Author: Joe Webb

CHECKDB is a critical for Database Integrity

When Was the Last Known Good DBCC CHECKDB Integrity Check?

Fortunately, DBCC CHECKDB will log each time it completes without finding any errors or corruption in the database. That’s known as the Last Known Good date. Let’s look at three ways you determine the Last Known Good date. We’ll use a T-SQL query, a PowerShell command with dbatools, and the SQL Server Logs via Management Studio.

Let's count the number of SQL Server tempdb files I have

3 Ways to Find Your SQL Server tempdb Data Files

Checking the number of tempdb data files is straightforward. Here are three easy ways: one graphical, one T-SQL, and one PowerShell, so you can use your tools of choice.

Avoid working without a net; implement a SQL Server HADR option

High Availability and Disaster Recovery in SQL Server

We’re often asked about SQL Server High Availability and Disaster Recovery (HADR) options to help customers protect their data and improve their uptime. No surprise there. When a SQL Server provides a critical component of your daily operations you need those databases to be available. Simply put, when a user needs information from the database…
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Vintage databases are not as good as vintage cars

Should I Upgrade SQL Servers that Are Out of Support?

Do All SQL Servers Need to Be Upgraded? Running production systems on a platform that is no longer supported by the vendor is worrisome. If something goes wrong, you’ll no longer be able to call the vendor and receive technical support. But worse, you’ll no longer release updates, fixes, security patches, etc, for the out…
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A properly configured SQL Server is like a well tuned race engine.

Identify Disk I/O Performance Issues for Your SQL Server Using DiskSpd

“We need faster storage.” Sound familiar? Or what about “No, the storage is good; we need to tune the database.” Often teams will have very different opinions about the root cause of a performance issue. Microsoft’s free DiskSpd utility can help identify disk I/O performance issues for your SQL server systems. Here’s a short introduction…
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Hands of a Hacker

Protect Your SQL Server from MrbMiner and Other Malware Attacks

Unfortunately malware attacks attempting to exploit vulnerable SQL Servers are often successful. Last spring, Guardicore announced that the Vollgar attack that was making its way around the internet. Just last month, it was MrbMiner in the news. And there have been countless other attacks targeting SQL Server over the year. So, how can your protect…
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Has PASS Outlived Its Purpose?

I’ve been pondering a question recently. “Has PASS outlived its purpose?” To help answer that question, I went to the PASS website to look for its mission statement. I couldn’t find it in the dropdown menus. I searched the site. No results found. That’s disappointing. And perhaps it explains why the organization is struggling as…
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Vollgar: 6 Scripts to Help Review Your SQL Servers

Last week, Guardicore released information about a newly discovered attack that uses SQL Servers to compromise servers and networks. Here’s a link; I’d really encourage you to read it. The attack known as Vollgar uses a simple brute force attack to gain access to SQL Servers exposed to the internet. It then uses the elevated…
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Is There an Update for My SQL Server?

We’ve all asked that question at some point. Maybe we inherited a new-to-us SQL Server that hasn’t been maintained regularly. Or, perhaps we’re prepping for a maintenance window and we want to get the latest update into Test as soon as possible. Regardless, we want to know two things. First, what product version is my…
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5 Books I’m Glad I Read in 2019

“What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” – Mark Twain Each year I read approximately 30 books for the pure pleasure of creating in my imagination the sights and sounds and smells of the world that the author has created in…
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