The Bit Bucket (Greg Low): IDisposable

SQL Server 2012 Early Adoption Cook Book <- starting to be available

Greg Low — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:28:00 GMT

I've been working on a team with Roger Doherty building parts of what's now become the SQL Server 2012 Early Adoption Cook Book . So, if you work on the bleeding edge of SQL Server and are keen to get your head around what's coming, this is a seriously...(read more)

Happy new year 新年快乐 for my Chinese readers!

Greg Low — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:50:00 GMT

If you have Chinese friends, it's time to say 新年快乐 to them! (Xīnnián kuàilè -> Pronounced like Shin Nien Kwai Ler) They are welcoming in the year of the dragon....(read more)

Stored Procedure Contracts and Temp Tables

Greg Low — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:57:00 GMT

Temp tables are visible within the scope where they are declared but also in sub-scopes. This means that you can declare a temp table in one stored procedure but access it in another stored procedure that is executed from within the first stored procedure....(read more)

SQL Server Upgrade Advisor should check Database db_compat levels, not server version

Greg Low — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 00:36:00 GMT

We have a very common customer scenario where the customer decides to upgrade to a new version (in this case let's say SQL Server 2012). They run upgrade advisor and note that there are a whole lot of problems. They think "Hey that's way too much to deal...(read more)

New SQL Down Under Podcast with Roger Doherty on SQL Server 2012

Greg Low — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:58:00 GMT

Well it's been a while since I've posted up a new podcast. (I know, I know). But I've just started a new series for SQL Server 2012. First out of the gate is Roger Doherty (Senior Program Manager in the SQL Server team) with an overview of all the key...(read more)

SQL Azure DB size limit increased to 150GB

Greg Low — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:46:00 GMT

Nice to see the increase in maximum database size on SQL Azure kicked up to 150GB. In most enterprises I go into, there are a few databases that wouldn't fit but now the vast majority of databases would fit in SQL Azure. Also included in the November...(read more)

SSIS: The package failed to load due to error 0xC0010014

Greg Low — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:35:00 GMT

Over the years, I've seen several causes of this error in SQL Server Integration Services but today I came across another one. You can get this error if you've used 3rd party components (particularly data sources) and the licensing for those components...(read more)

Avoiding connection timeouts on first connection to LocalDB edition of SQL Server Express

Greg Low — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:52:00 GMT

When you first make a connection to the new LocalDB edition of SQL Server Express, the system files, etc. that are required for a new version are spun up. (The system files such as the master database files, etc. end up in C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Microsoft...(read more)

FIX: A network error occurred during SQL Server Native Client installation

Greg Low — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 04:25:00 GMT

One of the things that I have been pestering the SQL team to do is to name their updates according to what is contained in them. For example, instead of just: sqlncli.msi What I'd prefer is that the file was called something like: SQLServerNativeClient2k8SP1CU3x64.msi...(read more)

MVP Deep Dives volume 2 is now published!

Greg Low — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:21:00 GMT

It's great to see that volume 2 of MVP Deep Dives is now available and will be distributed at the PASS summit next week. I'm really sad that I won't be at the book signing next week but I'd encourage you all to get along, order a copy and have it signed....(read more)

September Edition of SolidQ Journal: More free SQL goodness

Greg Low — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:01:00 GMT

Great to see that our team has the September edition of the SolidQ Journal out the door. I was interested to see Fernando Guerrero's editorial regarding the recent BUILD conference in Anaheim and the implications for the industry. Laurent Martin is a...(read more)

Denali: Improved T-SQL Query Optimization

Greg Low — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 03:05:00 GMT

Part of the value in the ongoing evolution of the T-SQL language is that we are moving further and further towards being declarative rather than prescriptive ie: we are able to tell SQL Server what we want, rather than how to do it. Over time, that raises...(read more)

Denali: Note the small but important things in SSIS

Greg Low — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 02:49:00 GMT

With SQL Server, there often seems to be an over-emphasis on the items that provide bullet points for the marketing brochure. Yet, small but useful changes to the product can make a more profound impact on DBAs/developers than the new items that are highlighted...(read more)

Do you still sharpen your knives?

Greg Low — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:11:00 GMT

We end up staying in Sydney several times per year, either for training or mentoring/consulting work. When we do, one of the hotels that we really like is the Westin . I would find it hard though, to list all the reasons why I like it. (There are some...(read more)

More things I learned today: EXEC AS USER on dynamic SQL

Greg Low — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 07:14:00 GMT

I really liked the addition of the WITH EXECUTE AS clause when defining stored procedures and functions, to change the execution context, just for the duration of the stored procedure or function. For example: CREATE PROC SomeSchema.SomeProc WITH EXECUTE...(read more)