Recent Blogs and Articles

Welcome to SQL Matters

SQL Matters is a resource for SQL Server Developers, Architects, DBAs and others interested in SQL Server and related technologies . Our site contains a wide range of articles, tips, blogs, quiz questions and other information about the SQL Server range of products. This includes Integration Services (SSIS), Reporting Services (SSRS), Analysis Services (SSAS) and some other products that we feel might be of interest to the SQL Server community such as PowerPivot and Report Builder.

Here are some examples of technical information that you might be interested in :

Featured Tip

Using Execute As with Stored Procedures and Dynamic SQL

In most situations it is sufficient to grant a user 'EXECUTE' rights to a stored procedure in order to run it, however if the stored procedure contains dynamic SQL an error can occur even if the user has sufficient rights to run the stored procedure. Fortunately we can use "Execute As" to resolve this.

Featured Script

Checking for users with sysadmin privileges

One thing I like to do occasionally, or when "inheriting" a new SQL server is to check which users have sysadmin privileges. As these users have access to perform any activity in SQL Server it’s important to keep the number of these users to a minimum especially on production systems.

Quick Quiz : DATALENGTH results

What is the result of the following SQL query ?
DECLARE @MyStr NVARCHAR (100)
SET @MyStr = 'ABC'
SELECT DATALENGTH(@MyStr)
Choose one : a) 3    b) 6    c) 50    d) 100