It used to be that the EXISTS logical operator was faster than IN, when comparing data sets using a subquery. For example, in cases where the query had to perform a certain task, but only if the subquery returned any rows, then when evaluating WHERE EXISTS (subquery), the database engine could quit searching as Read more
Since 2004 I’ve helped more than 800 companies incorporate data masking into their database deployment strategy for non-production databases, mainly using the Data Masker tool, which is part of SQL Provision. The goals are always the same. First, understand what sensitive data, or Personally Identifying Information (PII), exists in the source database. This might not Read more
The increasing size of SQL Server databases, alongside the growing complexity of SQL Server estates, is making more organizations realize the need for a tool that enables proactive monitoring. Hand-rolled scripts can provide basic information, like wait stats and memory utilization, but that’s often not enough. With the database a key element of business operations, Read more
SQL Provision launched in January, offering users blazingly fast database copying, with a light storage footprint, centralized management, and the ability to mask any sensitive data, prior to distribution. This new release takes compliant provisioning one step further, by integrating data masking directly into SQL Clone’s image creation process, rather than running it as a Read more
Do not use a scalar user-defined function (UDF) in a JOIN condition, WHERE search condition, or in a SELECT list, unless the function is schema-bound. Scalar UDFs are often used without a parameter to return a global constant: Unless you need to use these as constants in computed columns or constraints, it is generally safer Read more
Snippets are a great feature of SQL Prompt. They save coding time, and introduce standards and consistency to the way you build code modules. They have multiple replacement points (placeholders) for parameters, and you can invoke them directly from an SSMS query pane. SQL Prompt also comes with many useful built-in snippets, but sometimes we Read more
SQL Prompt’s Code Analysis feature helps you discover code issues and hidden pitfalls during code development, as you type. It also provides tips for improving your code, and includes links to documentation that offers advice on the about each of the supported rules, so you can decide on the best course of action. This is Read more
Inherited a database from another team? Changed your team policy on the way that you format SQL? What’s to stop you formatting the code of an entire database nicely, when you’re developing it? It can be done, but the process can take longer than you expect. This article will demonstrate a simple 3-step approach to Read more
When writing functions or procedures, a common chore is to devise and implement the tests that ensure that the routine always works as expected. The best way to do this is to define the tests in a batch that is attached to the CREATE or ALTER script. This isn’t just to prevent you from making Read more
Deploying schema changes to SQL Server databases can be tricky when you’d like to automate parts of your workflow. For instance, how do you go about version controlling your schema changes? In application development there are many ‘no brainer’ tools you could use such as Git, or Subversion. However, there exists no obvious choice for Read more
