Microsoft has just added support for query hints to Azure SQL Database, giving database administrators a powerful tool to manage the performance of ISV application code. Here's how it works. Database ...

Microsoft has added a new Azure SQL option called Elastic Pools which automatically scales cloud databases up or down as conditions dictate. Azure SQL Database elastic pools were first announced ...

Unlock the full InfoQ experience by logging in! Stay updated with your favorite authors and topics, engage with content, and download exclusive resources. Cory Benfield discusses the evolution of ...

If you are an old hand at Microsoft SQL Server, you have probably used the SQL Server Agent (i.e., SQL Agent) service and MSDB database for the last 20 years. With a humble and largely unchanged ...

Developers and independent software vendors who often run hundreds — or even thousands — of separate databases for their customers now have a new option to manage them while keeping costs predictable.