Vibe Coders Hit Database Walls|SQL Server Bug|Top Database Admin Skills||

Deep Dive: A Look Into the SAP/Dremio deal

Author

Gladstone Benjamin
May 11, 2026

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What’s in today’s newsletter:

SQL query returns no data due to collation issues 🧐

 65 Blog Posts Empower Database Admin Skill Growth 📚

Also, check out the weekly Deep Dive - The SAP/Dremio deal

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POSTGRESQL

TL;DR: Vibe.d’s raw speed hides database inefficiencies that become bottlenecks under load. Developers overlook SQL optimization and connection management complexities, requiring holistic database profiling to overcome asynchronous framework scaling limits.

  • Vibe.d's high-performance speeds often mask database inefficiencies, causing unexpected performance bottlenecks under load.

  • Developers focus on optimizing asynchronous code but frequently overlook poorly optimized SQL queries and connection management.

  • Asynchronous frameworks like Vibe introduce complexity in managing database connections and transactions, increasing debugging difficulty.

  • Overcoming the "database wall" requires holistic profiling, query optimization, connection pooling, and monitoring database health.

Why this matters: Developers using Vibe.d risk hitting hidden database bottlenecks that limit performance despite fast asynchronous code. Recognizing and addressing database inefficiencies through holistic profiling and better query/connection management is crucial for scalable, reliable applications and shows the importance of balancing app and data system optimization.

SQL SERVER

TL;DR: A SQL Server query returned no results despite matching data due to Unicode and collation differences causing string comparison mismatches, highlighting the importance of correct collation settings for reliable data retrieval.

  • A SQL Server query returned no records despite data being visibly present, puzzling users and developers.

  • The root cause involves Unicode and collation settings causing string comparison mismatches in WHERE clauses.

  • Visually identical strings can fail to match due to binary or code page differences under certain collation configurations.

  • Understanding SQL Server collation impacts is crucial for preventing data retrieval errors and ensuring application reliability.

Why this matters: This issue reveals how invisible encoding and collation mismatches can cause critical data retrieval failures, emphasizing the need for developers to grasp SQL Server’s string comparison intricacies. Proper collation management prevents elusive bugs, ensuring reliable query results and maintaining the integrity of applications handling multilingual or Unicode data.

DATABASE ADMINISTRATION

Source: Hackernoon

TL;DR: The article compiles 65 blog posts covering essential and advanced database administration topics, aiding professionals in skill development, embracing trends like cloud and automation, and ensuring efficient, secure database management.

  • The article compiles 65 blog posts to help learners improve knowledge in database administration essentials and advanced topics.

  • Topics include SQL tuning, database security, backup strategies, performance optimization, and troubleshooting techniques.

  • Some blog posts address emerging trends like cloud database management and automation tools for modern DBAs.

  • This curated collection supports continuous skill development critical for data integrity, compliance, and efficient database operations.

Why this matters: This curated resource accelerates skill-building for database professionals, crucial for optimizing performance, securing data, and embracing cloud automation. As databases underpin vital applications, mastering these evolving practices ensures business continuity, compliance, and data reliability. Continuous learning remains essential in a rapidly changing tech landscape.

EVERYTHING ELSE IN CLOUD DATABASES

DEEP DIVE

I Take a look the SAP/Dremio Purchase

This email came into my work email at 8:17 AM on Monday of last week:

I did not see it until 8:41 AM when I was getting ready for the work day. I don’t think I ever scrambled so quickly in two years of me putting this newsletter together, to get this news out before 9 AM. Look like this guy also had to stop everything too and write his post. More on his stance later.

I then told my manager about the SAP/Dremio news, and we shared some jokes about it, and I will just leave it at that. But the jokes were quite hilarious.

The one thing that I find intriguing is that the German software colossus would even think of acquiring such a nimble and well respected company.

I just hope SAP does not muck up the steady contributions that Dremio has made over the years to open source technologies, especially Apache Iceberg.

By all metrics that I assess, this is very big news.

One angle is that SAP could be moving from a “walled garden” to an Apache Iceberg native lakehouse. By some estimates, SAP could directly challenge Snowflake and Databricks by offering an “Agentic Data Cloud”.

Another way of looking at this purchase is that SAP envisions having ERP data, lakehouse data, the semantic layer, governance, and AI agents living within the same strategic architecture. Again, this move puts SAP into the realm of Microsoft Fabric, Google BigQuery/Agentic Data Cloud, and Oracle.

On the technical side, the SAP Business Data Cloud will become an Apache Iceberg-native enterprise lakehouse. SAP will also deliver a a universal, open catalog built on Apache Polaris and the open Apache Iceberg REST Catalog API. The catalog will serve as the discovery and semantic layer of SAP Business Data Cloud.

One other thing that I read in my research is that some believe that Dremio was not ready for the enterprise. I don’t agree with that notion because it is already used at the the “green bank” here in Canada, and I can say that me and my team are very familiar with Dremio. We work in an enterprise. If that was the case, why would SAP acquire Dremio?

In conclusion, SAP is not just the big German ERP monolith anymore, as its role is is now more akin to the data platforms and hyperscalers I have been writing about all this time.

Gladstone Benjamin

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