We know better than to click a link from the son of an unfairly deposed Nigerian Prince who needs our help. Yet, according to Deloitte’s 2023 Global Risk Management Survey, 91% of all cyberattacks begin with a phishing email. And many of them are successful. No business or industry is off limits. So, it’s important…
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SQL Server is being targeted again. This attack is called DB#JAMMER. And it’s targeting poorly secured SQL Servers. What’s happening? Attackers begin by brute-forcing access into poorly secured SQL Servers. Once they have gained access, the attackers use xp_cmdshell to deploy tools. They manipulate the firewall, if needed, and transfer files to and from the…
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“Take time to improve our data management processes? Sorry, we are just too busy”… fixing errors from broken data processes. This refrain is more common than you think in IT departments of all sizes. Or maybe you live that reality every day and are fully aware that clunky, error-laden processes eat away at your team’s…
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“Why is my SQL Server slow?” Have you ever asked that question? Have your users? Unfortunately, that’s a commonly asked question. Fortunately, though, something can usually be done about it. Here are fourteen reasons a SQL Server instance could be underperforming. I’ve divided them into four broad categories. Slowness due to resource constraints Often the…
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SQL Server is good. You install it, give it some databases to manage, and let it do it’s thing. When queries come in, it figures out how to resolve them. If it needs some statistics, it creates them. If the database is running out of space, it’ll grow the data file for you. Automatically. And…
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Coach John Wooden is a legend. He led his beloved UCLA Bruins to ten NCAA National Championships in twelve years. That is an unparalleled accomplishment in any sport, in any endeavor really. So, I began wondering: what if Coach Wooden led a team of DBAs? What would he do? How Coach Wooden’s approach applies to…
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“If three people are responsible for feeding the dog, the dog is going to starve. You must have clear areas of responsibility.” In his book Risk, retired United States Army General Stanley McChrystal shared this quote. It’s from a mentor he had as a young officer. And It helped shape his career. As a family…
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In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with a never-ending stream of urgent tasks and deadlines. It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind and lose sight of the big picture. This is where inertia comes into play. And inertia can put your SQL Servers at risk. How urgency creates inertia Inertia is…
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“My SQL Server hasn’t had any problems. It just works. Do I still need a SQL Server Health Check?” The TL;DR answer is yes, it’s good to check on your SQL Server regularly. SQL Server just works, but… The SQL Server development team has done a great job. They’ve created a database platform that is…
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There’s a lot of hype surrounding the next version of SQL Server. And for good reason. SQL Server 2022 is packed with some long awaited niceties, improvements, and enhancements. Here are a few of the SQL Server 2022’s new features we are excited about. Contained Availability Groups Enhancements to Availability Groups and Distributed Availability Groups…
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