Author: Saleem Hakani (Microsoft Corporation)

SQL Server 2012 introduces a brand new query hints that allow you to implement query paging solution. In the past, we have used TOP operator to return the top number of rows from a table, however, OFFSET & FETCH query clauses can give you more benefits than just the TOP operator.

 

Many of the services companies run within a windows domain network uses Windows Authentication. However, there are many companies that still use Mixed Authentication. If you are allowing SQL Server standard logins for access to your SQL Server, then you must ensure that your SA account is locked down as completely as possible and that only key people in the team know the password.

Author: Saleem Hakani

IIF() function is new to SQL Server family of functions. It is a brand new logical function being introduced with SQL Server 2012 that allows you to perform IF..THEN..ELSE condition within a single function. This helps in simplified code and easy to read conditions.

Author: Saleem Hakani (Microsoft Corporation)

Many users have hated the way SQL Server supported configuring startup parameters in previous versions. It was confusing as it was buried under the Advanced Tab of SQL Server services under Configuration Manager in a single text box. The only way you could separate different options was by using a semicolon(;) between the options.

SQL Server 2012 introduces a brand new string function called CONCAT(). CONCAT() string function allows you to concatenate up to 255 string or variable values in to one single string. It requires a minimum of two input values when calling the function. CONCAT takes care of implicitly converting the data values to a string by following the data type conversion rules of SQL Server 2012. This eliminates the need of explicit data conversions when concatenating two values.

Author: Saleem Hakani (Microsoft Corporation)

SQL Server 2012 introduces a new feature called T-SQL Snippets. T-SQL Snippets allow you to quickly build T-SQL statements without having to remember the commands or its syntax. This helps in reduced development time and in increased productivity for developers and DBA’s. Snippet templates in SQL Server 2012 are based on XML with predefined fields and values. When you use T-SQL snippet, these fields are highlighted and the user can tab through each fields and change the values as required.