So, as I’ve mentioned in the past, I have an inventory database where I store information on our various SQL Server installations. It has instance data (versions, editions, patch levels, collation settings, etc), database information (compatibility level, creation date, collation, recovery model, the backup location, etc.), and more. I also use it to track database […]
Dear SSIS, You and I have had this relationship for a little while now. This arrangement. We see each other only occasionally, usually when one of us needs something. On the surface, it seems to work perfectly, but if we’re honest with ourselves and each other, we’d admit there are some problems we simply can’t […]
Hierarchies. Asymmetric keys. Symmetric keys. Certificates. Algorithms. Authenticators. Encrypting your data can seem like a very daunting and confusing process. On the one hand, you want your data to be secure. But on the other hand, you still want good performance. And, no pressure, but fail to plan properly and your data becomes completely unreadable. […]
Today’s episode of SQL Server A to Z is brought to you by the letter D. D is for Dynamic Management View (DMV). DMVs were introduced in SQL 2005 as a way to provide administrators with a window into what’s going on in SQL Server at any given moment. This can range from OS statistics, […]
One of the first decisions you need to make when installing SQL Server is to select a collation for the instance. Most of the time we simply choose the default and breeze on by. But do you really know all the effects that choice has on your database and the applications that run against it? […]
