Embrace the Mundane, Appreciate the Simple
I just finished doing a simple deployment on a busy day during a busy week of a busy month of a busy career. I had to run a few SQL Scripts that were reviewed (I also reviewed them quickly), had to run them in order based on a simple note checked in with the scripts. … Read more
Manage Your Transactions (So They Don’t Manage You – Part 2)
This is the final in a series on shrinking and transactions. You can see them all in the Shrinking & Transactions category. In part 1, we talked about factors that affect transaction log growth. We talked about what a SQL Server transaction is and the various modes SQL interacts with a transaction (Autocommit, Implicit Transactions and … Read more
Tetelestai – It is Finished
I recently read a post by Michael Deputy that talked about his Blog Direction. He brought a good point up: Focus on what’s important. Well today I am doing just that. I am a Christian as I say plainly in many locations and in my about us page. I am thinking I may periodically post … Read more
Manage Your Transactions (So they don’t manage you – Part 1)
This is part 3 in a series on shrinking and transaction management. Click here for part 4. You can see them all in the Shrinking & Transactions category. If you are one of the people who have been reading this blog, you know where I stand on shrinking databases/log files. I don’t like the practice (Post 1, … Read more
Alphabet Blocks and a Solid Foundation
Continuing in the theme from last week’s post correlating the DBAs role to aspects of various careers (Pilots, Chefs and Doctors) an illustration came to me this past weekend. I was playing blocks with my 1 year old son. The game with him consists of me trying to hold him back for as long as … Read more
PASS Call for Speakers (…and my answer to that call)
I was in a company offsite meeting yesterday so I missed the fanfare on twitter and the blogosphere about the opening of the call for speakers. Brent Ozar blogged about it, Thomas LaRock blogged about it… Countless others on my blogroll also blogged about it. The bottom line is go to the PASS speaker resources … Read more
Checklists, Recipes and Algorithms
What do checklists, recipes or algorithms have to do with Database Administration? A lot… If we study a few career paths we can see how a checklist or process flow makes their lives easier. I love stealing ideas from everyday life, working them into something useful for my DBA career and I think we have … Read more
Analysis Services Command Job Step Failure
Just uncovered an already reported and fixed (in SQL Server 2008) bug with Analysis Services job steps reporting success even if your MDX or XMLA in the step failed. The troubleshooting that worked up to the issue also reiterates points I made when discussing troubleshooting methodologies and empirical evidence. The Problem Some changes were made … Read more
Where do I start?!?!
As a SQL Server DBA, where do I start? So you are a new DBA. Maybe you are someplace that hasn’t had a DBA, maybe you are someplace that didn’t have a great DBA. Requests are piling up, your head is spinning with the instances you are discovering and people are getting excited that there … Read more
What SQL instances are installed on my network?
Find All SQL Server Instances On Your Network! It’s been awhile since a tool has given me that giddy, starstruck feeling but it’s happened this week… If you ever struggle with instance discovery and management, I hope you get excited and try this tool out as well. Bear with me as I walk through it. … Read more
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