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Explaining SQL Server in plain english

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Kevin3NF

Getting Started With SQL Server Maintenance – Pluralsight

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My second Pluralsight course for Junior and Accidental DBAs is finally released!

This course covers many of the SQL Server Maintenance items I do every day, week, and month for my servers:

If you don’t have a Pluralsight account, you can sign up for a free 10 day trial. They also run sales quite a bit, so keep an eye out for that.

My first course is a good (but not required) starter, covering history, installation, some configuration and the SQL Server tools:

I’d love to get your opinions, questions and ratings for either or both of these. I’m already planning the next one!

If you want some FREE training, check out my YouTube channel.

Thanks for watching!

Kevin3NF

TSQL Tuesday: Learn From Others

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My Pluralsight course for new SQL Server DBAs

 

T-SQL Tuesday is a monthly blog party for the SQL Server community. It is the brainchild of Adam Machanic (b|t) and this month’s edition is hosted by Kerry Tyler (b|t), who  has asked us to write about “Learning From Others“, by telling about a time something went bad and how it got fixed.

I have an “In Real Life” series of blog posts that are exactly this:

There are a couple of additional issues in the hopper, just haven’t had time to write them up.

Thanks for reading!

Kevin3NF

SQL Server Express Size Limit

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My Pluralsight course for new SQL Server DBAs

 

(Needs to upgrade to a bigger bowl)

Common scenario:

Company is using SQL Server Express to save on licensing costs for a small database. Over time this database grows and is getting close to the hard 10GB limit.

I just got off the phone with a client and their client is in this situation. During the conversation, she mentioned that the DB has information for four “regions.”

They already have a purge process in place, and compression is not an Express Edition feature.

Options I gave:

  • Decrease the retention (her client already said no to this)
  • Split the data into 4 databases – 1 for each region
    • Might require some re-work of applications and connection strings
  • Install a second Express instance and split the data between them
    • Easier on their app
  • Convince the end customer to buy SQL Standard (1% chance this is going to happen)
  • Buy Standard Edition for them and eat/split the cost to keep a huge customer happy
  • Move to a different platform (nope…all SQL Server shop)
  • I saw a blog post that you can bypass 10GB by using the Master database instead
    • That’s the worst idea I’ve ever read. If you do that, never call me. 🙂

If you have other legitimate things I should add to this list that Microsoft will support, please share in the comments.

Conclusion:

If your data is important, buy the proper version for your needs.  Maybe that’s Standard, maybe an Azure VM and spread out the SQL licensing over many months. But don’t do crazy things to try to get around the limits.

Thanks for reading!

Kevin3NF

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Data Bits – Episode 8 – Chrissy LeMaire

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Microsoft Data Platform and PowerShell MVP, Chrissy Lemaire (b|t) sat down with us in the virtual studio Saturday, and we had a blast getting to know her!

Quotables:

“This is horrible, this not what I want to do” (Oracle reference)
“This is an at risk system”
“Hold on, let me fix my tongue”

Chrissy’s shout-outs:

Real Cajun Recipes

DBA Tools In a Month of Lunches

SQL Community Slack

 

My Pluralsight course for new SQL Server DBAs