A fundamental skill for DBAs is to have a firm understanding of the SQL Server database engine's system databases. Tim Chapman discusses these system databases. A fundamental skill for DBAs is to have ...

As SQL Server 2016 approaches end of support in July 2026, a look back at its groundbreaking innovations reveals how it reshaped Microsoft's data platform and why it's time to move forward.

In SQL Server 2000, we had a nifty little utility called rebuildm.exe which would rebuild the master database in emergency situations. This utility was removed in SQL Server 2005 and has not been seen ...

SQL Server 2012/2014 delivers compelling new capabilities that make an upgrade worthwhile. Many IT professionals agree that the AlwaysOn Availability Group (AG) feature offers the most value with its ...

SQL Server backups cannot be restored to older versions directly. Use Export and Import Data-Tier Application for cross-version database migration. Reconfigure permissions, logins, and connection ...

In the beginning, there were files. Later there were navigational databases based on structured files. Then there were IMS and CODASYL, and around 40 years ago we had some of the first relational ...