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  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post # 30: How to Recover from a Lost SA Password in SQL Server 2012

    Working at Microsoft provides many opportunities to receive pearls of wisdom from individuals at other parts of the organization.  Saleem Hakani sent along this little gem a few days ago and I wanted to share it with you.  It outlines how to recover an SA password if you forgot it – though...
    on26 Nov 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post # 29: Using SEQUENCE in SQL Server 2012

    Before joining Microsoft I spent many years working as an Oracle DBA, SQL Server DBA, consultant, trainer, and so on.  I got to see the differences in features and functionality between a wide variety of products.  I also saw that there was a different approach that Oracle and SQL Server used...
    on16 May 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post # 28: Introducing the New IIF() Function in SQL Server 2012

    In SQL Server 2012 we have added the IIF() function to the SQL Server family of functions. It is a brand new logical function being introduced with SQL Server 2012 that allows you to perform IF..THEN..ELSE condition within a single function. This helps in simplified code and easy to read conditions....
    on9 May 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post # 27: Increasing Developer Productivity with Snippets

    This week we have something for you to share with the SQL Server developers, as well as use in your DBA T-SQL scripts to make life easier when you re-use common code.  Saleem Hakani provides some guidance on new functionality in SQL Server 2012 to help make you more productive when creating T-SQL...
    on2 May 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post #26: New OFFSET and FETCH Query Options in SQL Server 2012

    SQL Server 2012 introduces brand new query hints that allow you to implement query paging solution. In the past, we have used TOP operator to return the top number of rows from a table. However, OFFSET & FETCH options of the ORDER BY clause can give you more benefits than just the TOP operator.  ...
    on25 Apr 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post #25: String Concatenation Using CONCAT() in SQL Server 2012

    SQL Server 2012 introduces a brand new string function called CONCAT() . CONCAT() string function allows you to concatenate up to 255 string or variable values in to one single string. It requires a minimum of two input values when calling the function and takes care of implicitly converting the data...
    on18 Apr 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post # 24: Backing Up Large Mission-Critical Databases

    In an ideal world, hard drives and other hardware never fail, software is never defective, users do not make mistakes, and hackers are never successful. However, we live in a less than perfect world and we should plan and prepare to handle adverse events.   In today’s topic, we will focus on best...
    on11 Apr 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post # 23: TRIGGER-less Tracking of Database Changes

    There are times when you need to track all the changes happening to a table. In the past, developers have used custom code to track changes by calling stored procedures, triggers and until recently even change data capture (also known as CDC). SQL Server now supports a simplified method of auditing changes...
    on4 Apr 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post # 22: Understanding Transparent Data Encryption

    You may have heard about Transparent Data Encryption (TDE), which was introduced in SQL Server 2008. But what does it do, what are its advantages and disadvantages and how can you leverage this technology in SQL Server? Keep reading this tips and tricks article to learn how.   Transparent Data Encryption...
    on28 Mar 2012

  • Blog Post: The “SQL Guy” Post # 21: Efficiently Manage Large Data Modifications

    Did you know that you can now use the TOP operator for Deleting, Inserting and Updating data in SQL Server tables? Using the TOP operator for DML operation can help you in executing very large data operations by breaking the process into smaller pieces. This can potentially help with increased performance...
    on21 Mar 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post #20: Using Cell Level Encryption in SQL Server

    Last week you learned how to setup the encryption key hierarchy in SQL Server .  Now, let’s use encryption to encrypt sensitive data in SQL Server.   It is quite possible that you might have sensitive data that needs encryption at a finer level of detail than the entire database. Most of the...
    on14 Mar 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post #19: Working with Encryption Keys in SQL Server

    Ever wonder how encryption keys are protected and managed in SQL Server?   Microsoft SQL Server makes use of a key hierarchy, which helps to protect keys that are to be used for encryption. This hierarchy can best be viewed as a series of layers, in which each layer encrypts the layer below it. ...
    on7 Mar 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post #18: Spying on User Activity Using Logon Triggers

    Ever felt the need for knowing who is logging on to your SQL Server and at what time? Ever felt like restricting some of the specific users for certain time-period or firing a trace to track down user activity? Ever felt like limiting the number of concurrent connections from specific users?   Well...
    on29 Feb 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post #17: Recovering Data Using SQL Server Emergency Mode

    Remember those days when the database would go in to suspect mode and you had to perform various steps to recover the database by putting the database in the emergency mode and then extracting the data out of that emergency database?   These are the high level steps you had to perform in previous...
    on22 Feb 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post #16: Using the Special Admin Connection to SQL Server

    There are times when SQL Server may be so busy processing requests that it can no longer allocate memory or processor resources to even allow an SA to connect. This has been an issue with older versions of SQL Server.   SQL Server solves this problem by introducing a feature called "Dedicated...
    on15 Feb 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post #15: Best Practices For Using SQL Server Service Accounts

    Securing SQL Server is one of the top priorities of any SQL Server DBA. It is extremely important for DBA’s and system admins to make sure that SQL Server is TIGHTLY SECURED and is not exposed to users that don’t need access to SQL Server. Only valid and required users MUST be granted “required” permissions...
    on8 Feb 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post #14: The Myth Behind Stored Procedure Behaviour

    You are a trusted database developer for your company. You developed a Stored Procedure that will perform some important functions on the database. You tested the Stored Procedure and everything looks great. The Stored Procedure runs the way you expected and within the anticipated timeframe. Everything...
    on1 Feb 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post # 13: Changes to Location of Startup Options in SQL Server 2012

    Many users have hated the way SQL Server supported configuring startup parameters in previous versions. It was confusing and buried in a single text box under the Advanced Tab of SQL Server services in Configuration Manager. The only way you could separate different options is by using a semicolon(;...
    on25 Jan 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post # 12: Understanding Data Hashing Techniques in SQL Server

    I don’t often deal a lot with the business intelligence side of SQL Server preferring to spend most of my time on the relational side of the house.  However, once in a while topics about optimizing a data warehouse or helping to secure BI data peak my interest.  I ran across this article by...
    on18 Jan 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post # 11: SQL Server’s Black Box Can Be Very Helpful

    Ever wanted to find out what was happening when SQL Server crashed? Your investigation should also include reviewing the SQL Server activities much like what profiler would do. SQL Server 2005 (including 2008, 2008R2 and the upcoming 2012) come with a default trace enabled out of the box. This trace...
    on11 Jan 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post # 10: INSERT Multiple Rows with Table Value Constructor

    Wouldn’t it be nice to have the ability to insert multiple rows of data using one Insert statement? Every time you create a table and have to insert rows manually, you will need to repeat “Insert Into <Tables> values..”   SQL Server 2008 and up provide the ability to insert multiple rows of...
    on4 Jan 2012

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post # 9: SQL Server Database Engine Permission Model–Part 3

    In this third and final instalment of our series on the SQL Server Database Engine Permission Model, we look execution context switching – in other words when I access an object, from whose perspective should I be assigned permissions.  As always, if you want to test these out and don’t have SQL...
    on28 Dec 2011

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post # 8: SQL Server Database Engine Permission Model–Part 2

    Last week we started the first of a three-part series on SQL Server database permissions and the permissions security model used by the database engine.  Last week’s blog post covered the commands used in T-SQL to manage permissions, as well as the security scope within SQL Server.  This week...
    on21 Dec 2011

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post # 7: SQL Server Database Engine Permission Model–Part 1

    This week we start the first of a three-part series on SQL Server database permissions and the permissions security model used by the database engine. In conversations with many individuals across the country, I have found that not all DBAs or prospective DBAs that I have talked to are always sure about...
    on14 Dec 2011

  • Blog Post: “The SQL Guy” Post # 6: Save Time Connecting to SQL Server Using Management Studio (SSMS)

    OK, so I’ve been on a bit of a break over the last couple of months. Truth is, with TechDays Canada being one of the major things I am responsible for here at Microsoft Canada, time has been a previous resource. Now that the TechDays 2011 tour is complete, things are looking up to keep these blog posts...
    on12 Dec 2011
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