Timothy Smith

SQL Bulk Insert Concurrency and Performance Considerations

January 18, 2019 by

One of the challenges we face when using SQL bulk insert from files flat can be concurrency and performance challenges, especially if the load involves a multi-step data flow, where we can’t execute a latter step until we finish with an early step. We also see these optimization challenges with constraints as well, as fewer steps to complete a data flow results in saved time, but possibly less accurate data.

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Rajendra Gupta

Restoring a SQL Server FILESTREAM enabled database

January 17, 2019 by

In the series on the SQL Server FILESTREAM feature, we have explored the various aspects of FILESTREAM including its overview, internal architecture, database creation etc. In my last article [put the name of the article and a link], we explored the backup for the FILESTREAM enabled database. We can take Full backup as well as filegroup level backup in the FILESTREAM database.

Rajendra Gupta

SQL Server FILESTREAM Database backup overview

January 16, 2019 by

The SQL Server FILESTREAM feature in SQL Server allows storing the large documents files directly into the file systems. In my previous articles, we explored the concepts of FILESTREAM feature in SQL Server. We also learned the folder structures, metadata information and the process of garbage collection. In this article, we are going to learn about the backup and restores in SQL Server.

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Ed Pollack

Generating Schedules with SQL Server Agent

January 15, 2019 by

Summary

SQL Server Agent allows us to create jobs and assign any number of schedules to them. This allows for great flexibility when deciding when jobs should run. Over time, as the number of jobs and schedules increase on a given SQL Server, it can become challenging to fully understand when and how often jobs run during a given span of time.

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Ranga Babu

SQL Server Replication with a table with more than 246 columns

January 14, 2019 by

Problem

In our environment we use SQL Server merge replication to replicate data to multiple subscribers. We had a situation where a table needs to be part of merge replication and the table has more than 246 columns. Merge replication supports tables with maximum of 246 columns. In this article let us see how to replicate a table with more than 246 columns.

Timothy Smith

Working With Line Numbers and Errors Using Bulk Insert

January 10, 2019 by

In the first part of reviewing the basics of bulk insert, we looked at importing entire files, specifying delimiters for rows and columns, and bypassing error messages. Sometimes we’ll want to skip first and ending lines, log errors and bad records for review after inserting data, and work with data types directly without first importing using a varchar and converting to the data type later. In this part, we look at these techniques using T-SQL’s native bulk insert.

Ahmad Yaseen

SQL Server Audit Overview

January 9, 2019 by

To fill an optimal role in all business’s computerized operations, information technology systems and infrastructure should be guaranteed, well controlled, aligned with the business goals and secured. Technology auditing ensures the evaluation and examination of these business requirements on an organization.

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Timothy Smith

Tracking Times In Data Flows for Finding Performance Issues

January 9, 2019 by

We’re facing a challenge with several of our data flows that use more time than they have in the past and we’re not sure when this trend started. We know in the past month, our reports have been delayed by over a day from the start to the finish. For some of our data flows we use SQL Server Agent that calls SSIS packages or procedures, while some of them use a custom data import and reporting application we’ve created. How can we track the length of time for these data flows, since we’re using a combination of tools for importing data?

Ahmad Yaseen

SQL Server Transaction Overview

January 8, 2019 by

In general, a Transaction is a single unit of work consists of multiple related tasks that should succeed or fail as one atomic unit. To make the concept of the transaction more familiar and why it should go all or none, imagine one of the most critical transaction examples in our daily life, which is withdrawing money from the ATM.

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Timothy Smith

T-SQL’s Native Bulk Insert Basics

January 8, 2019 by

From troubleshooting many data flow applications designed by others, I’ve seen a common pattern of over complexity with many designs. Putting aside possible risks by introducing too much complexity, troubleshooting these designs often involves opening many different applications – from a notepad file, to SSIS, to SQL Server Management Studio, to a script tool, etc. It may sound like many of these are doing a hundred steps, yet many times, they’re simply importing data from a file, or calling five stored procedures and then a file task of moving a file. This complexity is often unnecessary, as is opening many different tools when we can use a few tools and solve issues faster.

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Ranga Babu

SQL Server Code simplification using synonyms

January 4, 2019 by

Problem

In our environment, we use different DB servers and these servers are linked via Linked servers for cross server transactions. We use these linked servers in our stored procedures. The server names are different in different environments and we had to change the server names manually when we promote the stored procedures to other environments. There is a chance of errors while changing the server names manually. In this article let us see how can we eliminate changing the code manually.

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