Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

2 weeks ago

SSMS 22.4.1 exports results to Excel, JSON, Markdown, and XML The latest update to SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 22 adds 4 new results export formats: Excel, JSON, Markdown, and XML.

New blog post:
In which I cover where to find the 4 new export formats in SSMS 22.4.1 and one gotcha you need to be mindful of.
vladdba.com/2026/03/20/s...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

3 weeks ago

Looking into SQL Server 2025's new PBKDF2 hashing algorithm In this post I explore the impact of SQL Server 2025's PBKDF2 hashing algorithm on password cracking and compare it with SQL Server 2022.

Blog post from the past:
In which I explore the impact of SQL Server 2025’s #PBKDF2 hashing algorithm on password cracking and compare it with SQL Server 2022
vladdba.com/2025/06/23/l...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

1 month ago

Dangerous SET options stored procedure inherit from your session ANSI_NULLS and QUOTED_IDENTIFIER, two potentially dangerous SET options that stored procedures inherit from your session when created

Blog post from the past:
In which I cover ANSI_NULLS and QUOTED_IDENTIFIER, two potentially dangerous SET options that stored procedures inherit from your session when created.
vladdba.com/2025/03/03/d...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

1 month ago

Change the edition of a SQL Server on Linux instance In this post I cover the steps required to change (downgrade or upgrade) the edition of a SQL Server instance running on Linux.

New blog post:
Outlining the process of changing the edition of a SQL Server instance on Linux
vladdba.com/2026/02/03/c...
#linux #sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

2 months ago

Getting started with SQL Server 2025 on Ubuntu 24.04 Previously I've set up an Ubuntu 24.04 VM, so I figured I'd cover the process of setting up SQL Server 2025 on Ubuntu 24.04.

New blog post:
In which I cover the process of setting up SQL Server 2025 on Ubuntu 24.04, connecting and restoring a sample database.
vladdba.com/2026/02/02/s...
#linux #ubuntu #virtualbox #sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

2 months ago

T-SQL Tuesday #194 - learning from mistakes My first time participating in T-SQL Tuesday, and Louis Davidson's invitation "learning from mistakes" seemed like the perfect opportunity.

New blog post:
My first ever contribution to T-SQL Tuesday.
vladdba.com/2026/01/20/t...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #tsql2sday

Amit Diwan

@amitdiwan.bsky.social

2 months ago

SQL Tutorial for Beginners | Learn SQL in 2 hrs | Microsoft SQL Server | 2026 Updated | Amit Thinks YouTube video by Amit Thinks

🔥SQL Tutorial for Beginners: youtu.be/ld6HCV0KDFg
Duration: 2 hours
Lessons: 40
Examples: 100+

#sql #learnsql #studyopedia #mssqlserver #microsoftsqlserver #sqlserver

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

2 months ago

Speeding up SELECT COUNT in SQL Server In this post I'll cover ways of speeding up SELECT COUNT as well as some myths about best practices when it comes to SELECT COUNT.

Blog post from the past:
In which I cover ways of speeding up SELECT COUNT in SQL Server as well as some myths about best practices when it comes to SELECT COUNT.
vladdba.com/2023/08/21/s...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

3 months ago

The hidden costs of heaps in SQL Server In this post I cover some unpleasant side-effects of using heaps in SQL Server for anything else than staging tables.

New blog post:
In which I cover some unpleasant side-effects of using heaps in SQL Server for anything else than staging tables.
vladdba.com/2025/12/30/t...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

3 months ago

Most popular blog posts in 2025 It's time for my annual roundup of the most popular blog posts in 2025 by views, likes, and comments.

New blog post:
My most popular blog posts in 2025 by views, likes, and comments.
vladdba.com/2025/12/27/m...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

3 months ago

Import and query HTML table data in SQL Server In this post I cover a way to import and query HTML table data in SQL Server using only T-SQL and no external tools.

Blog post from the past:
In which I demo how to import and query HTML table data in SQL Server using only T-SQL.
vladdba.com/2023/11/03/i...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

3 months ago

Page compression on heaps implies some extra work I recently ran into SQL Server's page compression being applied to a heap, and I figured I'd cover why that won't work how some folks expect.

New blog post:
In which I cover a sometimes overlooked gotcha when using page compression on heaps.
vladdba.com/2025/12/09/p...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

3 months ago

GitHub - VladDBA/PSBlitz: a PowerShell-based tool that outputs SQL Server health and performance diagnostics data to either Excel or HTML, and saves execution plans and deadlock graphs as .sqlplan and... a PowerShell-based tool that outputs SQL Server health and performance diagnostics data to either Excel or HTML, and saves execution plans and deadlock graphs as .sqlplan and .xdl files. - VladDBA/...

The latest PSBlitz:
- Updated with the non-sp versions of sp_Blitz* from Brent Ozar's Nov. release of the First Responder Kit
- Adds buttons to copy query text from the HTML report
- Overview of findings/issues in HTML report's main page
#sqlserver #sqldba #powershell #mssqlserver #mssql #powershell

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

4 months ago

Import saved connections from SSMS 21 to SSMS 22 This blog post is a guide for migrating saved connection details from SQL Server Management Studio 21 to SSMS 22

Updated blog post:
Added information about limitations and a workaround for transferring SSMS 21 connection history data to SSMS 22 when using the classic Connection Dialog.
vladdba.com/2025/11/17/i...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #ssms #PowerShell

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

4 months ago

PowerShell script to extract SSMS 21 and 22 saved connection data In this post I demo a PowerShell script I wrote to extract and decrypt SSMS 21 and 22 saved connection information.

New blog post:
In which I demo a PowerShell script I wrote to extract and decrypt SSMS 21 and 22 saved connection information.
vladdba.com/2025/11/22/p...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #ssms #PowerShell

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

4 months ago

Import saved connections from SSMS 21 to SSMS 22 This blog post is a guide for migrating saved connection details from SQL Server Management Studio 21 to SSMS 22

New blog post:
In which I show you how to easily migrate saved connection details from SQL Server Management Studio 21 to SSMS 22.
vladdba.com/2025/11/17/i...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #ssms #PowerShell

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

4 months ago

My SQL Server Management Studio 22 configuration SQL Server Management Studio 22 just went GA this week, so I figured I'd document my new configuration in a blog post.

New blog post:
In which I share my SQL Server Management Studio 22 configuration.
vladdba.com/2025/11/16/m...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #ssms

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

5 months ago

Replicating SQL Server 2025's PBKDF2 hashing algorithm using T-SQL In this post I talk some more about SQL Server 2025's new PBKDF2 and demo a method to replicate it using T-SQL

New blog post:
In which I demo a pure T-SQL implementation of SQL Server 2025's new PBKDF2 hashing algorithm

#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #security

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

5 months ago

SQL Server Management Studio 22 Preview 3 - first impressions SQL Server Management Studio 22 Preview 3 was released 2 days ago, so I took it out for a spin and here are my first impressions so far.

New blog post:
SSMS 22 Preview 3 comes with some promissing features and improvements.
And the startup speed has finally been noticeably improved
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql
vladdba.com/2025/10/16/s...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

6 months ago

GitHub - VladDBA/PSBlitz: a PowerShell-based tool that outputs SQL Server health and performance diagnostics data to either Excel or HTML, and saves execution plans and deadlock graphs as .sqlplan and... a PowerShell-based tool that outputs SQL Server health and performance diagnostics data to either Excel or HTML, and saves execution plans and deadlock graphs as .sqlplan and .xdl files. - VladDBA/...

The latest release of PSBlitz:
- Fixes a bug in the HTML report that was breaking hyperlinks to articles (MS Learn, blog posts, etc.)
- Addresses a data type overflow that occurred when retrieving instance information
#sqlserver #sqldba #powershell #mssqlserver #mssql
github.com/VladDBA/PSBl...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

6 months ago

Securing SQL Server linked servers In this post I address improper security configurations and their impact, as well as recommendations for securing SQL Server linked servers.

Blog post from the past:
In which I address improper linked server configurations and their potential impact, as well as recommendations for securing SQL Server linked servers.
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba
vladdba.com/2023/07/10/s...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

6 months ago

GitHub - VladDBA/PSBlitz: a PowerShell-based tool that outputs SQL Server health and performance diagnostics data to either Excel or HTML, and saves execution plans and deadlock graphs as .sqlplan and... a PowerShell-based tool that outputs SQL Server health and performance diagnostics data to either Excel or HTML, and saves execution plans and deadlock graphs as .sqlplan and .xdl files. - VladDBA/...

The latest release of PSBlitz:
- Fixes some bugs related to the HTML report
#sqlserver #sqldba #powershell #mssqlserver #mssql
github.com/VladDBA/PSBl...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

7 months ago

PoCs for two SQL Injection vulnerabilities fixed in SQL Server 2022 GDR KB5063814 In this post I demo two PoCs for SQL injection vulnerabilities fixed in SQL Server 2022 CU20 GDR KB5063814

New blog post:
In which I demo two PoCs for SQL injection vulnerabilities fixed in SQL Server 2022 CU20 GDR KB5063814.
vladdba.com/2025/08/29/p...
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #security #sqli #sqlinjection

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

7 months ago

Blog post from the past:
In which I cover how to fix performance problems caused by implicit conversion when the query cannot be modified.
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba
vladdba.com/2024/09/15/i...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

7 months ago

What are implicit conversions in SQL Server? In this post I show a few examples of implicit conversions in SQL Server and the impact they can have on query performance.

Blog post from the past:
In which I show a few examples of implicit conversions in SQL Server and the impact they can have on query performance
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba
vladdba.com/2024/09/11/i...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

8 months ago

Diagnosing SQL Server with PSBlitz - 3-year anniversary post This post is an overview of PSBlitz, how I use it in diagnosing SQL Server issues, and the notable changes it went through.

New blog post:
An overview of PSBlitz, how I use it to diagnose SQL Server issues, and the notable changes it went through over the past 3 years.
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #powershell
vladdba.com/2025/07/30/d...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

8 months ago

No, SQL Server CTEs do not store results There's this weird misconception floating around LinkedIn and reddit that SQL Server CTEs somehow store results in either memory or tempdb.

New blog post:
In which I address a weird misconception floating around LinkedIn and reddit that SQL Server CTEs somehow store results in either memory or tempdb.

#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql
vladdba.com/2025/07/27/s...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

8 months ago

SQL Server IDENTITY columns - an info-dump In this post I go over some useful information that you should be aware of when working with SQL Server's IDENTITY columns.

New blog post:
In which I go over some useful information that you should be aware of when working with SQL Server’s IDENTITY columns.
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql
vladdba.com/2025/07/23/i...

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

8 months ago

Script to reseed out-of-sync sequences used for default constraints This is a script that I wrote to help me next time I might need to bulk reseed out-of-sync SQL Server sequences tied to default constraints.

New blog post:
Containing a script that I wrote to help me next time I might need to bulk reseed out-of-sync SQL Server sequences tied to default constraints.
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql

Vlad Drumea

@vladdba.com

8 months ago

Does Query Store plan forcing work on queries using the RECOMPILE hint? It's 2AM and I'm curious if Query Store plan forcing works on queries that use the RECOMPILE hint (aka OPTION(RECOMPILE) ).

New blog post:
In which I test if Query Store plan forcing works on queries that use the RECOMPILE hint and run into an interesting scenario with plan forcing and new indexes.
#sqlserver #sqldba #microsoftsqlserver #mssqlserver #mssql #mssqldba #sql #querystore