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Announcement: Pocket DBA™ service

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Several months ago, we posted a blog about keeping a Database Administrator on retainer for emergencies, called “Put a DBA in Your Pocket”

We cross-posted a version over to LinkedIn at the same time.

The response to both was overwhelmingly positive!

So much so that we are bringing this idea on as a new service offering, effective today!

This service comes with different levels for different needs and budgets.  It is primarily intended for you to be able to get a quick response from someone you trust (that’s us…) when bad things happen to your database server, which they eventually will.  Its the nature of tech.

In addition to being there for emergencies, you also get some periodic proactive benefits as well.

All of the pricing, benefits and terms are on the Pocket DBA™ page, separate from our current Services page.

Launch Special:  All new customers that sign up in February qualify for special rates and additional benefits… This is a limited-time offer, please message me directly for more details.

Contact us today with any questions, or to grab one of those 3 early-adopter spots!

This service is only available to US businesses at this time.

Video: Moving SQL Server Data Files

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If you are like me, when you look at certain pieces of SQL Server documentation the sheer volume of information can be a little overwhelming.

ALTER DATABASE is one of those documents, due to the number of things that can be ALTERed.  The documentation has been improved since I was a young newbie DBA, but still…

Anyway, here is a simple video showing me moving a LOG file from my D drive to the C drive:

If you have comments or questions, please leave them on the video, or ping me on Twitter.

Thanks for watching!

Kevin3NF

IRL: Cannot Connect to SQL Server

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IRL #2 – Connectivity Issues

Problem: Application owner is trying connect to SQL Server to create a database, connection failed.  Error message suggests checking Instance Name and “Allow Remote Connections” option set to True.

Background: This client has a wide variety of SQL Servers in Prod, Test and Dev.  Many different versions and editions, quite a few coming from 3rd party vendors.  This was in a new test environment for an application already up and running in Prod.

Resolution Attempts:

  • Try to Connect via IP address – failed
  • Verify Instance name – verified
  • Verify “Allow Remote Connections” is set to 1/True – it is
  • Verify SQL Browser Service Running – discovered Set to Disabled
  • Verify TCP/IP network protocol enabled – discovered disabled

Solution:

  • Enable TCP/IP for Named Instance SQLEXPRESS03
  • Restart Instance
  • Set SQL Browser Service to Automatic and start
  • Test logon via UDL file – success

Lessons you can benefit from:

  • SQL Express default install only enables Shared memory connections
  • Error messages are not always going to give you complete information
  • Have a process for testing

This entire process took about 10 minutes, including the instance restart.  There are 3 other Express edition installs on this server.

Thanks for reading!

Kevin3NF

Video: Getting Started with SQL Server Execution Plans

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I put this video together in about ten minutes of T-SQL code prep, and one-take of the video.   It is not meant to be an all-inclusive lesson…merely an introduction to how to read SQL Server Execution Plans (Right to Left, Top to Bottom, etc.) and some basic things to look at.  Senior performance tuning DBAs…you probably don’t want to watch this 🙂

Comments and likes are appreciated if you think it has value…

Thanks for watching!

Kevin3NF

Apprentice update 2019

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If you have been following this blog or my Twitter account long enough you are aware of the Apprentice.

I started teaching him SQL Server Database Administration a few hours a week back in January 2017.  Literally, starting with “What is a database?”

Much of the material and ideas have now turned into SQL Saturday presentations all over the US, or YouTube videos.

In May of 2018, I hired the Apprentice as a part-time Junior DBA, and handed him 4 entry-level clients.  These typically require no more than 15 minutes a day, but for him early on, each was an hour.   Different monitoring tools, different scripts, different VPNs, etc.  One has only 2 servers, others 20 or more between on-prem and Azure.  One has a failover cluster, replication and a huge Integration Services deployment.

He’s handled it all like a champ.  Knows the basics inside and out, and escalates to me with questions.

Fun stuff that happened in 2018:

  • Multiple SQL user group events
  • SQL Saturday Dallas – he helped run the Dallas DBAs booth
  • Got a 10% year-end bonus
  • LOTS of prep for test 70-462
  • Wrote a blog post
  • Had his first ever performance review

Goals and fun things for 2019:

  • Goal: Increase to 4 hours a day (need a new 2-hours/day client…anyone??)
  • Goal: Show up on time every day (12:30 pm)
  • Goal: Pass 70-462, and start working on 70-764/765 to get his MCSA
  • Fun: Travel to a SQL Saturday and co-present a pre-con and/or regular session
  • Fun: Blog something
  • Fun: Get a raise
  • Fun: Help find the next apprentice

Feel free to drop a comment of encouragement or stalk him on Twitter!

Thanks for reading!

Kevin3NF