SQL and MCP, Azure SQL Edition

In part one, I covered the basics of your Data API Builder setup. Now, it's time to get into the real stuff :). For the demo, I'm using the Stack Overflow 2013 database on an Azure SQL General Purpose Serverless 8-core database. It's not a very large dataset (making it less expensive to host on … Continue reading SQL and MCP, Azure SQL Edition

SQL, Azure SQL and MCP, the Introduction

This three-part series of blog posts will take you along my first experiments, trials and errors using the MCP Service for SQL. This first blog will focus on the technology behind it; part 2 will focus on Azure SQL options; and the last part will dig a bit deeper into running this on your local … Continue reading SQL, Azure SQL and MCP, the Introduction

Exploring SSMS 22 Preview 3: New GitHub Copilot Features

A few minutes ago, I came across a post on LinkedIn by Erin Stellato, highlighting the post from Makena Barickman on the release of SSMS 22, preview 3. If you've been following my blogs, you've read that I'm a keen follower of the latest editions of SSMS, especially now that Copilot is integrated. From very … Continue reading Exploring SSMS 22 Preview 3: New GitHub Copilot Features

DP-700 training: implement database projects

Some of you might recognise database projects from either Synapse Analytics or SQL Server. Yay for the latter ;). A long story, very short, database projects are a way to develop and deploy your databases using a CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Development) approach. For each database, the code you've written is saved in a specific project … Continue reading DP-700 training: implement database projects

SSMS 22 preview 1 first impressions

We're almost used to SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) 21, and now 22 is already in preview. So, let's see where it's available for download, install it and see what's different. Download and release notes. The most important part, of course, is the download of the binaries. Click here for the download. Click here for … Continue reading SSMS 22 preview 1 first impressions

SQL Server 2025: Simplifying Data Checks with RegEx

One of the new features in SQL Server 2025 is that you can now use regular expressions directly in your T-SQL queries. Now, regular expressions (or RegEx) have never been a syntax that's easy to read. There are a lot of brackets, dashes and other symbols that make no sense when you first see them. … Continue reading SQL Server 2025: Simplifying Data Checks with RegEx

My top features of SQL Server 2025 for Business Intelligence

Some time ago, Microsoft announced the release of a new version of SQL Server. This made me happy, mainly because in the storm of everything Fabric, Copilot, and cloud, sturdy technology still has a place, and Microsoft hasn't forgotten that. Companies still rely on on-premises systems that require databases. And running everything on-premises is still … Continue reading My top features of SQL Server 2025 for Business Intelligence

How to set the Copilot default execution mode in SSMS 21

This is going to be a short blog post, as it serves to highlight a new setting found in SSMS 21.4.12. Tell me more! Well, if you go to the Tools menu in SSMS and click on Options, you will see, unsurprisingly, the options. Locate your Copilot option and click on the Azure OpenAI settings. … Continue reading How to set the Copilot default execution mode in SSMS 21

Speaking experiences at Data Céilí

This month marked a new experience for me, as I spoke at the Data Céilí event in Dublin. I had never been in Dublin before, nor in Ireland. As the weather turned warm and sunny in the Netherlands, I looked forward to lush green hills, glorious views, and amazing people. Rain Well, that idea quickly … Continue reading Speaking experiences at Data Céilí

DP-700 training: Implement mirroring

If you come from an SQL Server background, mirroring will be familiar to you. It may be good or bad, but hopefully not at a nightmare level. Whatever your association with database mirroring, it is also available within Microsoft Fabric. What is mirroring If you're not coming from a SQL Server background, or any data … Continue reading DP-700 training: Implement mirroring