One of the best things about Azure Data Factory is its ability to incorporate continuous integration and automated deployments quickly alongside your solution. However, if you’re working with SQL Server data sources and are using square brackets to interact with tables, then you may be in for a bumpy ride…
I’ve worked with SQL Server for several years now, and I am continually amazed at its capabilities, Recently, my work in this area has focused on the products change tracking feature, a nifty tool that can assist you in monitoring how your data evolves.
When you are amid a pesky IT issue, it can be difficult determining whether the problem is down to a bug/system fault or human error. Like this recent example involving Azure Data Factory illustrates, it is generally best to assume the latter, to avoid any prolonged difficulty.
Azure SQL Server has long supported the ability to use Azure Active Directory user accounts to access and work with databases. What you may not know is that it is also possible to add users via membership of a security group, a feature which, I believe, is incredibly useful for managing large-scale deployments.
Is it just me or is British Summer Time (BST) AKA Daylight Saving Time (DST) an utterly pointless endeavour these days? Admittedly, on its introduction in 1916, it fulfilled a sensible objective - to provide more daylight hours during the summer. For agricultural, construction or other services that are reliant on sufficient light to carry [...]
When it comes to handling large datasets in a formal, structured and highly scalable manner, nothing beats SQL Server. Having worked with the product for almost six years, I always look forward to the opportunity of putting together some SQL queries or to build out a new database. I think of it as a nice [...]
This week's blog post is sponsored by ActiveCrypt Software. Encryption appears to be a topic of near constant discussion at the moment, spearheaded primarily by the impending deadline of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). These are, in essence, a new set of data protection rules that will apply to all organisations operating within the [...]
Perhaps one of the most useful features at your disposal when working with Azure SQL Databases is the ability to integrate your Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) login accounts, a la Windows Authentication for on-premise SQL Server. There are numerous benefits in shifting away from SQL Server-only user accounts in favour of Azure AD: Ensures consistent login identities [...]
Getting to grips with how to use Dynamics CRM/365 for Enterprise (D365E) is no easy feat. You can imagine just how difficult it is for an end user to get to grips with how the application works and functions; with more detailed knowledge around customisation and development being an entirely different ball game altogether. Compounding [...]