Azure Data & AI Consultant
Finally! A full year of traffic. I aimed to blog at least once every few days but fell short. I plan on blogging a lot more in 2017, especially with the release of SQL Server 2016 and all the cool new features it has.
As you can see, 2016 was a 780% increase of page views compared to 2015. Continue reading “Blog Stats – 2016”
Usually when something goes awry in a SQL Server, the first place that comes to mind to check is the SQL Server error log, or Windows event log. But what if the error was during SQL Server installation? What if you’re installing SQL Server and suddenly the GUI disappears? Poof! Gone! There were no pop-up errors or anything to give you a hint of where to start troubleshooting. Continue reading “How to View and Read SQL Server Setup Log Files”
I recently came across a tweet by Microsoft MVP Adam Machanic (b | t) that caught my attention (see below):
EventBrite just sent me an ad for this amazing course! Learn full SQL and Oracle database admin in just 3 hours… https://t.co/eyxbmjqozB
— Adam Machanic (@AdamMachanic) November 23, 2016
Continue reading “Please Avoid Get Rich Quick Schemes Like These”
During my first SQL Saturday event I won a book called “Healthy SQL” by Robert Pearl. I was pretty excited because not only did I win something, but I love to learn about improving the performance of SQL Server. This was a win-win for me. Continue reading “Book Review – “Healthy SQL” by Robert Pearl”
I was recently asked what the difference was between “scaling up” and “scaling out.” I thought, “why not draw a cartoon to illustrate?” So below is my attempt at drawing a cartoon to show the difference between the two. (By the way, if you haven’t figured it out, those are servers flexing their biceps. Yes, they have stick legs. I’ve been telling them to do squats but they don’t listen!) :) Continue reading “SQL Server Scale Up vs Scale Out – Cartoon”
I am extremely proud to announce what I believe to be the best video course on Windows Server Failover Clustering by my friend and mentor, Microsoft Certified Master and MVP Edwin Sarmiento (b | t). I am very fortunate to be an early subscriber of the course and compared to all other videos/courses I came across in the past, Edwin’s is the best by far. Continue reading “The Best Online Course to Learn Windows Server Failover Cluster”
In order to learn a topic such as Windows Server Failover Clustering, you must have a complete personal lab. You’re only as good as your lab environment.
My friend and mentor, Microsoft Certified Master and MVP Edwin Sarmiento (b | t) recently published a video course on setting up a personal lab for deploying SQL Server on a Windows Server Failover Cluster.
This course is a preclude to his awesome course on Windows Server Failover Clusters. Continue reading “The BEST Personal Lab Setup Course”
Recently I was asked,
If you approached a SQL Server with abnormal usage (slow applications, etc,) and have a limited amount of time, how or what tools would you use to diagnose the issue?
I replied by saying I would execute a great script like sp_whoisactive, by Adam Machanic, or sp_BlitzFirst by Brent Ozar’s team.
He quickly replied, Continue reading “How To Use SQL Server Activity Monitor”
If you have any additional questions that aren’t addressed in the blog, feel free to contact me. I’d be more than happy to help you out!
Title: “SQL Server must support the organizational requirement to employ automated mechanisms for enforcing access restrictions.”
Severity = Medium
Details = Obtain the SQL Server software library installation directory location. Continue reading “V-40951 – SQL Server 2012 Database Instance DISA STIGs”
If you have any additional questions that aren’t addressed in the blog, feel free to contact me. I’d be more than happy to help you out!
Title: “SQL Server must support the employment of automated mechanisms supporting the auditing of the enforcement actions.”
Severity = Medium
Details = Verify that Files and Folders that are part of the SQL Server 2012 Installation have auditing enabled. Continue reading “V-40950 – SQL Server 2012 Database Instance DISA STIGs”
My first blog was posted in August of 2015. I didn’t think anyone would ever come to my site but that started to change the more I kept making posts.
Why Post Your Blog Stats?
To me, it’s pure motivation. I love numbers, stats, graphs, etc. So why not? I was a little hesitant to publish in the beginning because of how small my numbers were. It’s like the guy who just started going to lift weights at the gym and is embarrassed that he’s barely bench-pressing the bar next to guys benching 45s. Well, where did they start out? :) Everyone starts at the bottom and works their way up. Continue reading “Blog Stats – 2015”
If you have any additional questions that aren’t addressed in the blog, feel free to contact me. I’d be more than happy to help you out!
Title: “Domain accounts used to manage a SQL Server platform must be different from those used to manage other platforms.”
Severity = Medium
Details = Determine the accounts being used to manage the SQL Server operating system. Determine whether the same accounts are being used to manage other platforms. If the same account is used to manage more than one platform, this is a finding. Continue reading “V-43196 – SQL Server 2012 Database Instance DISA STIGs”
There are a few ways to monitor when someone makes an INSERT, UPDATE or DELETE in SQL Server. One quick and easy way is through SQL Server Audit. Below is a step-by-step way to create that audit:
Expand Security, then right-click Audits and click ‘New Audit…’ Continue reading “Create Database Audit for INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE in SQL Server”
I tend to forget how to do certain database administration tasks if I don’t do them often enough. No matter how *SIMPLE* they might be. :)
Recently at work I saw a production database server that was in the SIMPLE recovery model, that was scheduled for weekly FULL backups and daily DIFFERENTIAL backups. I was a little confused when I first saw this. I wondered, “I thought you cannot do FULL backups in SIMPLE recovery model?” So I checked out Books Online. Continue reading “SQL Server Backup Under the SIMPLE Recovery Model”
Over the past few years I have been applying DISA STIGs on countless SQL Server environments and never had a “go to” single source that would answer all my SQL Server security-related questions. If not answer, at least guide me in the right direction. That’s why I was super excited when I heard Brent Ozar recommend a book called, “Securing SQL Server” by Denny Cherry’s on his new Office Hours podcast.
I wish I came across Denny Cherry’s “Securing SQL Server” book earlier, but I believe everything happens for a reason so I’m not going to complain. Continue reading “Book Review – “Securing SQL Server 3rd Edition” by Denny Cherry”