When users say, “SQL Server is slow”, they’re not talking about wait stats, memory grants, or disk latency. They’re talking about the symptoms of what is causing the server to run slow. sqlmct.com/choosing-the...

Building AI skills shouldn’t feel complicated. Here’s what’s new in #AI Skills Navigator, based on what learners and team leaders asked for most: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/skills-...

Book 18 of @goodreads yearly goal. The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Simplify SQL Server Migration with SSMS 22.5 #SQLServer #SSMS #AzureSQL sqlmct.com/simplify-sql...

Check out the April 2026 SQL Server security updates spanning SQL Server 2016 through SQL Server 2025. #SQLServer #Security sqlmct.com/sql-server-s...

Happy Easter to all who celebrate... one week later so you can get the chocolate bunnies on sale. 🐰

This post will describe how SQL Server will PROCESS a query for optimization the first time running an Ad Hoc query or Stored Procedure. sqlmct.com/sql-query-pr...

Book 17 of the year: "My First Trip to the Bleachers" by @Michael_Cerami www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...

In this edition of #TheSpark, take a closer look at how organizations are building the right AI skills across different roles, and how that approach is helping #AI adoption move faster. www.linkedin.com/pulse/april-...

We usually add indexes to speed up retrieving data, but can you have too many indexes? Find out how maintaining indexes could slow down your write operations. #SQLServer #AzureSQL #Indexing sqlmct.com/the-operatio...

I just sat down and took the DP-800 beta exam: Developing AI-Enabled Database Solutions for the New SQL AI Developer Associate Certification. Overall, it was a great test of knowledge. #AI #AzureSQL #Fabric sqlmct.com/new-sql-ai-d...

The second time I've had my picture taken from space. Two photographs taken by one of us, of all of us, over half a century apart. Left - Apollo 17, 1972 Right - Artemis II, 2026

Just finished the DP-800 SQL AI Developer beta exam. I did really well on the stuff I knew but did bad on the stuff I didn't know. 🌞 #DP800 learn.microsoft.com/en-us/plans/...

Book 16 of my @Goodreads yearly goal. We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America by Norah O'Donnell www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...

Book 14 of my yearly Goodreads goal of 25: Moses and the Doctor by Luke Epplin. www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...

Book 13 of the year. As a Terre Haute kid in the 70's, this one really hit home! Shout out to the narrator of the audiobook, @ellen_adair, as it was very pleasant to listen to a real person. www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...

Explore practical demos and key features for building modern applications in Visual Studio Code using the MSSQL extension. #SQLServer #AzureSQL #MSSQL #VSCode #GitHubCopilot #ModernData #DevTools www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

The next phase of SQL modernization is here. The path forward is not about abandoning SQL Server; it’s about extending it intelligently. #Fabcon #SQLcon #SQLServer2025 #AzureSQL #Fabric #AI sqlmct.com/sql-server-a...

Stallone is now my second favorite Rocky! 👎#ProjectHailMary

At both FABCON and SQLCON 2026, a clear and deliberate message for SQL Server professionals was delivered: SQL Server is not being replaced; it is being elevated. #SQLServer2025 #AzureSQL #Fabric sqlmct.com/sql-server-a...

Pi day is a fake holiday created by Big Math to sell more math.

Woke up early for Data Saturday - Chicago to work on my "Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery in Azure SQL" presentation. Then I thought, why not write a blog post on the topic. #AzureSQL #DataSaturday #SQLSaturday #SQLfamily sqlmct.com/business-con...

Loving the Scrubs revival so far! It’s just odd how noticeably older the cast looks, considering I’ve somehow not aged a day since it first aired.

Finally fell asleep about 11pm after fighting insomnia all week. Hotel fire alarm goes off at 1am! 😡

The new Microsoft Learn #SQLServer and #AI Certification is here! Introducing DP-800 SQL AI Developer Associate certification! It's in beta now! The first 300 people who take Exam DP-800 (beta) on or before April 3, 2026, can get 80% off. techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/skills-...

Book 14 of my @GoodReads goal of 25 for 2026. "The Worst Fugitives in the Star Nation" by Skyler Rameriz www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Microsoft has released a broad set of #SQLServer security updates spanning SQL Server 2016 through SQL Server 2025. These updates include both CU and GDR packages, ensuring customers on either servicing model can stay protected. sqlmct.com/sql-server-s...

I think all of this AI is getting out of hand. I just watched a movie that wasn't even using real dinosaurs. 🦖

SARGability is one of the highest return on investment performance skills a SQL developer can learn. Small changes to predicates can turn expensive scans into efficient seeks; often without adding or changing indexes. sqlmct.com/writing-sarg...

While TempDB improvements in #SQLServer2025 may not attract the same attention as new AI features, they deliver some of the most impactful operational changes. Find out more: sqlmct.com/tempdb-impro...

Data Saturday Chicago is less than a week away and I will be speaking on "Business Continuity in Azure SQL Databases". This is an amazing opportunity to level up your skills and connect with others in the data community. Learn more here: datasaturdaychicago.com

You are the captain of your training session, but Copilot can assist you in navigating the skies of effective training delivery. Explore more about how Microsoft #Copilot can elevate your training deliveries. sqlmct.com/using-micros...

Book 9 of the year: The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency by David M. Rubenstein www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

New Microsoft Certifications on the way. I have my sights set on the DP-800. @MicrosoftLearn techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/skills-...

Always On Availability Groups now feature advanced telemetry, a persistent health model, and smart failover logic. Find out more: #SQLServer2025 sqlmct.com/fast-failove...

So, the pub that was two blocks from my house, that I have been walking to for the last 24 years, closed tonight. I just left for the final time. 💔

I accidently watched an episode of "Antiques Roadshow" on YouTube and well... This is my life now.

One of my most favorite features that was introduced in SQL Server 2019 was Accelerated Database Recovery (ADR). If you have overlooked this somehow, let's revisit it; and see how it can be used to reduce database recovery and rollback times. #SQLServer #AzureSQL sqlmct.com/accelerated-...

If you work with SQL Server and use Linux or a Mac and want access to those fancy query store reports, give my new VS Code extension a shot. It works with the existing SQL Server extension and I'd like some feedback. It's been good in testing so far. github.com/jdanton/quer...

The Chicago Cubs play a baseball game today. We made it. The offseason is over! ⚾

Hey! #SQLFamily! What book am I missing from my collection?

This year for Lent, I've decided to give up my New Year's resolutions.

Picked up another work achievement. This is for the Global Delivery Team (FY26-Q3). Delivery Excellence Accelerator Award - Scaling SQL Excellence through Leadership, Quality, and Community Impact.

If you’ve worked with #SQLServer for any length of time, there’s a good chance Grant Fritchey’s Query Performance Tuning book has crossed your desk at least once. sqlmct.com/sql-server-2...

Book 8 of 2026: SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard. www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Copilot, based on my past conversations, can you analyze my behavioral tendencies?

His name was King Friday XIII, and we chose it because people tend to be so superstitious about Friday the 13th. We thought, why not flip that around and help kids see it as a fun day? So, we made every Friday the 13th his birthday. ~ Fred Rogers

Enterprise AI isn’t about chat. It’s about context, semantics, trust, and control. Microsoft's #AI platform shows how Work IQ, Fabric IQ, Foundry IQ + Agent 365 turn copilots into agents. Read more: sqlmct.com/an-overview-...

Did some Frontier AI Hacking at Tech Connect. www.credly.com/badges/b8563...