced that REGEX support was coming to SQL Server 2025 and Azure SQL DB, I gave it a quick test, and the performance was horrific. It was bad in 3 different ways: The CPU usage was terrible, burning 60 second …
How’s the Job Market? Let’s Find Out Together.
Every year, I run a salary survey to help folks have better discussions with their managers about salaries, benefits, and career progression. This year, the survey is for unemployed folks, too! The first question has a new option for “Unemployed (and l …
10 Key Concepts Developers Should Know About the SQL Server model Database
When you create a new database in SQL Server, you might assume that the system starts with an empty template and builds from scratch. In reality, every new database begins as a copy of model, one of the system databases. Understanding how model works, …
Act Fast: The Holiday Speed Round Sale Starting at $129
This holiday season, we’re running a sale specifically for fast learners. For record-low prices, get access to my SQL Server and Azure SQL DB training classes – but only for 3 months. If you’re confident you can get your learn on quick, this is for you …
T-SQL in SQL Server 2025: The UNISTR Function
I am not much for working in languages other than English. That’s my native language and I know little about others. However, the last few years I find myself using emojis more and more in quick communications as they seem to add some fun to the intera …
Making AI Talk to Your Database: AI-Powered Database Queries Made Simple
Nowadays, artificial intelligence is everywhere. It’s so prevalent that even universities are implementing it into their curriculums. That’s the case because on its face, AI really is immensely powerful – we can find pretty much any information on anyt …
[Video] Office Hours: Fireside Chat Edition
It’s the perfect time of year in Las Vegas when we can chill outside by the fire, enjoy a glass of wine, and go through your top-voted questions from https://pollgab.com/room/brento. Here’s what we covered: 00:00 Start 00:54 iliyan Rashev: Hello Brent, …