Operations | Monitoring | ITSM | DevOps | Cloud

The SQL Server GETDATE() function grabs the current date and time of the server down to the millisecond. This makes it perfect for general timestamping, logging events, and simple date/time math. But what about time zones or when you need a rock-solid, consistent timestamp? Is GETDATE() enough, or do you need something else, like CURRENT_TIMESTAMP? In this article, we’ll show you how and when to use GETDATE() in SQL.

Working with large datasets often involves searching for patterns buried deep in your data. Whether you’re validating entries, cleaning records, or identifying errors, pinpointing specific text within strings, these tasks can quickly become overwhelming without the right tools. That’s where the PATINDEX() function in SQL Server comes in, offering a powerful solution for locating patterns quickly and accurately.

Developers often find it slow and difficult to search for specific parts of a string in SQL. Searching through large text can be time-consuming and make work more complicated. SQL Server CHARINDEX function helps by quickly finding the position of a SQL Server substring. This makes it easier and faster to work with text in SQL. In this guide, we’ll explain how CHARINDEX() works, highlight its uses, and walk you through a few simple examples to help you grasp it easily.

Few things are more frustrating than a SQL query that looks perfect but refuses to run. You double-check the syntax, scan for typos—everything seems fine. Yet MySQL keeps throwing an error. The culprit? A reserved word buried in your schema. Reserved words like ORDER, WITH, and GROUPS aren’t just ordinary terms—they’re fundamental to MySQL’s syntax. If you mistakenly use one as a table or column name without proper handling, your queries may break unexpectedly.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already familiar with OpenTelemetry (OTel)—the open-source standard for collecting observability data. But what about OpenTelemetry agents? How do they work, and why do they matter? This guide unpacks everything you need to know about OTel agents—where they fit in your stack, how to set them up, and common pitfalls to watch out for. Let’s get into it.

When evaluating CI/CD platforms, it can be easy to view them as commodities — interchangeable tools that accomplish the same basic tasks. But as development teams scale, small differences in platform performance can be compounded, significantly impacting development velocity and resource utilization. To better understand these differences, we conducted a head-to-head comparison between CircleCI and GitHub Actions, focusing specifically on performance at enterprise scale.

We are happy to announce our latest project at MetricFire: a brand-new CLI tool! Get ready to start monitoring your systems in one step - no need to modify any configuration files manually. Just run a terminal command, follow the prompts, and forward your system metrics to Hosted Graphite in minutes. In this article, we’ll share an overview of the Hosted Graphite CLI, why we’re making it, and how we’re making it.

Progressive Delivery strategies like Blue/Green deployments, canary releases, feature flag rollouts, and feature delivery platforms help teams release safely, limit risk, and accelerate learning. Each approach builds toward sustainable, high-velocity software delivery by minimizing downtime and maximizing feedback. Combining these methods enables faster innovation with greater confidence and control. Last week we walked The Path To Progressive Delivery. This week, we go deeper.