SQL Server 2014 has a lot of shiny new features. One of the brightest is In-Memory OLTP Hekaton, something I have been optimistic about (get the pun?) ever since I saw it at the PASS Summit in 2012. These days there is no shortage of information available to day regarding how Hekaton is full of … Read more
I’ve witnessed many novice administrators make the common mistake of believing that the SQL Server upgrade process for a database server is as easy as pressing a few buttons.
Recently it was brought to my attention that the query_hash and query_plan_hash columns inside of sys.dm_exec_requests were returning NULL values. I think everyone knows how I feel about NULLs already, but this was slightly more concerning. See, I work for a company that makes this wonderful tool called Database Performance Analyzer (DPA), and we rely … Read more
I like having a routine. Most people do, I suppose. There’s some comfort in knowing what lies ahead, what comes next. The same holds true for restoring the master database in SQL Server 2014, because it’s the same routine as what I posted for SQL Server 2012. For those of you too lazy to click … Read more
In my seven years as a production DBA I can count on one hand the number of times I have needed to restore the master database as a result of a disaster. With over 180 instances of SQL Server in our care I believe that is a large enough sample size making it safe to … Read more
Last week Microsoft killed their Certified Masters program, essentially making my glass trophy as worthless as…well…a trophy in a bookcase. Today there was a phone call with Microsoft Learning and 250 lucky MCM participants. The result of the phone call? Just more frustration for everyone. What I was hoping for was to hear details about … Read more
