It's finally time-- you've been given the thumbs up to upgrade to SQL Server 2012. You've selected your SQL Server Edition and worked out your licensing agreement. You've sized new hardware in production and sketched out your migration plan. You're ready to install developer edition in the test environment. You grab your installation media and...…
A client said the coolest thing to me the other day. He said, "We talked before about why we would want to start using optimistic locking in our code. How do we get there?" If you're not a SQL Server geek, that comment probably doesn't even make sense. But to some of us, when you…
Take it from me, performance tuning ain't easy. To do it well you need to use all of your technical skill, plan strategically, and communicate your recommendations effectively. You also need to inspire adoption. After all, what good is a plan to change a system if you can't convince anyone to go along with you?
We’ve all been there: the SQL Server Database Administrator has been running slowly and everyone’s getting cranky. How can you tell what’s wrong and what steps you need to take to restore normal operations? Database administrators have great instrumentation. When asked, they’re happy to tell you about their bottlenecks in excruciating detail. Use this handy…
Even when you love being a DBA, working the job can turn into a grind. There’s many times when you’re up all night troubleshooting just to face another day at the office handling user complaints. You hear at the water cooler that you’ll need to improve performance with less hardware for the next year. You get an email that you need to be ready to virtualize everything in the next quarter, but nobody’s even sure which hypervisor you’ll use.
Ever dreaded writing a resume so much that you put it off until the last minute? When you finally wrote it in desperation, were you happy with it? Are you kind of afraid to look at it now?I know what that's like, because I've been there. But I've written two resumes in the last week…
I work with clients with a variety of change management practices— everything from, “I just email the team when I’m going to change something” to “I need to submit formal changes each Tuesday by 2pm for weekly review for the next approved change window.” And occasionally, “Just Do It.” There’s no single right way to…
I began presenting on SQL Server two years ago. At the time I was a Senior Database Administrator. My workdays were spent getting ahead of the next big performance problem in an environment where software changes rolled into production like gangbusters. I was under a lot of pressure to be super-technical, stay on top of…
What are the costs when you ask SQL Server to recompile a statement or a stored procedure each time it runs? In this 30 minute talk Kendra Little explains the impact on query execution-- and on your SQL Server instance-- of forcing recompilation. This talk is appropriate for DBAs and Developers who have a working knowledge of execution plans in SQL Server.
Do you have a SQL Server that’s not getting enough action?
Maybe you have a new piece of production or lab hardware that you’d like to benchmark, to see how it compares with other gear in your environment.
I’m a bit of a researcher. When I want to know about a topic, I start off by doing a lot of reading. After I take a lot in, I want to make sure I understand the details. At that point, I try to think like a scientist. I come up with ways to test what I’m learning and see it in action. My process isn’t revolutionary, but it goes something like this:
This question came up when working with a client last week. The team mentioned they were planning to move some tables into a new filegroup. The new filegroup is intended to help quickly restore data in cases when a monthly process goes off the rails and leaves the data in some tables in a bad state.
Great volumes have been written about table partitioning. It’s a complex feature and you can read for days to just understand how you might apply it. But will it improve performance for you? Table partitioning produces great benefits for some applications, but causes giant headaches for others.
How do you know if you should invest your time in table partitioning?
Professions go through phases. Some skills are highly valued for a while, then go out of fashion. Just like leg warmers and skinny jeans, some skills come back into style when you least expect it. Database Administrators Started Out in the Server Room In the early days, most database administrators started out by racking servers.…
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 true, don't let this statement come out of your mouth.
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…
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…
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…
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 explain what certifications are available, what the advantages are of becoming certified, and give practical tips for making the most of your exams.
When an application is offline or performing so badly that the users are complaining, what do you turn to?
When your cellphone says a major incident is ongoing and you can’t get to a computer, where do you send the team at the office?
