SQLpassion

When SQL Server professionals start working seriously with PostgreSQL, most of the learning curve feels comfortable. Tables behave as expected, transactions are familiar, and B-tree indexes look reassuringly similar to what you have used for years in SQL Server. Then you encounter BRIN indexes.

At first glance, they seem almost reckless: no row pointers, no precise navigation, and an explicit acceptance of false positives. And yet, on very large tables, BRIN indexes often deliver performance gains that would require clustered indexes, partitioning, or even columnstore indexes in SQL Server. To understand why, we need to look not only at what BRIN does, but how it works internally.

👉 Read more: https://www.sqlpassion.at/archive/2026/01/19/brin-indexes-in-postgresql/

BRIN Indexes in PostgreSQL – SQLpassion When SQL Server professionals start working seriously with PostgreSQL, most of the learning curve feels comfortable. Tables behave as expected, transactions are familiar, and B-tree indexes look reassuringly similar to what you have used for years in SQL Server. Then you encounter BRIN indexes.

If you come from SQL Server (like in my case), PostgreSQL indexing can feel familiar at first - B-tree indexes exist, composite indexes exist, covering indexes exist. And then you run into queries like this:

WHERE payload @> '{"type":"payment","status":"failed"}'

At that point, most SQL Server developers ask two questions:
1. What are these operators?
2. Why does PostgreSQL need a completely different index type for this?

👉 Read more: https://www.SQLpassion.at/archive/2026/01/12/gin-indexes-in-postgresql/

GIN Indexes in PostgreSQL – SQLpassion If you come from SQL Server (like in my case), PostgreSQL indexing can feel familiar at first – B-tree indexes exist, composite indexes exist, covering indexes exist. And then you run into queries like this:

My first half of 2026 is packed with live, instructor-led online trainings designed for professionals who want to go deeper – not just collect features, but truly understand how things work and how to use them effectively in production.

Whether you are a SQL Server professional, expanding into PostgreSQL, Linux, automation, or even systems programming with Rust, this training lineup is built to help you grow with confidence and clarity.

All sessions are live, hands-on, and focused on real-world scenarios - with plenty of room for questions, discussion, and practical insights you can apply immediately.

👉 Read more: https://www.sqlpassion.at/archive/2026/01/07/level-up-your-skills-in-2026-live-online-trainings-for-database-infrastructure-professionals/

Level Up Your Skills in 2026: Live Online Trainings for Database & Infrastructure Professionals – SQLpassion The first half of 2026 is packed with live, instructor-led online trainings designed for professionals who want to go deeper – not just collect features, but truly understand how things work and how to use them effectively in production.

When SQL Server developers begin working with PostgreSQL, indexing usually feels familiar at first. B-tree indexes behave as expected, query plans look readable, and the query planner makes reasonable choices.

But PostgreSQL also introduces new index types like GiST and SP-GiST. They do not map cleanly to anything in SQL Server, and documentation often describes them in abstract terms like “generalized search trees” or “space partitioning”.

👉 Read more: https://www.SQLpassion.at/archive/2026/01/05/gist-and-sp-gist-indexes-in-postgresql/

GiST and SP-GiST Indexes in PostgreSQL – SQLpassion When SQL Server developers begin working with PostgreSQL, indexing usually feels familiar at first. B-tree indexes behave as expected, query plans look readable, and the query planner makes reasonable choices.

Today, I’m excited to announce the lineup for my upcoming SQLpassion online trainings for the next 6 months, featuring several brand-new trainings I’ve been developing over the past few months: https://www.sqlpassion.at/live-trainings/

If you come from a SQL Server background (like in my case), you already have strong instincts about indexing. You know why B-trees dominate, why sorted structures matter, and why equality predicates are usually fast enough without special tricks. When you first encounter Hash Indexes in PostgreSQL, the obvious question is not how they work, but why they exist at all.

👉 Read more: https://www.SQLpassion.at/archive/2025/12/22/hash-indexes-in-postgresql/

Hash Indexes in PostgreSQL – SQLpassion If you come from a SQL Server background (like in my case), you already have strong instincts about indexing. You know why B-trees dominate, why sorted structures matter, and why equality predicates are usually fast enough without special tricks. When you first encounter Hash Indexes in PostgreSQL,....

In November, I delivered a webcast titled “PostgreSQL Introduction for the SQL Server Professional” – a compact introduction to the most important architectural and conceptual differences between SQL Server and PostgreSQL.

👉 You can find here now the recorded version of the webcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK5FjVmAIpk

SQLpassion Webcast, November 2025: PostgreSQL Introduction In this webcast I introduce PostgreSQL.

[Blog] SQL Server 2025 RTM – A Technical Deep Dive into Microsoft’s Most Capable Release Yet: https://www.sqlpassion.at/archive/2025/11/24/sql-server-2025-rtm-a-technical-deep-dive-into-microsofts-most-capable-release-yet/

SQL Server 2025 RTM – A Technical Deep Dive into Microsoft’s Most Capable Release Yet – SQLpassion Microsoft has officially released SQL Server 2025, and this version marks the biggest architectural and functional leap since SQL Server 2019. While the marketing headlines focus on AI integration and hybrid capabilities, the real impact for data professionals lies deeper in the engine: concurrency....

[Blog] Master SQL Server Performance Tuning – Black Friday Sale: 50% Off All Online Trainings: https://www.sqlpassion.at/archive/2025/11/17/master-sql-server-performance-tuning-black-friday-sale-50-off-all-online-trainings/

Master SQL Server Performance Tuning – Black Friday Sale: 50% Off All Online Trainings! – SQLpassion Struggling with slow queries? Facing performance bottlenecks? Tired of troubleshooting SQL Server issues without a clear roadmap? With this Black Friday Sale, take control of your SQL Server performance with a powerful learning opportunity: 50% off all my SQL Server online trainings – exclusively ...

Join my free webinar about PostgreSQL on November 12!

[Blog] How SQL Server Professionals Can Master PostgreSQL - Without Wasting Months on Trial & Error: https://www.sqlpassion.at/archive/2025/11/03/how-sql-server-professionals-can-master-postgresql-without-wasting-months-on-trial-error/

How SQL Server Professionals Can Master PostgreSQL – Without Wasting Months on Trial & Error – SQLpassion Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a major shift in the database world. More and more companies are moving away from Microsoft SQL Server and embracing PostgreSQL.

I’m excited to announce my brand-new SQL Server 2025 Unleashed live online training on December 10, 2025 – a deep-dive day dedicated to exploring the next generation of Microsoft’s flagship database platform.

For more than 25 years, I’ve been helping companies around the world get the most performance, scalability, and reliability out of SQL Server. But SQL Server 2025 marks a turning point. It’s not just an upgrade – it’s a leap forward. With AI-powered query processing, vector search, and major performance and high-availability improvements, this release changes how we think about data systems.

👉 Read more: https://www.sqlpassion.at/archive/2025/10/27/sql-server-2025-unleashed-live-training-a-new-era-begins/

SQL Server 2025 Unleashed Live Training – A New Era Begins – SQLpassion I’m excited to announce my brand-new SQL Server 2025 Unleashed live online training on December 10, 2025 – a deep-dive day dedicated to exploring the next generation of Microsoft’s flagship database platform.

[Blog] Why I Avoid SMR Drives - and What the New Western Digital Warnings Reveal: https://www.sqlpassion.at/archive/2025/10/24/why-i-avoid-smr-drives-and-what-the-new-western-digital-warnings-reveal/

Why I Avoid SMR Drives – and What the New Western Digital Warnings Reveal – SQLpassion Over the years, I’ve learned that high performance doesn’t just happen – neither in life nor in databases. When I transformed myself from an 85 kg couch potato into a 65 kg triathlete, I realized the same principle applies everywhere: performance is the result of conscious choices, discipline,...