Microsoft

Deploying a SQL Server database to Azure

Deploying an SQL Server database to a Windows Azure virtual machine is a feature introduced with SQL Server 2014. It can be useful for an organization  that wants to reduce its infrastucture management, simplify the deployment, or have a(…)

SQL Server 2014: DBCC CHECKDB and ReFS support

Have you noticed an interesting behavior with SQL Server 2014 when you are running a dbcc checkdb command? If not, you should have a look at this blog post. I discovered it completely by accident during some tests. If(…)

Backup a SQL Server database from On-Premise to Azure

SQL Server database backup & restore from On-Premise to Azure is a feature introduced with SQL Server 2012 SP1 CU2. In the past, it could be used with these three tools: Transact-SQL (T-SQL) PowerShell SQL Server Management Objects (SMO) With(…)

SQL Server Perfmon does not start automatically

I have recently used perfmon (performance monitor) at a customer site. I created a Data Collector Set to monitor CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network during one day. Then, I ran the monitor and I received a “beautiful” error message…(…)

Master Data Services installation for SQL Server 2012

This posting is a tutorial for installing Master Data Services on your Windows Server 2012. Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services (MDS) is a Master Management product from Microsoft, code-named Bulldog. It is the rebranding of the Stratature MDM(…)

SQL Server 2014: Are DENY ‘SELECT ALL USERS SECURABLES’ permissions sufficient for DBAs?

SQL Server 2014 improves the segregation of duties by implementing new server permissions. The most important is the SELECT ALL USERS SECURABLES permission that will help to restrict database administrators from viewing data in all databases. My article is(…)

SQL Server: How to find the default data path?

I have read a lot of SQL Server blog postings and articles in order to find the default data path. This post covers different SQL Server versions (SQL Server 2012, SQL Server 2014, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2005)(…)

SQL Server 2014: sys.dm_exec_query_profiles, a new promising feature

Among the hidden features provided by SQL Server 2014 there is a very interesting dynamic management view named sys.dm_exec_query_profiles. This feature will help the database administrators and experienced developers to troubleshoot long running queries in real-time. I’m pretty sure(…)

SQL Server 2014: Availability groups failover impossible with Failover Cluster Manager

A couple of weeks ago, I worked for a customer that wanted to implement SQL Server 2012 (and not SQL Server 214) AlwaysOn with availability groups. During our tests we performed a bunch of failover tests and the customer(…)

How to avoid Failover Cluster with PowerShell scripting

One of my colleague asked me some days ago if I could create a PowerShell script to get rid from Windows Server Failover Cluster. The reason is that it has, in some specific cases, the bad habit to failover(…)