Mike Walsh

Mike loves mentoring clients on the right Systems or High Availability architectures because he enjoys those lightbulb moments and loves watching the right design and setup come together for a client. He started Straight Path in 2010 when he decided that after over a decade working with SQL Server in various roles, it was time to try and take his experience, passion, and knowledge to help clients of all shapes and sizes. Mike is a husband, father to four great children, and a Christian. He’s a volunteer Firefighter and EMT in his small town in New Hampshire, and when he isn’t playing with his family, solving SQL Server issues, or talking shop, it seems like he has plenty to do with his family running a small farm in NH raising Beef Cattle, Chickens, Pigs, Sheep, Goats, Honeybees and who knows what other animals have been added!

Free DBA Tool of the Week – DBATools

January 31, 2020July 7, 2016 by Mike Walsh

I need to sync logins.Just the logins? Sure just go find the best version of sp_help_revlogin. Oh wait you want the server roles, okay well you can steal some of this script here. Oh wait you want the server perms also and default databases? Okay then do a search for this script. Here you go. … Read more

Safety Gear is Dangerous!

January 31, 2020July 2, 2016 by Mike Walsh

Last year, I cut my thigh with a chainsaw at my farm. Except I was okay because I had the right protective gear on. I started thinking about that today again while doing a quick chore with the chainsaw. Had that moment of “Hmm.. Do I get the chaps or not for a simple cut” … Read more

You Already Influence People – Only Choice is How..

January 31, 2020November 2, 2015 by Mike Walsh

I’m on a long flight to a client. I’m in full on introspective mode.. I got the upgrade. I had a red wine.. I got that Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis last week. I just spent a week with my #SQLFamily. I never cured the homesickness from being gone for a week and am off again. It … Read more

PASS Prayers 2015 This Week!

October 25, 2015 by Mike Walsh

I’m late in getting this message out. I’ve had a busy couple weeks. This week the PASS Summit starts. In fact, as I type this, I’m on a plane heading there myself with at least couple hundred people in the air right now as well. More arrive tomorrow, some already arrived and more on Tuesday. … Read more

Hey DBA – Don’t Rely on Your Chaps, But Get a Pair Anyway

November 27, 2023September 7, 2015 by Mike Walsh

I almost earned a trip to the Emergency Room. I didn’t because I had one last line of defense, but is that a success or a fail? I think a little of both. Let’s talk about it and see what we can learn as DBAs and consultants in our day jobs. You see. I bought … Read more

DBA Lessons From a Snowy Winter

February 19, 2015 by Mike Walsh

I live in New England. I expect snow in the winter. This winter, though, has been a bit of an anomaly from recent winters for us. We started out with very little snow, abnormally little snow. But then it came (and it is still coming) all at once. Over about 4ish weeks we had a … Read more

2014 – Wow, What a Year!

December 31, 2014December 31, 2014 by Mike Walsh

I once heard someone say that as you get older – time seems to go by faster. 2014 was a busy year for me in a lot of ways. But it was the first year that I really felt like the year was just a tiny ripple of time. It’s that time of year when … Read more