I regularly visit client sites and review their SQL Server configurations. I come across all kinds of strange settings. I’ve been thinking about a way to aggregate people’s configurations and see what’s common and what’s unique. I used to do that with polls on SQLTeam.com.…
I regularly move logins between servers. Mostly this is between production and our DR site. I’ve used the code in KB246133 [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/246133] many, many times but it’s pretty limited. I started with that and wrote the script below. * There is a user-defined function…
I put my name down for the Google Voice [http://www.google.com/voice] trial a few months back. I recently received my invitation and configured my account. The entire process was painless and it has some interesting benefits: * I’m in the process of starting a new business and…
(Written on my snappy new Windows 7 RC installation. Operating systems are so much faster before they get those pesky applications installed.) I’ve been gradually transitioning all my file storage and backup to online services, aka “The Cloud”. I’m nearly done and thought I’d share what I’…
Or my alternate SEO-friendly title, “Dynamically load the proper SQL Server SMO Trace library in C#”. I just posted a version of ClearTrace [http://www.cleardata.biz/cleartrace/default.aspx] that will determine whether you have SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2008 installed and dynamically load the proper SMO…
It was a long time coming but I finally updated ClearTrace [http://www.cleardata.biz/cleartrace/default.aspx] to read SQL Server 2008 trace files. This requires SQL Server 2008 to be installed on the computer where ClearTrace is running. ClearTrace will process traces created in SQL Server 2000, SQL…
Scriptio [http://www.codeplex.com/scriptio] is a little utility I wrote when I was unhappy with the scripting features in SQL Server 2005. The biggest problem I faced was that I couldn't script a DROP and CREATE in the same file. I'm pretty sure that&…
Microsoft just updated the SQL Server 2005 Best Practices Analyzer [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=da0531e4-e94c-4991-82fa-f0e3fbd05e63] . There are over 60 new rules included in this release. You can find more information on the SQLCAT blog [http://blogs.msdn.com/sqlcat/archive/2008/01/18/sql-server-2005-best-practices-analyzer-january-2008-now-available.aspx] .…
[https://billg.sqlteam.com/content/images/60447-image_2.png]One of the joys of being a consultant is trying to keep track of remote desktop connection information for a dozen clients. Each one has multiple servers so the combination of clients, machines, user names and passwords add up quickly. Recently…
Microsoft just released an updated Read80Trace that works on SQL Server 2005. The name is simplified to just ReadTrace. ReadTrace is a command-line utility that analyzes a SQL Server trace file and summarizes performance. The new version has a more graphical interface. The original was one of the most helpful…