Updates and improvements to sp_CheckBackup
July 28, 2025
Since we introduced sp_CheckBackup last year we’ve gotten some great feedback on ways to improve this tool that helps you quickly and easily review the backup history for your SQL Server databases. We’ve even noticed a few things ourselves that we wanted to change as we used it more internally here at Straight Path Solutions. … Read more
How to Quickly Load CSV Files Into SQL Server Using Import-DbaCsv (dbatools)
July 22, 2025
Most businesses are rotten with Excel sheets and CSV exports from various tools and as my mentor puts it “Excel is the world’s database”. The dbatools command Import-DbaCsv enables the quick load of CSV tables into SQL Server, which then opens up the world of fast transformation and use in other tools such as PowerBI, … Read more
How to Automatically Install SQL Server Service Packs and Cumulative Updates with Update-DbaInstance (dbatools)
July 17, 2025
Keeping your SQL Server instance up to date with the latest service packs and cumulative updates is one of the key components of SQL Server security. In this blog post, we will audit the dbatools command Update-DbaInstance, which can save you hours every month and help keep your environment more secure. I will test, review, … Read more
Your Silent Face: The Illusion of the Safety of “Never Patching” Your SQL Servers.
July 10, 2025
No hearing, or breathing… No movement, no colors… Just silence… Sounds peaceful. Sounds serene. And in a world where entropy didn’t exist, it could even stay that way. That’s not our world, though. Our SQL Servers (in whatever flavor they exist) don’t live in utopia. They live in a world where bad actors are trying … Read more
SQL Server Vulnerability Alert: CVE-2025-49719
July 10, 2025
On patch Tuesday this week, Microsoft released an Important severity security update (a CVSS base score of 7.5) The details of this 0-day exploit are available to read at the NIST site, and the Microsoft security update site. In short, the exploit that Microsoft has discovered and subsequently fixed can allow information disclosure. (That’s the … Read more
How to Automatically Validate SQL Server Backups With Test-DbaLastBackup (Dbatools)
June 24, 2025
In this blog post, we will audit the dbatools command Test-DbaLastBackup. I will test, review, and evaluate the script based on a series of identical steps. Our goal is to provide insights, warnings, and recommendations to help you use this script effectively and safely. Test-DbaLastBackup is a powerful tool to automate the validation of a … Read more
Accelerated Database Recovery in SQL Server 2025
June 19, 2025
Accelerated Database Recovery (ADR) was introduced in SQL Server 2019. Its main purpose is to allow for faster database recovery in the event of a crash or unexpected shutdown. Traditionally, the database engine handles crash recovery through a series of phases—analysis, redo, and undo—which can be inefficient and slow, especially when dealing with long-running transactions. … Read more
How to Restore a SQL Server Database Using dbatools Restore-DbaDatabase
June 17, 2025
In this blog post, we will audit the dbatools command Restore-DbaDatabase. I will test, review, and evaluate the script based on a series of identical steps. Our goal is to provide insights, warnings, and recommendations to help you use this script effectively and safely. Restore-DbaDatabase is powerful tool to automate the restore of any database, … Read more
Standardize SQL Server Maintenance Quickly and Easily Using Install-DbaMaintenanceSolution
May 14, 2025
Introduction In this blog post, we will audit the dbatools command Install-DbaMaintenanceSolution. I will test, review, and evaluate the script based on a series of identical steps. Our goal is to provide insights, warnings, and recommendations to help you use this script effectively and safely Install-DbaMaintenanceSolution is the key to simple, reliable, and comprehensive SQL … Read more
Introducing sp_CheckTempdb: Check Your SQL Server tempdb for Performance Issues
May 8, 2025
Most database folks might know the tempdb database in SQL Server is used for temporary tables, but many folks don’t realize all the other things that use this critical system database. It’s also used by table variables, cursors, aggregations, joins, and sorts. And by memory spills when you don’t have enough memory. And by integrity … Read more