SQL Server Archives

Tech Optimizer

June 22, 2026

The database that refused to die: How Postgres survived its own creators

Postgres, originally developed by Michael Stonebraker in the early 1980s, is an open-source database system that evolved from Ingres. It was designed to handle complex data types and introduced user-defined data types, operators, and functions, leading to the support for abstract data types (ADTs). The initial commercialization of Postgres occurred through a startup named Illustra, later acquired by Informix. In 1995, graduate students Andrew Yu and Jolly Chen revived Postgres, transitioning it from QUEL to SQL, resulting in Postgre95, which evolved into PostgreSQL. Today, Postgres is one of the most popular database systems globally, known for its extensibility and high code quality. However, it currently lacks features like file-level encryption (TDE), which are standard in commercial systems, relying instead on the operating system for encryption. Efforts to implement TDE have faced challenges due to the complexity of required code changes.

Tech Optimizer

June 18, 2026

SQL Server may be too lucrative for Microsoft to ditch, but too legacy to love

Microsoft's Build event highlighted its new AI agent, Scout, while SQL Server received limited attention, raising concerns about its future following Rohan Kumar's departure. Arun Ulag now oversees SQL Server, but analysts note a shift in priorities with SQL Server seemingly less emphasized. The 2022 SQL Server release was viewed as more of a marketing effort than a response to customer needs. Despite the introduction of vector search in SQL Server 2025, competitors had already offered similar features. Microsoft is shifting towards open-source solutions and PostgreSQL, although it reassured users of its commitment to SQL Server. SQL Server, launched in 1989, remains popular, ranking behind Oracle and MySQL. The on-premises database market is lucrative, generating significant revenue, and SQL Server holds a substantial share. Microsoft is unlikely to abandon this profitable segment, aiming to transition users to Azure SQL and SQL database within Fabric. However, migration compatibility issues may arise. Microsoft is also investing in PostgreSQL offerings to compete in the cloud database market, which is evolving rapidly. AWS currently leads in cloud DBMS revenue, posing a challenge for Microsoft. Despite uncertainties, support for SQL Server 2025 is guaranteed until 2036.

Winsage

June 13, 2026

For June, Patch Tuesday means an IT scramble

A systematic approach to testing is essential following the latest updates. The process begins with installing the .NET SDK update, then building and executing representative applications to ensure existing projects compile and run without issues. For SQL Server users, the GDR update must be installed on the appropriate branch, followed by a service restart and standard transaction execution to verify stability. Backup and restore verification is also necessary, including checking the health of Always On availability groups and testing patch installation and removal. The Readiness team recommends prioritizing testing for Remote Desktop this month due to its frequent patches and high-risk classification. The focus should be on printer redirection, followed by general connectivity, RemoteApp functionality, clipboard and device redirection, gateway access, and licensing considerations. The next priority is validating NTLM authentication updates, including domain and standalone logon processes, file-share access, and application sign-in capabilities. Other updates are security-focused with no functional changes, requiring routine regression testing across networking, Hyper-V, storage, and graphics components. Office remains MSI-only, with Click-to-Run installations unaffected by these updates. The updates for .NET and SQL Server complete the landscape for developers and database administrators.

Tech Optimizer

June 6, 2026

PostgreSQL vs SQL Server 2026: $0 vs $15K License

PostgreSQL has become the most utilized database for developers for two consecutive years as of 2026, while SQL Server has introduced native AI capabilities and vector search functionalities in its latest release. PostgreSQL is favored for new projects due to its permissive licensing, cross-platform operation, and extensive ecosystem of extensions, whereas SQL Server is preferred by organizations already using Microsoft products for its robust tooling and enterprise support. As of June 2026, SQL Server ranks third in the DB-Engines popularity ranking with a score of 698, while PostgreSQL ranks fourth with a score of 688. Developer adoption trends show that 49% of respondents in the Stack Overflow 2024 Developer Survey use PostgreSQL, compared to 27% for SQL Server. The latest stable version of PostgreSQL is 18.4, released on May 14, 2026, while SQL Server 2025 (version 17.x) became generally available on November 18, 2025. PostgreSQL is free under a permissive license, while SQL Server's Enterprise Edition can cost upwards of ,123 per two-core pack, with an eight-core minimum. PostgreSQL supports various operating systems, including Linux, Windows, macOS, and BSD, while SQL Server operates on Windows and Linux. PostgreSQL uses PL/pgSQL as its primary procedural language, allowing for multiple procedural languages, whereas SQL Server uses T-SQL. PostgreSQL's JSONB type offers rich indexing, while SQL Server added native JSON support in its 2025 release. Both databases are capable of handling high transaction volumes, but PostgreSQL excels in read-heavy scenarios due to its multi-version concurrency control, while SQL Server's columnstore indexes provide advantages for analytical workloads. PostgreSQL supports tables up to 32 TB, while SQL Server can handle a maximum database size of 524 PB. SQL Server's high availability technology includes Always On Availability Groups, while PostgreSQL offers built-in streaming and logical replication. The security features of both databases meet enterprise standards, with PostgreSQL providing a transparent patching process and SQL Server integrating with Microsoft tools. Real-world usage examples include Stack Overflow using SQL Server, while Instagram and Reddit utilize PostgreSQL. Developer sentiment increasingly favors PostgreSQL for new projects, emphasizing flexibility and open-source solutions. For new startups or greenfield projects, PostgreSQL is recommended due to its zero license cost and compatibility. Existing Microsoft enterprises are advised to stick with SQL Server for its integration benefits. Migration from SQL Server to PostgreSQL is becoming common, with a structured approach required for successful transitions.

Tech Optimizer

May 26, 2026

Devart adds AI assistant & PostgreSQL tools to dbForge

Devart has released dbForge 2026.1, which includes enhancements to its database software suite with advanced AI capabilities and expanded tools for PostgreSQL. The dbForge AI Assistant has been upgraded to utilize database index metadata for generating and refining SQL queries, allowing it to generate context-aware queries, optimize SQL commands, identify redundant or missing indexes, and analyze errors. The update introduces a new visual Query Builder for PostgreSQL, enabling users to create queries through a drag-and-drop interface, and an enhanced SQL Editor with syntax highlighting and index name suggestions. A visual Table Editor for PostgreSQL has also been added for managing table properties. Improvements to schema comparison and synchronization for PostgreSQL and Amazon Redshift have been made, supporting a wider array of servers and offering more mapping options. The update includes pinned document tabs for easy access to frequently used scripts and queries. dbForge 2026.1 is available for various products in the dbForge lineup, and customers with active subscriptions can access the update immediately.

Winsage

May 25, 2026

How I Changed the SID on My Windows Server Without Reinstalling (And Why You Should Care)

Cloning a Windows Server machine can lead to issues with duplicate Security Identifiers (SIDs). A Security Identifier (SID) is a unique string assigned to every machine, user, and group in Windows, functioning like a fingerprint. Duplicate SIDs can cause problems such as domain join failures, incorrect WSUS reporting, inconsistent Group Policy application, and licensing issues. The author initially attempted to use sysprep to change the SID after cloning, which resulted in stripping the domain join and causing SQL Server to fail. The author then discovered Wittytool Disk Clone, which includes a SID changer that successfully generated a new SID and updated all necessary references without disrupting the server's configuration or applications. The process took only six minutes and worked similarly on Windows Server 2019. It is more efficient to generate a new SID during the cloning process rather than afterward. Important precautions include taking a snapshot or backup before making changes and being aware that changing the SID on domain controllers is more complex. Reactivation of Windows may also be required after the SID change.

Tech Optimizer

May 18, 2026

Google Pushes AI for PostgreSQL Development

Google is integrating artificial intelligence into PostgreSQL engineering while ensuring engineers remain responsible for their code contributions. This initiative aims to improve productivity and streamline processes, particularly in version upgrades, replication behavior, and production recovery. Sailesh Krishnamurthy, Google Cloud's VP of Databases, emphasized the importance of human oversight in this AI-driven approach. Between July and December 2025, Google's PostgreSQL engineering focused on logical replication, improvements to pg_upgrade, and upstream bug fixes. Logical replication allows selective database change transfers, which is beneficial for migrations and upgrades. The roadmap includes Automatic Conflict Detection and logical replication of sequences to minimize manual synchronization issues. Enterprise teams are particularly interested in these developments due to the challenges posed by write collisions and misaligned sequence values. The demand for PostgreSQL services at Google is increasing due to migration needs from Oracle and SQL Server. Recent data shows PostgreSQL's rising popularity, ranking fourth in the DB-Engines ranking and gaining 8.37 points year over year, while its competitors experienced declines.

Tech Optimizer

May 18, 2026

Google tells database devs to lean hard on AI for PostgreSQL work

Google is encouraging developers to use AI coding tools for open source projects like PostgreSQL, highlighting the productivity improvements seen internally. Sailesh Krishnamurthy, Vice President of Databases at Google Cloud, emphasized that developers remain accountable for their contributions, regardless of AI usage. The suitability of AI tools for open source projects is due to the accessibility of the codebase, which aids in training generative models. PostgreSQL is noted for its extensibility, allowing for rapid experimentation and innovation. A recent Stack Overflow survey identified PostgreSQL as the most favored database among developers in 2023, attributed to increased investments from major cloud providers. Microsoft has made significant contributions to PostgreSQL, including the development of pg_documentdb_core and pg_documentdb_api, and has introduced a distributed PostgreSQL database service called HorizonDB. Research from Gartner shows that only Microsoft has grown its market share among leading database vendors over the past 15 years, while Google and other cloud providers are shifting momentum towards open source solutions like PostgreSQL.

Winsage

May 13, 2026

Windows 11 security update fixes critical Bing and Azure flaws

Microsoft released its May 2026 Patch Tuesday updates for Windows 11, addressing 97 security vulnerabilities across various components, including Windows, Microsoft Office, Azure services, SQL Server, SharePoint, Hyper-V, and .NET. The updates are encapsulated in KB5089549 for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, elevating systems to builds 26100.8457 and 26200.8457. Notable vulnerabilities include CVE-2026-32169, a critical flaw in Azure Cloud Shell with a CVSS score of 10.0, and CVE-2026-21536, a critical remote code execution vulnerability in the Microsoft Devices Pricing Program with a CVSS score of 9.8. Other critical vulnerabilities include CVE-2026-32191 and CVE-2026-32194, impacting Microsoft Bing Images, both with CVSS scores of 9.8. The update also addresses multiple Windows privilege escalation vulnerabilities and remote code execution vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office and Excel. Microsoft has warned of upcoming Secure Boot certificate expirations starting in June 2026 and has improved boot reliability related to BitLocker recovery issues. Users can install the updates via Settings → Windows Update, with a system restart required.

Winsage

May 1, 2026

April KB5083769 Windows 11 update causes backup software failures

The KB5083769 security update released in April 2026 has disrupted the functionality of various third-party backup applications on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, primarily due to issues with the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS). Affected applications include Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud, Macrium Reflect, NinjaOne Backup, and UrBackup Server. Users have reported receiving an error message indicating that backups have failed due to VSS timeouts. Acronis has acknowledged the issue, stating it affects both Windows 11 Pro and Home editions, and warns of potential broader system issues. A temporary solution involves uninstalling the KB5083769 update or pausing Windows updates. Additionally, Microsoft has issued out-of-band updates for critical issues affecting Windows Server systems and warned that some Windows Server 2025 devices may encounter BitLocker recovery prompts after installing the KB5082063 update.