SQL Aloha

But We Have Always Done It That Way

I recently ran across the following scenario. A SQL Server instance had been upgraded from SQL Server 2005 to SQL Server 2008. At the same time, the older physical hardware had been replaced by newer hardware. The DBA who had set up and configured the older server was no longer at the organization, and a ...read more

SQL Source Control Early Access Program Open

Managing T-SQL source code has never been easy, and has often been the bane for many T-SQL developers. Later this year, this problem will go away as Red Gate Software introduces its new SQL Source Control software, which allows T-SQL code to be managed under source control, while working directly from inside of Management Studio. ...read more

SQL Search 1.0 Beta Available

Red Gate Software has released the 1.0 beta version of SQL Search, a new free SSMS add-in that allows you to easily search for “text strings”, allowing you to quickly find objects stored within a SQL Server instance.

devLINK 2010 Call for Speakers is Open

The devLINK 2010 Technical Conference’s call for speakers is now open, and you can find information about speaking at the event here.
If you aren’t interested in speaking at devLINK 2010, you can always attend. It will be held August 5-7 in Nashville, TN.

DBA Checklist Updated

I have recently updated and revised my DBA Best Practices Checklist, which is hosted on www.Simple-Talk.com. The goal of the list is not to cover every aspect of SQL Server administration, but to hit the highlights. In addition, not every item in the checklist will apply to every SQL Server instance, under every circumstance. So ...read more

SQL Server 2008 R2 to be Available in May

This past Tuesday, Microsoft officially announced that SQL Server 2008 R2 will be available in May 2010. See the announcement here.
If you haven’t downloaded the latest CTP yet, you still can here.

Speaking at European PASS

I just heard that two of my presentations have been accepted for the European PASS Conference 2010 in Neuss, Germany, April 21-23, 2010. My sessions include:

How Do You Handle the Stress of Being a DBA?

This is a reprint of my editorial at SQLServerCentral.com. There is a lively discussion at the SSC forum on this topic, or feel free to comment here.

While being a DBA has many benefits, it can also be a job with many stressful drawbacks. Some of them that come to mind include:

As the organization’s protector of ...read more