On behalf of every database administrator everywhere, I implore you not to run CHKDSK on a system that has a live database installed and running. This includes, but is not limited to: SQL Server PostgreSQL… Don’t run CHKDSK while SQL Server is running
Information — in the form of data — usually stored as binary 1s and 0s in an electronic data store, is not immutable. Even the hardiest data storage designed to last for a thousand years,… Data is not immutable
One of my special interests as an autistic person is understanding mechanical components of a computer, both analog and digital. In the olden days, we had devices known as hard drives which used one or… How I tackle disaster recovery
With entire countries shutting their borders, and people being forced to stay home and isolate themselves for as long as possible while health departments ramp up to handle this pandemic, the question of business continuity… On the continuity of business
Victoria is on an island off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia. The island is wisely called Vancouver Island. It is beautiful there, and I wouldn’t mind retiring there someday. Those of you who listen… Speaking at SQLSaturday 725 in Victoria
Recently, I was asked to assist an organization with getting their data back for a SQL Server that had experienced physical hard drive failure. I asked a lot of questions about the configuration of the… The perils of RAID
Today’s post is just a bunch of questions, but they are very important questions, all around the main topic of a Backup Retention Policy. How long do you keep backups for every database in your environment (including… Backup Retention Policies
Last week I wondered whether a log backup chain would survive a database migration. Unsurprisingly, the answer is “yes”. I also asked if a log backup taken on the new instance would be usable on… The Transaction Log Is Very Resilient
In this new series, I will share some things that took place early in my career that could have resulted in my looking for new work—but didn’t! This post is also evidence that I haven’t… Career Limiting Moves – Dropping a Table
Blob Storage Sync tool updated During a SQL Server migration this month, I found some inconsistencies in my Azure Blob Storage Sync tool, so I made several improvements, and fixed an outstanding bug. As you… Update to Azure Blob Storage Sync and Restore
I’ve been vocal for some years about the importance of backups, and I have zero sympathy for anyone who does not have good backups*. This comes with (very) painful experience: a few years ago, during… On the importance of good backups