Book Review: Pro SQL Database for Windows Azure

Earlier this year I wrote a blog series on the system tables available in SQL Azure. It was not long after that series was done that I was asked to be the technical reviewer for a book about SQL Azure. I jumped at the chance to learn even more about SQL Azure, because I know that … Read more

Data Modeling Is Dead; Long Live Data Modeling!

Data modeling is dead. It is a product of an era that has passed; that of corporate silos that created their own versions of software to suit their own needs. That is no longer the world in which we live. That era was one that had high costs associated with building and maintaining a database … Read more

Would You Like Another Byte?

It happens every year. You sit at the table, feeling full and wanting more. So many choices are on the table for you. Having already sampled everything at least once, and despite no longer needing any additional calories, you stand up and stick your fork into plate of juicy turkey flesh. You take a huge … Read more

Clustering On Uniqueidentifiers Is “No Reason For Worry”?

“Trust [everyone], but always cut the deck.” – Gerald Weinberg Whenever I come across a piece of technical information on the internet I try to remember two things. The first is assume good intentions. The second is trust, but verify. In other words, don’t assume that the person sharing the information is doing so for any other … Read more

March Madness – SQL Azure – Summary Review

Today is the final day for my SQL Azure blog series. These past few weeks I have been able to spend a lot of time with SQL Azure. The platform has come a long way in the two years time since I first started using it and doing presentations. I am very impressed with many … Read more

March Madness – SQL Azure – Wait Events

Yesterday we discussed one way to improve query performance in SQL Azure by making sure your statistics are kept up to date. In today’s penultimate post we look at another way to get information about your queries in SQL Azure: wait events. One of the first things I noticed that was missing from SQL Azure … Read more