Michael Coles: Sergeant SQL : database

Encrypt it in .NET/Decrypt it on SQL Server?

Mike C — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:52:00 GMT

A common question on the newsgroups is "how do you encrypt data in a .NET [or other] client application and then decrypt it on SQL Server [or vice versa]?" I actually ran down my list of answers to someone who asked this in the newsgroups a few weeks...(read more)

Please Vote: Windowing Enhancements in SQL Server

Mike C — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:45:00 GMT

Back in January 2007, SQL guru Itzik Ben-Gan posted a series of MS Connect enhancement requests concerning windowing function enhancements. Those who have used the ROW_NUMBER() , RANK() , DENSE_RANK() , and NTILE() functions on SQL 2005 and 2008, you...(read more)

Free e-Book and Magazine

Mike C — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:40:00 GMT

A pair of Canadian Server MVPs have led the charge to create a free e-Book for developers called (what else?) "Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers". This book features development tricks, tips and insights from 17 of the best developers in...(read more)

NJSQL Saturday Event (10/24)

Mike C — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:37:00 GMT

The NJSQL user group is hosting a one-day Saturday SQL Server event at the Microsoft Iselin offices. On October 24th Jacob Sebastian, Robert Pearl and I will be presenting on the following SQL Server topics: * T-SQL Defensive coding and exception handling...(read more)

Anatomy of a Geek

Mike C — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:45:00 GMT

I just got tagged by my old friend Jacob Sebastian at Beyond Relational, and it turns out it's my turn to explain how I became such a geek :) Way back in the day I got my start on the TRS-80 Model III (affectionately known as the "Trash-80s"), a nice...(read more)