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Tag Archives: Tips & Tricks

Cross-database Queries by Contained Users

December 13, 2012 8:38 pm / Leave a Comment / SQLSoldier

Cross-database Queries by Contained Users I presented to the Pacific Northwest SQL Server User Group / PASS Chapter (PNWSQL) last night on the subject of contained databases. The slide deck and demo code from my presentation, Implementing Contained Databases, can be downloaded below or will be uploaded to the User Group site in the near … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: Security, T-SQL, Tips & Tricks

Recent Presentation Session Files

November 14, 2012 10:49 pm / Leave a Comment / SQLSoldier

Recent Presentation Session Files I’ve been a little tardy about getting my session files posted, and I’m a little behind. So I’m going to try to catch up in one blog post. So here are my session files for SQL PASS Summit 2012, various recent SQL Saturdays, and 24 Hours of PASSe. Please let me … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: Disaster Recovery, Performance & Optimization, Security, SQL PASS, SQL PASS Summit, SQL Saturday, tempDB, Tips & Tricks

Performing Fast Searches of Query Plans

July 12, 2012 8:54 am / 1 Comment / SQLSoldier

Performing Fast Searches of Query Plans I’ve made blog posts in the past on using the exist() method to search for query plans with specific attributes (e.g., Find Cached Query Plans By Index Name). Another good aspect of the exist() method is that it is a much faster way to search for a specific string … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: T-SQL, Tips & Tricks, XML in SQL

Why We Follow Best Practices

February 26, 2012 10:55 am / 2 Comments / SQLSoldier

Why We Follow Best Practices There are many reasons why we follow best practices. My own reasons have changed over the course of my career. Early in my career as a database developer and then later as a new DBA, I followed best practices because people who claimed to know more about SQL Server said … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: Internals, MCM, SQLRally, Tips & Tricks, Troubleshooting

Including Missing Values in Data Ranges Without a Lookup Table

January 14, 2012 12:47 pm / Leave a Comment / SQLSoldier

Including Missing Values in Data Ranges Without a Lookup Table One of the ways that I learn new things is by helping others with their issues or questions. In my career, this has served me well by exposing me to a vast array of experiences that I may not have otherwise seen. I try to … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: How do I ... ?, T-SQL, Tips & Tricks

Webcast: Putting a Better SQL Server in Production

December 26, 2011 12:01 pm / Leave a Comment / SQLSoldier

Webcast: Putting a Better SQL Server in Production Webcast: Putting a Better SQL Server in Production Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time / 2:00 PM CT / 12:00 PM PT Problems come up everyday that could have been avoided by simply configuring SQL Server appropriately before using it. The … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: Idera ACE Program, Performance & Optimization, Tips & Tricks

Using Dynamic Values in XMLA

December 18, 2011 4:23 pm / Leave a Comment / SQLSoldier

Using Dynamic Values in XMLA A question was raised on Twitter today via the #sqlhelp hash tag about passing parameter values to XMLA for a backup script. The popular answer at the time I saw it was to dynamiclly create and drop a SQL job to run the script every time you need it to … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: SSAS & BI, T-SQL, Tips & Tricks, XML in SQL

SQL PASS Summit 2011: Session Files

October 17, 2011 7:06 am / Leave a Comment / SQLSoldier

SQL PASS Summit 2011: Session Files This past week was the SQL PASS Summit 2011 in Seattle, WA. I presented three sessions (regular session, lightning talk, panel discussion) plus ran a focus group on advanced certification and hosted a Birds of a Feather lunch table on disaster recovery. It was a busy, busy week. Below … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: Disaster Recovery, Dynamic Management Views, Replication, SQL PASS, SQL PASS Summit, SSAS & BI, Tips & Tricks, Troubleshooting, Undocumented Stuff

The Barking Dog Analogy

September 20, 2011 4:31 pm / 1 Comment / SQLSoldier

The Barking Dog Analogy A discussion started today on Twitter about CXPacket waits. There had been a heated debate on the subject on Twitter the previous night (wow, does that sound geeky), so many of us got looped into today’s discussion. Someone had experienced a problem with a delete query on a large table causing … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: Internals, Performance & Optimization, Tips & Tricks, Troubleshooting

Auditing Users in a Failover Partner Database

September 19, 2011 8:16 pm / Leave a Comment / SQLSoldier

Auditing Users in a Failover Partner Database I read a question on a discussion list today asking if it is possible to audit SELECT queries on a log shipping secondary in stand-by mode. His attempts to set it up had obviously failed because the database is read-only and you cannot create a database audit in … Read More →

Posted in: SQL Server / Tagged: Database Mirroring, High Availability, How do I ... ?, Log Shipping, MCM Prep, Security, Tips & Tricks

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  • Database Mirroring for Disaster Recovery September 16, 2011
  • Comparative Review: Database Schema Comparison Tools August 24, 2011
  • 3 Log Shipping Techniques June 22, 2011
  • Hardening SQL Server June 20, 2011
  • Review: ScriptLogic Security Explorer for SQL Server February 8, 2011

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The following scripts can be downloaded as text files. You will need to change the file extension to .ps1 in order to execute them.

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August issue of TechNet Magazine's SQL Q&A column

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