This article is focused on the T-SQL (Transact-SQL) IsNumeric function and its proper use in day-to-day SQL scripting tasks.
We will also see why it is important to understand how and why IsNumeric can be used – both incorrectly and correctly.
There may be some better alternatives to IsNumeric depending on the context. However, in the cases we’re going to cover in this article, I see this function as the best possible choice. Read More
Data types are attributes that specify the kind of data that objects such as columns, local variables, expressions, and parameters can hold. Across the RDBMS world, data types are typically grouped into string, numeric, and date data types.
T-SQL supports 6 date and time data types namely:
The first two data types are considered as legacy versions of the newer ones. In this article, we focus on the date data types and, specifically, on the datetime and datetime2 data types available in SQL Server. Table 1 gives details of the various date and time data types available in SQL Server. Read More
In my previous article, I demonstrated:
In this article, I am going to demonstrate:
Keeping two databases in sync is a task we often encounter when working on SQL database development and maintenance. One particular case is this – the versions of a database present on testing and development environments need to be consistently synchronized to make sure that tests are running on the most recent version. This should be done by detecting schema changes in the development version of a database and then automatically synchronizing them with the version from the testing environment on a scheduled basis.
We’ll look into how automated synchronization of two SQL databases can be achieved by combining a schema comparison tool with PowerShell scripts and scheduling. Read More
SQL Vulnerability Assessment is a feature available in the latest versions of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). This feature is very easy to use and it will show you all the security vulnerabilities and deviations in your SQL database. This is something you can run on your most critical databases to ensure you’re properly following strict security practices and that your client’s databases are in safe hands. In this article, we will describe the process of running these scans against your databases. With the amount of data growing with each year, database security is an important aspect every DBA needs to take care of. The consequences of data breaches are severe, so they may affect your future as a DBA and severely damage your firm’s reputation. Read More
This tutorial includes information about SQL (DDL, DML) that I have gathered during my professional life. This is the minimum you need to know while working with databases. If there is a need to use complex SQL constructions, then usually I surf the MSDN library, which can be easily found on the internet. To my mind, it is very difficult to keep everything in your head and, by the way, there is no need for this. I recommend that you should know all the main constructions used in most relational databases such as Oracle, MySQL, and Firebird. Still, they may differ in data types. For example, to create objects (tables, constraints, indexes, etc.), you may simply use integrated development environment (IDE) to work with databases and there is no need in studying visual tools for a particular database type (MS SQL, Oracle, MySQL, Firebird, etc.). This is convenient because you can see the whole text, and you do not need to look through numerous tabs to create, for example, an index or a constraint. If you are constantly working with databases, creating, modifying, and especially rebuilding an object using scripts is much faster than in a visual mode. Besides, in my opinion, in the script mode (with due precision), it is easier to specify and control rules for naming objects. In addition, it is convenient to use scripts when you need to transfer database changes from a test database to a production database. Read More
With the recent data protection laws and the implementation of GDPR last year, it is imperative for us to know the type of data our databases are storing. This will help us classify data based on the regulations and help us meet the data privacy standards. It is quite difficult for DBAs to know the type of data within a database. However, there is a new built-in tool within SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) that can help us to easily discover the data within the database. With this tool, we will be able to classify the data and work on reporting any sensitive data.
This article is focused on the T-SQL Not Equal comparison operator (<>) and its uses in basic to slightly complicated SQL scripting tasks.
The article also highlights the importance of understanding the correct use of Not Equal comparative operator with expressions.
The Not Equal comparative operator is a very common operator used in T-SQL, however, it is important to understand how to use it effectively in different scenarios.
In SQL Server, we can combine the same type of data from multiple tables using SET operators. After combining multiple SQL statements, it returns one result set. Following is the list of T-SQL SET operators:
To use SET operators, we must follow a number of rules:
At present, the gathering of SQL Server configuration information is no longer a problem— the opportunities to add value through an update and to build a stable database environment exist permanently. Most of the third party tools provide the appropriate functionality in order to capture the software market. Through this guide, you’ll figure out the ways to capture few SQL Server configurations and manipulate the data by using PowerShell.
Moreover, you will get the answers to the following questions: