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SQL Server Profiler has always been a great tool for tracing activity “under the hood” on a SQL Server and assessing its performance. One feature that helps us quickly set up a trace on our current ...

Using SSDT means we don't just shout orders at the database; instead, we plan what we're going to say. For almost 13 years, Microsoft has tried to make Visual Studio a place where developers can do ...

In SQL Server 2005, Microsoft introduced the Upgrade Advisor. This was a great idea to be able to analyze your current SQL Server in a safe environment and start the planning process of an important ...

In this second delve into data cleanliness (read the first, How clean is your data?, here), we’ll test-drive the data profiling tool provided with Microsoft SQL Server. Other profiling tools have ...

It's not 2008 anymore. Joey details the ins and outs of upgrading these aging Microsoft servers, including licensing changes, support options and potential pitfalls. It was a simpler time. A decade ...

“Free” is a term rarely associated with Microsoft offerings, especially at the server end of the spectrum. Exchange Server, SQL Server, SharePoint, Hyper-V — IT admins know functionality comes at a ...

Sometimes, life really is like a box of chocolates. The same can also be said for software upgrades. Take, for instance, Visual Studio 2008. After all its various CTPs and RTMs, I feel like I've been ...