Tag: DBA

QUICK & DIRTY: Table name change for all stored procedures

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Recently, I was tasked to find all stored procedures in a database that use a particular table and change them to utilize another table. I needed to get this done quickly so I decided to think simple. Since it was a quick and dirty answer I figured I would share, it’s not rocket science, but useful none the less. The quick answer that I came up with is to script out all of the stored procedures into a single query window.  This can be done easily through the GUI.  Once that is complete, I can easily do a “Find &… Continue Reading

It’s time to speak again!

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My second time speaking at a SQL Saturday is upon us. This weekend I will be giving my Survival Techniques for a Lone DBA session at SQLSat470 Washington, DC.  Living in Virginia, I am surprised that I’m a first timer to this event. I live only 3 hours away but December is usually crazy with my daughter’s dance schedules and I haven’t been able to attend until now. My session is bright and early as the first session at 8:20 am and going up against some other great sessions. Thankfully they will have an actual barista on hand to make me a… Continue Reading

November #SQLChat – How to Build your Name Recognition and SQL Network

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For those who don’t know Idera Software sponsors a SQLChat on Twitter once a month. This month I got the privilege to host and had come up with a topic and questions for discussion. Below are the questions and answers I provided as well as some from others that chimed in. I think these are worth noting and give some valuable information especially to newbies of the SQL Community. Q1: How have you benefited from networking with SQL professionals? My Answer: As a lone DBA networking has gained me “co-workers”. I now have people to bounce ideas off of. I… Continue Reading

Everything is coming up ACE’s

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I am thrilled to announce that I have been chosen as one of the 2016 Idera ACE’s. It is truly an honor to be part of this great program and give back to the SQL community. What is an Idera ACE? According to Idera. “ACEs (Advisors & Community Educators) are active community members who have shown a passion for helping the community and sharing their knowledge. We help the ACEs pursue that passion by sponsoring travel to select events and offering guidance for soft skill training. Requirements to become an Idera ACE: Enthusiastic members & leaders of the SQL community Accomplished… Continue Reading

Initial SQL Server Configurations

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Wonder if I Do Things Differently? I am always wondering what other DBA’s do and if I am doing things differently. One such thing is my initial server setups, basically, what I configure for each of my new servers. So, why not blog about it and see what others chime in with after they read this. Keeping in mind that everyone has different requirements and different ways that they like to do the actual configurations. For now, I am not going to go into what each one of these configurations do and why I choose the value I do. That’s… Continue Reading

Master of None

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Being a Lone DBA gives you so much exposure to so many facets of SQL Server. Since I am just one I get to work on Replication, Administration, Security, Business Intelligence, Disaster Recovery, Reporting Services, Integration Services, Analysis Services, Database design, Development, Performance… you name it I get to dabble in it. However, being able to work on every facet also means I will never be a Master at any of it and that’s okay by me. For a Type A personality, like me, this is a hard thing to come to terms with. I‘ve learned with time to be… Continue Reading

Admit You Can’t Do Everything

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As most of you know, I have been a Lone DBA for 15+ years and during that time I have learned a thing or two about how to survive on my own in relatively large environments.  One of those things is knowing when to admit you cannot do it all.  Working alone on 56 servers you can imagine how the workload can seem insurmountable.  There are times when in one week I will do 70+ tasks, not including project work and daily monitoring.  To manage and get this type of workload accomplish you have to learn to work smarter not… Continue Reading

My First Speaking SQL Saturday

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I will be speaking at my first SQL Saturday on September 26th in Spartanburg SC.  I am so excited to have been selected to give my session on Survival Techniques for the Lone DBA.  After a year of, not so subtle hints from the SQL Family (John Morehouse (b|t), Rie Irish (t), Melody Zacharias (b|t), Mike Fal (b|t), Argenis Fernandez (b|t) , Kirsten Benzel (b|t), Andy Yun (b|t), Lindsay Clark (t)), I submitted my first session and got selected.   I will be finally standing up before a room of colleagues and talking about my experience as a lone DBA for… Continue Reading

So let’s talk naming conventions

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How many of you have come across a database that had stored procedures, views or functions and you had no clue, by name, what they were for? Having standard naming conventions helps to prevent that. Everyone has their own preferences and opinions on what they should be, so I thought I’d share mine. My opinion In a nutshell, the name of any object should be informative; specifically what the object is used for and where it is used. This is accomplished by utilizing prefixes in conjunction with specific naming conventions.  I apply these standards to all of my stored procedures,… Continue Reading

The Outpouring

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I’ve wanted to write about this for months, now that I have a blog I can finally do it. Earlier this year, I found out, thru Twitter that fellow SQL Family member Larry Toothman (@IowaTechBear), had suffered a stroke. Having never met Larry in person, but having spoken to him on occasion via Twitter I wanted to let him know that people in his SQL community wished him well. That morning I tweeted that I was going to collect money for flowers to send him on behalf of the SQL Family. Unfortunately, we soon got word that Larry was on life… Continue Reading