Or how I learned to stop asking so much and start trying… Empirical, as defined by Webster: 1.) originating in or based on observation or experience 2.) relying on experience or observation alone often without due regard for system and theory 3.)capable of being verified or disproved by observation or experiment. I think empirical thought … Read more
Have you lost your mind?! What could I possibly mean by that title? I’m a DBA… One of the basic tenets of a DBA is “backup, backup, backup”, right? Well sort of… Far too often I hear people asking questions like “will this setup allow our backups to be fast?”, “how is your backup process … Read more
Updated [2016] This post continues to be a popular destination for searches like “How do I shrink a database?” I made some copy edits. I also wanted to reiterate a default position: It isn’t usually a good idea to shrink your SQL Server database. There are exceptions, but they are exceptions. This post is part 1 in a series … Read more
What is a troubleshooting methodology? A lot of the technical problems I encounter with clients or in various roles are not really the fault of the technology at hand. They are either the result of rushed work, apathetic work or botched troubleshooting. Before talking about what troubleshooting is, let’s talk about what it is not. … Read more