SQL Advent 2012: Recap

Another year, another SQL Advent calendar has come to an end. This year there was not much SQL code after day 10, I still hope you found it interesting and useful. Here is a list off all the posts with a little blurb about them.

SQL Advent 2012 Day 24: Getting help
In this post I showed you where to get help and how to use twitter to get some help

SQL Advent 2012 Day 23: Get the tools you need to be more productive
In this post I tried to show you that tools will pay for themselves

SQL Advent 2012 Day 22: Testing your backup and failover strategy
This post was all about the importance of testing your backup and failover strategy

SQL Advent 2012 Day 21: With VLDBs it matters what you do and how you do it
With little databases you can get away with doing stupid stuff, with large databases not so much

SQL Advent 2012 Day 20: Use the new features
This post detailed why it was important to use the features and functionality

SQL Advent 2012 Day 19: How to improve your tech skills
The post showed you a couple of ways to improve your tech skills

SQL Advent 2012 Day 18: Stay relevant and marketable
If you don't keep up, you will lose

SQL Advent 2012 Day 17: No matter how long you are on the wrong path, go back
Sometimes it is better to start from scratch than continue down the wrong path

SQL Advent 2012 Day 16: Lack of database design and normalization
We don't need no stinking keys

SQL Advent 2012 Day 15: Benefits of Indexes
Why do we need indexes and what purpose do they serve?

SQL Advent 2012 Day 14: When to say no
Sometines you have to say no....even to your boss

SQL Advent 2012 Day 13: Features enabled that are not used
Disable and shutdown services and feature that are not used

SQL Advent 2012 Day 12: Proactive notifications
Get notified before the client or your boss about errors

SQL Advent 2012 Day 11: Cursors and loops
Cursors are almost always evil

SQL Advent 2012 Day 10: SQL Server Maintenance
Maintenance is unfortunately required, machines and software are not completely autotuned yet

SQL Advent 2012 Day 9: Reinventing the wheel
Why write something if it already exist

SQL Advent 2012 Day 8: Foreign Keys
A small post showing that you don't always need a primary key for a foreign key

SQL Advent 2012 Day 7: Lack of constraints
Constraints in a database guarantee data integrity

SQL Advent 2012 Day 6: Standardized Naming And Other Conventions
If you have a standard, everything will be easier

SQL Advent 2012 Day 5: Do not trust the SSMS designers
SOmetimes a simple click can cause a lot of data to be moved behind the scenes

SQL Advent 2012 Day 4: Triggers, what to do, what not to do
Some best practices around triggers

SQL Advent 2012 Day 3: Sargable Queries
How to write queries that will take advantage of indexes

SQL Advent 2012 Day 2: Data types storage differences
Make sure you know the difference between the different data types and how they are stored

SQL Advent 2012 Day 1: Sizing database files
You have to presize your databases if you want optimal performance