DBMS – Page 5

Fix Error 3234 “Logical file is not part of database” When Restoring a Database in SQL Server

January 31, 2026 by Ian

If you’re getting error 3234 that reads something like “Logical file ‘AdventureWorksLT_Data’ is not part of database ‘AdventureWorksLT2025’. Use RESTORE FILELISTONLY to list the logical file names.“, you’re referencing the wrong logical file names when restoring a database.

This issue can happen when you try to map the logical file names to a new location, but you get those logical file names wrong.

Fortunately there’s an easy fix. It involves looking up the actual logical file names, then modifying your RESTORE DATABASE statement accordingly.

How to Get the Netflix Sample Database for SQLite

January 30, 2026 by Ian

The Netflix sample database is a learning database based on public data from Netflix’s Engagement Report and Global Top 10 lists. This guide walks you through installing it on SQLite.

For more background on this database and why it’s useful for learning SQL, check out my introduction to the Netflix sample database.

How to Install Oracle AI Database 26ai on a Mac (Using Docker)

January 28, 2026 by Ian

Oracle Database 26ai has officially landed. As of January 27, 2026, Oracle finally flipped the switch on the General Availability (GA) for the Linux x86-64 version, bringing the “Enterprise Edition” to data centers everywhere. This marks a major turning point in Oracle’s recent rebranding saga, where the anticipated “23ai” was bumped up to 26ai to signal its role as the long-term support (LTS) foundation for the AI era.

Oracle Database has been a powerhouse in enterprise environments for decades, and the new “AI” branding reflects their recent addition of AI-powered features like vector search.

How to Exclude Specific Queries from Query Store in SQL Server

January 28, 2026 by Ian

SQL Server’s Query Store captures all queries by default (when using QUERY_CAPTURE_MODE = ALL) or resource-intensive queries (when using AUTO). However, you may want to exclude certain queries from being tracked. These might include monitoring queries, maintenance scripts, or queries from specific applications that add noise to your performance data.

SQL Server doesn’t provide a built-in mechanism to exclude specific queries from Query Store by query text or pattern. But you can achieve similar results through several approaches.

Getting Started with the Netflix Sample Database in SQL

February 16, 2026January 27, 2026 by Ian

If you’re learning SQL or looking for a real-world dataset to sharpen your database skills, the Netflix sample database could be an option. This free, open-source database is based on publicly available information from Netflix’s Engagement Report and Global Top 10 weekly lists, making it both relevant and engaging for practice purposes.

Dynamic PIVOT in SQL Server for Unknown Column Values

January 25, 2026 by Ian

Most pivot operations in SQL tend to use hardcoded column lists. This is where you explicitly specify every column name in the IN clause. That works great when you know exactly which values will appear in your data. But what happens when those values change? When new categories get added, when you’re working with user-generated data, or when you’re building a query that needs to work across different datasets?

That’s when you might want to consider dynamic PIVOT. Instead of hardcoding column names, you query the data to discover what columns you need, build the PIVOT query as a string, and execute it dynamically. It’s more complex than static PIVOT, but it’s pretty much essential when your column values aren’t predetermined.

Calculating Days Between a Fixed Date and Dynamic Dates with DATEDIFF()

January 24, 2026 by Ian

Sometimes you need to measure how many days have passed between a specific reference point and a constantly moving target. SQL Server’s DATEDIFF() function handles this elegantly by letting you combine hardcoded dates with dynamic functions like GETDATE(). This can be useful for calculating things like age, days since an event, or time remaining until a deadline.

The main point here is that DATEDIFF() doesn’t care whether its date arguments are literals, functions, or even subqueries. It just needs two date values to compare. When you use GETDATE() or similar functions, you’re telling SQL Server to calculate the difference based on the current moment, which means the result changes every time you run the query.

Restoring SQL Server Backups in Docker on macOS with VS Code

January 22, 2026 by Ian

Whether you are a long-time Mac user or recently transitioned from Windows, running SQL Server on macOS brings a unique set of challenges. Most tutorials assume you’re on Windows using SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), which is a tool that doesn’t exist for Mac. Instead, you’re likely running SQL Server inside a Docker container and using a tool like VS Code.

Monitoring Query Store Storage Usage in SQL Server (T-SQL)

January 19, 2026 by Ian

When you have Query Store enabled in SQL Server, it consumes disk space in order to store query text, execution plans, and runtime statistics. Monitoring storage usage can help you avoid situations where Query Store fills up and stops capturing data or switches to read-only mode.

How to View Query Execution History Over Time in SQL Server

January 18, 2026 by Ian

In SQL Server, Query Store aggregates performance statistics into time intervals, allowing you to see how query performance changes over time. This historical view helps you identify when performance degraded, spot patterns like daily or hourly spikes, and correlate performance changes with deployments or data changes.

This assumes that Query Store is enabled on the database in question. So assuming Query Store is enabled on the database, you can use the following queries to check the execution history of queries over time.