If you're like me, you like for things to be semantically reliable. Huh? Said another way, I like for things to mean what they say and say what they mean. Here are a few examples of I get annoyed by failed sematics - when a footpath is used almost entirely by cyclists, when an escalator is merely stairs, or when a restroom has a huge crowd and long lines. (No rest to be had in that room). So you can bet that I get a little prickly when the "Error Log" is used to post messages that something completed successfully. Really? I came here to this error log looking for, wait for it, ... … [Read more...]
‘Backup Completed’ is NOT an Error Message
Filed Under: Administration, Databases, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Backup & Recovery, DBA, SQL Server 2012
Flexibility When Waiting on Locks
Speaking at a recent SQL Saturday, an attendee in one of my sessions wanted to know how they could more flexibly react to locks on their application than to wait for blocks to occur and then kill the SPID at the head of the blocking chain. They were also interested in some alternatives to using the SQL Server syntax like the WITH (NOLOCK) hint, since that might have unintended consequences due to allowing reads on uncommitted data. One alternative I suggested is the SET LOCK_TIMEOUT n statement. Since most of the attendees hadn't heard of this statement, I figured it'd make a good blog … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Coding, Databases, Performance, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Transact-SQL Programming Tagged With: Developer, SQL Server 2012, Transact-SQL Programming
Build Your Own Microsoft Operations Manager Pack
Operations Manager Management Pack Development Kit I just recently told you about some cool new things happening with System Center - before I stumbled across this tidbit. Hey, if I could, I'd go back in time and add this entry to the previous one --- yeah, and totally NOT play the stock market to make a fortune through time travel. But I digress... So the Operations Management Management Pack Development Kit applies to Microsoft Operations Manager 2012 and Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007. It provide the you with all of the info need to design and build a management pack … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Challenges, Cool Technologies, Databases, On-Line Resources, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Monitoring, Performance
How is Microsoft IT using the Cloud?
Steve Balmer very publicly pronounced that Microsoft was “all in” for cloud computing and Windows Azure. So that means Microsoft is using cloud for its internal IT as well as building products to utilize the cloud. If you want to learn how Microsoft IT is using Windows Azure to move existing applications to the cloud and creating new applications for the cloud, click here: IT Showcase on Windows Azure. Let me know what you think. Accurate and informative? Or marketing fluff? Thanks, -Kevin Follow me on Twitter! … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Cloud, Cool Technologies, On-Line Resources, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: Azure, Best Practices, SQL Azure, SQL Server 2012
Give A Round of Applause for Microsoft System Center!
I hope you've taken a few minutes to peek in on the nice refresh that's happened on a bunch of the System Center engineering blogs. Good things are afoot there. And if you haven't checked in, avail yourself of these great resources: System Center: Service Manager System Center: Operations Manager System Center: Virtual Machine Manager System Center: Orchestrator System Center: Data Protection Manager And, as always, I'm interested in your feedback. Tell me what you think! Enjoy, -Kevin Follow me on Twitter! … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Cool Technologies, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: Monitoring
SQLMag = SQL Server Pro. Goes all-digital!
I was recently chatting with Megan Keller, my long-time editor for the Tool Time column and Executive Editor at SQL Server Pro, DevProConnections, and SharePoint Pro. I've subscribed to SQLMag ever since it was first put to print back in the late 1990's. (That's a pic of me, on the right, in the shirt given my by SQLMag's first publisher way back in the day). I have many bookshelves in my office, but SQLMag consumes more than half of the shelf closest to my desk. It's that good. Some of my personal favorites and perpetual must-read content are the columns SQL Server Questions Answered … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Databases, On-Line Resources, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, Tool Time Tagged With: DBA, Developer, SQL Server 2012, SQLMag, Tools & Scripts
SQL Server Performance Tuning and Optimization in Jacksonville, FL on April 27th
One last reminder - If you're interested in learning more about troubleshooting and optimizing SQL Server performance, please consider coming to the full-day seminar I'll be giving this Friday. Full details are here: http://sqlperftuning.eventbrite.com/. We'll be working some exercises, so bring your laptop with an instance of SQL Server 2008 (or later) running on it. It'll be fun! I also encourage you to come on down to SQL Saturday 130 the following day - whether there's an official registration for you or not. (But don't tell 'em I said that). :^) Come by the booth for a visit. … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Databases, Performance, Presentations, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post Tagged With: Career, Internals, SQLPASS, SQLSaturday, Training
ITPro, Re-architect Your Life
Have you ever found yourself wanting to make a major shift - in skills, in roles, in relationships? One of my good friends, Jimmy May (Blog | Twitter), accomplished a set of major career and lifestyle revisions including relocating to Redmond, taking on a huge new level of job responsibility as part of the Microsoft SQL Customer Advisory Team, and achieving the noted accreditation of Microsoft Certified Master. Jimmy and I were chatting about undertaking major life changes like these and, as is often the case, his thoughts were too good not to share. Be sure to explore these excellent … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Conferences, On-Line Resources, Presentations, Professional Development, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Career, Goals, Leadership, Management, Plays Well With Others, Professional Development
Starting this week: Dublin, Maidenhead, and London
This might be most most overcommitted four-week period of time ever in my life. I'm tired just thinking about it! Not only am I traveling internationally and speaking over the next few weeks, I'm also helping on two book projects, learning some new applications from Quest Software, and helping on a small Transact-SQL refactoring project. Swag on hand? I've got a special printing of 500 video training DVDs for this trip: SQL Server Training on DMVs Performance Monitor and Wait Events Plus, I'll have a few posters, stickers, and other goodies. Come see me! SQL Saturday … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Conferences, Databases, Presentations, Professional Development, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication Tagged With: Best Practices, Career, DBA, Developer, Leadership, Professional Development, Quest Software, SQL Server 2012, Training
The Expert’s Conference (TEC) – For AD, SharePoint, Exchange, PowerShell and Other Admins
What is TEC? The Expert's Conference (TEC) is a multi-day event featuring five co-located Microsoft educational conferences at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina April 29-May 2. It's pretty - see! The event includes advanced 400-level training on Microsoft Directory & Identity (including Active Directory), Exchange Server, SharePoint, Virtualization (Microsoft Hyper-V) & Workspace Management, and PowerShell Deep Dives. There are lots of great activities for Quest and Microsoft customers and partners. In addition, there's a Quest Software Day, with User Groups … [Read more...]
Filed Under: Administration, Cloud, Conferences, Professional Development, SQL Server, SQLMag, SQLServerPedia Syndication, TCD blog post, Virtualization Tagged With: Active Directory, PowerShell, Virtualization
