I recently had a situation where I needed to access a SQL Server that I didn’t have permissions to. This was a bit inconvenient and always in such a situation, the SQL Server was experiencing difficulties that needed a quick resolution. An Application had been installed by someone with Domain Administrator privileges. The Application Installed…
There are times when you need to do things that you’re told not to do. Scan the Internet, and you’ll find a lot of advice on Shrinking Database files. Generally, it’s “Don’t”. Paul Randal – “Don’t do it”, Pinal Dave – “Shrinking Database is bad”, Brent Ozar – “Don’t touch that dial”. In many cases,…
So, what is DataBloat? DataBloat is a term that I use to describe issues caused when a table takes up more space than necessary due to the use of inappropriate Data Types. You don’t always notice it straight away… I frequently run the “Disk usage by Top Tables” Report on a Database as it’s useful…
We had a situation whereby a Database maintenance job over-ran on a Data Warehouse Server. The overrun was so bad that it was blocking the overnight Data Load process. At the time, there was a separate team that handled general Operations, so I contacted them. They stopped the maintenance job, to no avail. The blocking…
Over the years, I’ve frequently had users complain to me about SQL Server producing variants on the following error: SSPI Handshake failed / Cannot Generate SSPI Context Now, I’m not going to go into depth about the various causes of this error (largely because it’s not really my area and there are far more qualified people…
There’s plenty of free Video Training on SQL Server, but it can be of variable quality. Things can vary widely in terms of production quality and content. I find that the massive selection on YouTube can make it bewildering working out what to watch and who to listen to. You can easily use up all…
Just finished reading an excellent book – “The Chimp Paradox”, by Prof Steve Peters. I first heard about “the Chimp” on a Running podcast a few years ago, but I’ve only just got around to reading it. Thoroughly recommended for those looking for a bit more information about how they operate, how others operate and…
Welcome to nigelDBA – a place designed to educate and inform through my experiences with SQL Server. With so much great technical content already available for SQL Server, I’m looking to build something a bit different. Real world implementation and experiences can often differ from textbook examples and I want to share this with you,…
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