Month: February 2012

What’s Stopping You – from Snooping?

Last Updated February 12, 2017

No, this isn’t a touchy-feely inspirational post that talks you into taking leaps and bounds in your career. I write those every now and then, but that ain’t today. Instead, today’s post is about a question: what’s stopping you from snooping in your company’s data? You, as someone with a lot of database access, have…

“Who Wrote This?” Contest

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Brent Ozar Unlimited Team

Humor

Over and over, readers leave comments here saying things like “Nice comment, Brent” on a post that Kendra wrote. We laugh about it – after all, they can’t really be reading that closely if they don’t even notice the name on the bottom of the post, right above where they’re commenting – but we started…

Where to Run DBCC on Always On Availability Groups

Last Updated February 9, 2017

Brent Ozar

Always On Availability Groups

With SQL Server 2012’s new AlwaysOn Availability Groups, we have the ability to run queries, backups, and even DBCCs on database replicas. But should we? Paul Randal (Blog – @PaulRandal) covered this issue in today’s SQLskills Insider newsletter, and he says: “It’s not checking the I/O subsystem of the log shipping primary database – only…

Monday Guest Post: Phony Robbins on Power

Last Updated March 26, 2014

Brent Ozar Unlimited Team

SQL Server

Here at Brent Ozar Unlimited®, we’re very open to alternative viewpoints on information technology. We’d like to help broaden your horizons and introduce you to new possibilities for your servers, so we’re introducing a new Monday series – the Celebrity Guest Post. Our first guest is life coach Phony Robbins, an internationally renowned motivational speaker…

Three Things You Should Never Say in a Technical Interview

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Kendra Little

Professional Development

Did I say that out loud? When preparing for a technical interview, most people forget to think about how they answer questions. Even though you’re focusing on technical topics, make sure you avoid some simple statements that could spoil your chances to land that job. #3: My Coworker Was an Idiot Whether or not it’s…

SQL AZURE LOST ITS LEASE! EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Last Updated May 26, 2020

Brent Ozar

Microsoft Azure

Crazy Ballmer’s Database Hut is having the fire sale of the century! SQL Azure pricing is sliced in half or more. We must be crazy, they say! Check out these discounts: SQL Azure Pricing Reductions When SQL Azure first came out with its absurd limitations (no backups, tiny database sizes), I viewed the pricing the…

An Introduction to SQL Server Clusters

Last Updated February 9, 2017

Kendra Little

Clustering

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The options for high availability can get confusing. I was lucky enough to begin working with SQL Server clusters early in my career, but many people have a hard time finding simple information on what a cluster does and the most common gotchas when planning a cluster. Today, I’ll tell you what clusters are, what they’re…

Three Consulting Tools to Make You a Better DBA

Last Updated February 9, 2012

Kendra Little

As a consultant, I solve hard problems, and I use cool tools. These tools could help you, too– and in ways that may surprise you. Problem 1: The DBA’s Time is Money, and It’s Limited You know what, DBAs? You’re expensive. DBAs are frequently involved in every task that touches a database. This includes Windows…

How to Test Your Backup Strategy: Five Simple Questions

Last Updated February 13, 2017

Kendra Little

Backup and Recovery

Backup strategies are like rashes: people tend to ignore them for as long as they can, then they ask a specialist if it’s going to be OK. There’s a lot of good ways to back up databases. The challenge is finding best strategy for your data. To find out if your SQL Server backup strategy measures…

SQL Server Certifications: What to Take and How to Prepare

Last Updated April 14, 2017

Kendra Little

Professional Development

Whether you’re already a database professional or would like to become one, you’ve probably thought about getting certified in SQL Server. Do you need to be certified? What certifications are available and which should you take first? How should you prepare for the exams? Kendra Little is a Microsoft Certified Master in SQL Server. She’ll…

Join Me for Lunch in Chicago on March 23rd

Last Updated February 1, 2012

Brent Ozar

On March 23rd, I’ll be the guest of honor at the first SQLFriends Lunch in Chicago. For just $30, you get lunch at Buca di Beppo on Rush Street plus two hours of talking about SQL, virtualization, blogging, consulting, the MCM program, you name it. And you really do name it – on the SQLFriends…