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SQL Server

  • Excel doesn’t open CSV files correctly from sp_send_dbmail

    April 23rd, 2014 in Blog, SQL Server

    A nice little nugget today for anyone who uses SQL dbmail to send data in csv attachments. Sometimes, depending on your language settings, CSV files don’t open correctly in Excel. Excel ignores the ‘,’ and puts all data in column A. You then have to go through the hassle of closing the file and opening it throug the flat file wizard.   There’s a very nice solution to this that I found in this thread. It’s to…

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  • Analysis Services Tabular or Multidimensional? A performance comparison

    March 31st, 2014 in Analysis Services, Blog, SQL Server, Tabular

    Can SSAS Multidimensional be faster than SSAS Tabular for distinct counts on large datasets? We’ve all seen how fast the SSAS Tabular model can work – it’s an in-memory, heavily compressed analytics database. However you may have seen my previous posts on Tabular and NUMA, which show that at the moment Tabular is limited to a single CPU. This obviously limits its scalability and maximum performance. The situation A large…

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  • LogParser Performance Inserting into SQL Server

    August 2nd, 2013 in Blog, Integration Services, SQL Server

    Recently I’ve been using LogParser a lot to import log files, such as W3C logs from an IIS web server. The distasteful format of these files is made palatable by the awesomeness that is LogParser; it just takes care fo it for you. (Check out this SQLBits session on LogParser by Jonathan Allen (Twitter | Blog) for a good intro to LogParser) However I’ve been suffering with very poor performance with large files, so started to…

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  • Database Management PhD survey

    December 18th, 2012 in Blog, Community, SQL Server

    If you’re involved in database management, can you spare 20 minutes to complete a survey? Victoria Holt is studying for her PhD, and would very much appreciate it if you could help her out with her survey. Go on… Fill it in whilst you have a break over a cup of tea & a mince pie… Full in the survey here On behalf of Victoria, thanks

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  • Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock

    October 5th, 2012 in Blog, Community, SQL Server

    I want to share with you some genius level work by Phil Quinn (blog | twitter), who is furthering the boundaries of SQL Server.   Phil has taken the spatial drawing code from an earlier Frog-blog and used it to create a fully functional Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock game, just using the power of SQL Server. Not even the brightest boffins at Microsoft could ever have imagined that SQL Server would be able to provide such an awesome…

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  • MSc Dissertation – Performance of Loading SCDs in SSIS

    July 20th, 2012 in Blog, Business Intelligence, Integration Services, SQL Server

    Well after 3.5 years, I’ve finally completed my MSc Business Intelligence – hoorah! And to reward the time, effort and increased grey hair, they saw fit to give me a merit as well. During the last year I’ve been writing a thesis investigating the performance characteristics of loading data into data warehouse dimensions. Specifically loading Type 2 SCDs using SSIS. For those who have followed the previous posts and my…

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  • SQLBits X Video available

    June 19th, 2012 in Blog, Business Intelligence, Community, Integration Services, SQL Server

    SQLBits X Video Now available The video of my talk at SQLBits X is now available on the SQLBits website here. The talk was focused on presenting the results of my MSc Business Intelligence dissertation, comparing the performance of different methods of using SSIS to load data warehouse dimensions, specifically type 2 SCDs. The talk also covers a comparison of the performance between traditional hard disks and solid state storage systems such as…

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  • SQL Relay Agenda Announced

    April 19th, 2012 in Blog, Community, SQL Server

    SQL Relay: Free, Full Day SQL Server Events If you’ve not heard the news yet, then where have you been hiding?! With SQLBits X such a phenomenal success, but already a distant memory, we’re all looking for the next SQL Server community event to learn, network and enjoy. The 2012 SQL Relay, following on from the great inaugural events last year, have now been announced and registration is open. Where are they? Monday 21st May –…

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  • Automating T-SQL Merge to load Dimensions (SCD)

    April 6th, 2012 in Blog, Business Intelligence, Integration Services, SQL Server

    This is the 3rd post in the Frog-Blog series on the awesomeness of T-SQL Merge. Post 1: Introduction to T-SQL merge basics Post 2: Using T-SQL merge to load data warehouse dimensions In this post we’ll be looking at how we can automate the creation of the merge statement to reduce development time and improve reliability and flexibility of the ETL process. I discussed this in the 2nd half of a talk I gave at the UK technical launch of SQL…

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  • Using T-SQL Merge to load Data Warehouse dimensions

    January 16th, 2012 in Blog, Business Intelligence, SQL Server

    In my last blog post I showed the basic concepts of using the T-SQL Merge statement, available in SQL Server 2008 onwards. In this post we’ll take it a step further and show how we can use it for loading data warehouse dimensions, and managing the SCD (slowly changing dimension) process. Before we start, let’s have a quick catch up on what an SCD is… What is a Slowly Changing Dimension (SCD)? If you want a full explanation of…

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