Do you need access to Production?
During a recent client meeting about a database migration, I realised that I have never logged into a SQL Server on their production environment. My… Read More »Do you need access to Production?
The Transaction Log Is Very Resilient
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… Read More »The Transaction Log Is Very Resilient
The Resilience of the Log Backup Chain
Much has been written about the log backup chain in SQL Server, where we are able to restore a database to a point in time using… Read More »The Resilience of the Log Backup Chain
Career Limiting Moves – Reply All
In a recent episode of a Netflix show called Grace & Frankie, a vitriolic and profanity-ridden email with very damaging statements was accidentally sent to… Read More »Career Limiting Moves – Reply All
Career Limiting Moves – Assigning Blame
I worked for a vendor implementation partner in the early part of my career, and oftentimes that meant having to set up a training lab,… Read More »Career Limiting Moves – Assigning Blame
Career Limiting Moves – Saying No
IT departments get a lot of flak because members are accused of saying no to what staff think are perfectly reasonable requests. In this second… Read More »Career Limiting Moves – Saying No
Career Limiting Moves – Dropping a Table
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… Read More »Career Limiting Moves – Dropping a Table
Saving Time By Splitting Files for a Backup
During a recent engagement with a client transferring large files from on premises to Azure Storage, we discovered that files over a certain size are automatically… Read More »Saving Time By Splitting Files for a Backup
Expiration Date on Database Backups
What does the expiration date mean on SQL Server database backups? In SQL Server Management Studio, there’s an option in the Back Up Database wizard… Read More »Expiration Date on Database Backups
On Best Practices
We hear a lot about “best practice”, but what does it mean in the context of SQL Server? Wikipedia describes best practice as follows: A… Read More »On Best Practices
Compressed and Encrypted Backups on the Cheap
We back up our databases regularly. We store them on a secure network location so that if the database drive fails, we can still satisfy… Read More »Compressed and Encrypted Backups on the Cheap
Is DBCC SHRINKFILE (filename, EMPTYFILE) fully logged?
Update: Paul Randal told me I had made a mistake in my post. The correction is below. On Wednesday last week, Kenneth Fisher (b |… Read More »Is DBCC SHRINKFILE (filename, EMPTYFILE) fully logged?
Speaking at SQLSaturday 507 this weekend in Edmonton
On Saturday 9 April 2016, four days from today, I will be speaking at the first ever SQLSaturday in the province of Alberta. Edmonton is… Read More »Speaking at SQLSaturday 507 this weekend in Edmonton
Cumulative Updates Are First Class
Since 27 January 2016, Microsoft recommends that Cumulative Updates be installed with the same confidence as Service Packs, and installed as they become available. The… Read More »Cumulative Updates Are First Class
Data Efficiency in SQL Server: DECIMAL
This is part two of a short series of posts about how I assign efficient data types when designing a new table or database. Use… Read More »Data Efficiency in SQL Server: DECIMAL