Generally when we are defining tables, the more specific the column definition the better. Yesterday, however, I ran into a case where better definition actually has increased storage use for no appreciable benefit.

Integers - Using Numeric vs Int

As I was working on the database I came across a curious sight, multiple columns defined as numeric(7,0), numeric(9,0), and so on. It seemed like someone was trying to provide the database with the most specific definition possible for a number of different pieces of data. Having never run into this particular practice, I immediat...

I'm in the air flying back from SQL Saturday 28 and wanted to capture my thoughts while the event was still fresh. Overall I would have to rate it as a resounding success. Last year the event attracted 200 professionals from Baton Rouge and the surrounding area, this year attendance doubled to 400, with additional interest from about 200 more that weren't able to make it.

There are three types of data models: Conceptual, Logical, and Physical. The conceptual model provides a high-level view of the data, defining the general entities and entity relationships using the language of the business or organization. The logical model adds attributes to these entities, providing a technology-agnostic foundation for a database design. The physical model assigns table names, column names, and data types to the entities and attributes defined in the prior models. Defining the data model in distinct layers helps us manage the complexity of design and focus as we refine o...

Waiting for your company to provide training courses or advancement opportunities? It might be a long wait. Unfortunately many companies overlook professional development or consistently sacrifice it when the first round of annual budget cuts occur. Even when we do get training opportunities, many of us continue to select classes at random, based on what seems interesting at the moment.

We live in a field that is expanding daily, where the environment we work in is drastically different from what it was 5 years ago and from what it will be 5 years from now. Whether we plan on being ...

Model-View-Presenter is an architecture pattern that defines a structure for behavior and logic at the UI level. M-V-P separates the logic of the presentation, such as interacting with back-end services and the business layer, from the mechanics of displaying buttons and interface components.

I often build small projects to help understand and grow my skills as a developer, architect, and all-around technologist (as may be apparent from the wide range o...