Tag: SQL Script Library

sqldatabaseownership

Error Msg 15138 The Database Principal Owns a Schema in the Database, and Cannot be Dropped

You’re cleaning up some old usernames in a database. The users are no longer needed so you want to drop them and maybe even the server login. You issue the standard DROP USER username; command in the query editor and it immediately comes back with Msg 15138, Level 16, State 1, Line 1 The database…
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SQL Server sysadmin has the keys to the kingdom

Who Has sysadmin Access to your SQL Servers?

Phishing attacks account for more than 80% of all security incidents according to this CSO article Top cybersecurity facts, figures and statistics. And the resulting data breaches cost an average of $3.92 million. With security incidents and data breaches making the news daily, it’s important to secure your networks, including your SQL Servers. That’s not…
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The SQL Server Database Engine

What SQL Server Version Am I Running?

One of the first things we look at when doing a SQL Server Assessment (Health Check) is the SQL Server version and patch level. We don’t stop there, of course. We check a ton of other things that can affect the SQL Server’s performance, its security, and its reliability. But we start with the version…
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sql server backup files are needed

How Often Should I Test My SQL Server Backups?

“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!” In the world of databases, stakeholders don’t care about SQL backups. They care about the ability to restore a SQL database.

Am I affected by MrbMiner malware?

SQL Server hardware can be powerful. Lots of CPU cores and memory. Just what a crypto miner may need in their quest to generate cryptocurrency. In the case of the MrbMiner exploit, numerous SQL Servers have been exploited with brute-force attacks. These attacks are scanning for servers exposed directly to the internet and are using…
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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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How Many tempdb Data Files Should My SQL Server Have?

We’re frequently asked how many tempdb files a SQL Server should have, especially from those who have downloaded our free 5 Common SQL Server Configuration Issues PDF. That’s because there’s a lot of well-intended but incorrect information posted on the internet about tempdb.  What Is tempdb? Let’s start with a very brief description of tempdb. When SQL…
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Script: How Long Until My SQL Server Backup/Restore Completes?

Ding!  Your desktop IM client chimes. “Any idea how long my SQL Server backup/restore will take to complete? I think it may be stuck.”  Someone has started a database restore (or backup) using a T-SQL command. Now he wants to know how long the process will take to complete. He’s gone to the bathroom and…
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