Managing a SQL Server instance can involve various tasks, including setting configuration options to optimize performance and resource usage. Using PowerShell to configure SQL Server instances can provide significant advantages, such as automation, consistency, and the ability to easily script and repeat tasks across multiple servers. This guide will walk you through a PowerShell script that connects to a local SQL Server instance, retrieves current configuration settings, updates these settings, and applies the changes.
Author: Stephen Planck
Creating SQL Server AGs on Linux: Part 3 – Pacemaker Resources and Constraints
Welcome to the third part of our series on setting up SQL Server availability groups on Linux. In the previous post, we focused on enabling High Availability Disaster Recovery (HADR) on SQL Server and setting up the availability group. This post will guide you through configuring Pacemaker resources and constraints to manage the availability group effectively.
Creating SQL Server AGs on Linux: Part 2 – Enabling HADR on SQL Server
This is part of a series on setting up SQL Server availability groups on Linux. It details how to enable High Availability Disaster Recovery (HADR) on SQL Server, including creating master keys, certificates, and availability groups. Clear instructions are provided for configuring SQL Server and Pacemaker to ensure data redundancy and high availability. Follow these steps to enhance the reliability of your SQL Server instances on Ubuntu 20.04.
Creating SQL Server AGs on Linux: Part 1 – Installing and Configuring Pacemaker
This post is the first part of a series on setting up SQL Server availability groups on Linux. It covers the installation and configuration of Pacemaker on Ubuntu 20.04, creating the Pacemaker cluster, and configuring essential cluster properties. Designed for SQL Server DBAs with limited Linux experience, this guide lays the foundation for a robust high availability environment.
Ten Ways Senior DBAs Distinguish Themselves from their Junior Colleagues
Aspiring to become a senior SQL Server DBA involves much more than just accumulating years of experience. It’s about deepening your understanding of SQL Server, honing your skills, and continuously adapting to new technologies and methodologies. Senior DBAs are often the backbone of an organization’s database infrastructure, ensuring stability, performance, and security. They have a profound knowledge of SQL Server and are proficient in handling complex scenarios that junior DBAs might find challenging. This journey requires dedication, a thirst for knowledge, and the willingness to tackle demanding tasks head-on.
Five SQL Server Error Log Messages You Should Care About
SQL Server error logs are a treasure trove of information, containing important details about the health and performance of your database server. These logs are essential for troubleshooting issues, identifying potential problems before they escalate, and ensuring the overall stability of your SQL Server environment. By regularly monitoring and understanding the contents of these logs, database administrators (DBAs) can proactively manage their servers and avoid catastrophic failures. In this blog post, we will highlight five specific error log messages that should immediately catch your attention, explain what they mean, and outline the steps you should take when you encounter them.
Five Mistakes Made by Junior SQL Server Database Administrators
Starting as a new SQL Server Database Administrator (DBA) can be an overwhelming experience. There is a vast amount of knowledge to absorb, ranging from understanding the intricacies of SQL Server to mastering best practices in database management. Amidst this learning curve, it’s easy to overlook important aspects that can have significant impacts on database performance and integrity. In this post, we will explore five common mistakes made by junior DBAs, why they are problematic, and how to handle each issue properly.
Deploying SSIS Projects Using PowerShell: A Step-by-Step Tutorial
Deploying SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) projects manually can be tedious and error-prone. Automating this process using PowerShell not only saves time but also ensures consistency across deployments. In this blog post, we will explore how to write a PowerShell script that automates the deployment of an SSIS project to the SSISDB catalog on a SQL Server. We will walk through the script step by step, explaining each part to help you understand how it works and why it’s done that way.
Configuring Max Degree of Parallelism for Heavy SQL Server Workloads
In SQL Server, the Max Degree of Parallelism (MAXDOP) is a configuration setting that dictates the maximum number of processor cores that can be used for the execution of a single query. Properly configuring MAXDOP is crucial for optimizing performance, especially for databases with heavy workloads. This blog post provides detailed guidance on understanding and configuring MAXDOP and the cost threshold for parallelism to ensure optimal performance in high resource-consuming environments.
Best Practices for SQL Server Backup and Restore Strategies
Learn the best practices for SQL Server backup and restore strategies, including full, differential, and transaction log backups, backup verification, and encryption. This guide covers the use of native SQL Server features versus third-party tools, implementing offsite and cloud backups, and establishing effective backup retention policies. Ensure successful restore processes and maintain high data availability with detailed, straightforward advice tailored for enterprise environments.