Most Valuable Yak (Rob Volk) Blog

…and other neat SQL Server tricks

Queerie Memoree Spils

Did you know that if you run a query in SQL Server, and it processes it as a hash match, and there's not enough memory to fully process it, the memory will spill to disk? Read more →

How to do an ER Diagram

As a follow-up to my earlier post, I found yet another great free resource that the "professor" and the poor students taking that class should look at. I found this via the excellent material Stanford provides for their open course on Databases. Read more →

Acad-anemic

I received an "ER diagram" from someone enrolled in a "database course" offered by a "professor" at a "university". This person would like to remain anonymous for the time being, as they are in an important position and don't want certain people to know what information they're providing. Read more →

T-SQL Tuesday #21 - Crap!

Adam Machanic's (blog | twitter) ever popular T-SQL Tuesday series is being held on Wednesday this time, and the topic is… SHIT CRAP. No, not fecal material. But crap code. Crap SQL. Read more →

Sometimes it's just too easy…

Yet another fair and balanced Slashdot discussion about XML databases. Legacy Comments Brett 2005-03-15 Not anymore Holy crap..the company just blocked slashdot... ClaesW(rockmoose) 2005-03-16 re: Sometimes it's just too easy. Read more →

More MySQL on Slashdot

I almost feel like I'm making a career out of bashing MySQL. Make sure to check all the links and read the comments. Especially "Ode to a MySQL Fanboy" :) Seriously, it is probably the most succinct observation ever made. Read more →

PASS 2004: How NOT to give a presentation…

I just got out of a presentation on “Performance Tuning and XML Support in MS SQL Server 2005”. Here are some high/low-lights: Zero discussion on performance tuning, except for “use showplan, it's great”. Read more →

Is XML Evil?

About a month ago I was asked by a contractor I work with who needed to import some very plain, fixed-width, ASCII text file data into SQL Server. In fact, this SQL Team post is very much like his situation, in that he also was going to convert PLAIN, FIXED-WIDTH, ASCII TEXT (did I mention that already? Read more →