I’m fortunate enough to be able to run or walk some of my daily commute. This leaves me with some time to listen to Podcasts – think of them as specialist Radio Shows that you can schedule yourself. Some of them are just about SQL Server. To listen to a Podcast, you…
I have previously spoken about the issues caused by Shrinking Data Files in SQL Server, but also some genuine reasons why you might need to do this, and how. Shrinking Log files is a different matter. Log files can grow enormously for a few reasons, quite often by accident. A common pattern occurs when someone…
When Moving a Database between Servers – e.g. migrating to a new Production Server, how can you be absolutely sure that the Backup that you restored is the correct one? The nature of the DBA role dictates a certain amount of OCD. Most people work in a methodical manner – using a specific Folder for…
I recently had a situation where I needed to access a SQL Server that I didn’t have permissions to. This was a bit inconvenient and always in such a situation, the SQL Server was experiencing difficulties that needed a quick resolution. An Application had been installed by someone with Domain Administrator privileges. The Application Installed…
There are times when you need to do things that you’re told not to do. Scan the Internet, and you’ll find a lot of advice on Shrinking Database files. Generally, it’s “Don’t”. Paul Randal – “Don’t do it”, Pinal Dave – “Shrinking Database is bad”, Brent Ozar – “Don’t touch that dial”. In many cases,…
So, what is DataBloat? DataBloat is a term that I use to describe issues caused when a table takes up more space than necessary due to the use of inappropriate Data Types. You don’t always notice it straight away… I frequently run the “Disk usage by Top Tables” Report on a Database as it’s useful…
We had a situation whereby a Database maintenance job over-ran on a Data Warehouse Server. The overrun was so bad that it was blocking the overnight Data Load process. At the time, there was a separate team that handled general Operations, so I contacted them. They stopped the maintenance job, to no avail. The blocking…
Over the years, I’ve frequently had users complain to me about SQL Server producing variants on the following error: SSPI Handshake failed / Cannot Generate SSPI Context Now, I’m not going to go into depth about the various causes of this error (largely because it’s not really my area and there are far more qualified people…
There’s plenty of free Video Training on SQL Server, but it can be of variable quality. Things can vary widely in terms of production quality and content. I find that the massive selection on YouTube can make it bewildering working out what to watch and who to listen to. You can easily use up all…
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