Row-Level Security Can Slow Down Queries. Index For It.
The official Azure SQL Dev’s Corner blog recently wrote about how to enable soft deletes in Azure SQL using row-level security, and it’s a nice, clean, short tutorial. I like posts like that because the feature is pretty cool and accomplishes a real bu …
Logical Reads Aren’t Repeatable on Columnstore Indexes. (sigh)
Sometimes I really hate my job. Forever now, FOREVER, it’s been a standard thing where I can say, “When you’re measuring storage performance during index and query tuning, you should always use logical reads, not physical reads, because logical reads a …
The SQL Server Transaction Log, Part 3: The Circular Nature of the Log
(This post first appeared on SQLperformance.com four years ago as part of a blog series, before that website was mothballed later in 2022 and the series was curtailed. Reposted here with permission, with a few tweaks.) In the second part of this series …
IDENTITY vs SEQUENCE in SQL Server – which should you use?
Auto-generated numeric keys are everywhere in relational databases. In SQL Server, two features dominate this space: IDENTITY columns SEQUENCE objects Both generate numbers. Both are fast. Both are widely used. Today, though, IDENTITY columns are by fa …
[Video] Office Hours: Back in the Bahamas Edition
Yes, I’m back on a cruise ship with another 360 degree video. Lest you think I’m being wildly irresponsible (or responsible perhaps?) with your consulting and training money, be aware that this particular cruise was free thanks to the fine folks in the …
My thoughts on Redgate’s 2026 State of the Database Landscape report
I always really look forward to reading Redgate’s annual State of the Database Landscape report, and 2026 was no exception. I love the level of detailed statistics they collected from many thousands of database professionals worldwide, from DBAs to sen …
SQL101: Indexing Strategies for SQL Server Performance
One of the easiest ways to increase query performance in SQL Server is to make sure that it can quickly access the requested data, and this is done as efficiently as possible. In SQL Server, using one or more indexes can be exactly the fix you need. In …
Who’s Hiring Database People? March 2026 Edition
Is your company hiring for a database position as of March 2026? Do you wanna work with the kinds of people who read this blog? Let’s make a love connection. If your company is hiring, leave a comment. The rules: Your comment must include the job title …
How to secure MySQL and PostgreSQL in the world of AI
Are you feeling the impact of AI in your daily work? No? Your database might say otherwise. If you run a forum, threads, posts and messages that are forwarded to the database are likely to be at least partially AI-generated. Run a search engine derivin …
The secret life of database keys
There’s not much to database keys, right? When you build a new table, you add a column to act as the primary key, then set it to auto-generate. Done. That’s all there is to know…right? The goal of this article is to demonstrate that there’s much more t …
March Madness: $699 Blackbelt Bundle!
Spring is already in the air here in Redmond so time for March Madness! Hundreds of dollars lower-than-ever prices on our signature 158-hour Blackbelt training bundle: US$699 for one-year access (or to upgrade) – $200 lower than ever before! – US$1,299 …
The Tech Consulting Market Isn’t Looking Good.
After hearing the same dire news from several of my consulting friends, I put a poll up on LinkedIn: About half of the consultants out there are having a tougher time bringing in new clients than they have in the past. There are a couple things to keep …
[Video] Office Hours in the Vegas Home Office
Let’s hang out in my home office in Vegas and go through your top-voted questions from https://pollgab.com/room/brento. The audio’s a little echo-y in this one because I just moved my office down to a small first floor guest bedroom with hardwood floor …
Why disabling the SQL Server sa account still matters in 2026
Every few years, someone asks a familiar question: do we really still need to disable the sa account in SQL Server? After all, it’s 2026. SQL Server has better encryption, better auditing, better defaults, and more security features than ever before. S …
I Don’t Take Private Questions at Pre-Conference Classes.
When I first started teaching database sessions at conferences, I noticed a pattern. When I finished the session, closed PowerPoint, and thanked everyone for attending, a big queue of attendees would instantly start forming at the podium. People would …