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SQL Server insights from 25+ years in the field

Performance tips, security advisories, health check findings, and industry analysis. Practical, technically accurate, no fluff.

15 May 2018 · 7 min read

How to Set Up Mirroring in a Workgroup Using Certificate Authentication

Learn how to set up SQL Server mirroring in a workgroup environment using certificate-based authentication, including optional witness server configuration for automatic failover.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

How to Emulate an SQL Cluster Using Mirroring

Learn how to emulate coordinated SQL cluster failover using database mirroring, covering Service Broker setup, WMI event monitoring, and T-SQL logic for pre-2012 environments.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

How to Set up DB Mirroring using T-SQL

Set up SQL Server database mirroring with T-SQL to bypass GUI edition restrictions and configure synchronous or asynchronous mirroring with a repeatable, scripted process.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

How to Fix Performance Dashboards for SQL 2008

Learn how to apply Microsoft's compatibility update to get the SQL Server 2005 Performance Dashboard working correctly against SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 instances.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

How to List the Database Name and File Locations

Learn how to quickly list every SQL Server database name and its physical file locations using sp_msforeachdb and sys.sysfiles, essential knowledge for any DBA.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

SQL Server DMV Query to Output Index Fragmentation by Database / Table

Learn how to query SQL Server index fragmentation using DMV views and identify which indexes need rebuilding or reorganising to restore query performance.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

How to Remove Replication Monitor Red Crosses

Red crosses in Replication Monitor usually mean orphaned metadata left behind after an incomplete replication removal. Here are the methods to clear them.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

How to Resolve the SSIS Subsystem That Failed to Load

After restoring msdb from an old server, SQL Server Agent can no longer find the SSIS subsystem DLL. Here is how to fix it in minutes.

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15 May 2018 · 5 min read

How to Enable xp_cmdshell Using sp_configure and Run Batch File from xp_cmdshell

Enable xp_cmdshell in SQL Server using sp_configure in four T-SQL statements, plus the security controls you need before you run a single line of code.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

How to Set up an SQL Server Alias Name

A SQL Server alias maps a friendly name to your server instance, saving hours of reconfiguration when servers change. Set one up in under five minutes.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

How to Dynamically Backup and Compress User Databases (SQL 2008)

Stop updating maintenance plans every time a database is added or dropped. This stored procedure dynamically discovers and backs up all user databases with compression enabled.

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15 May 2018 · 6 min read

A Visual Explanation of SQL Joins

SQL joins are a leading cause of incorrect query results in production systems. Learn how each join type works and when to use it correctly in SQL Server.

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SQL Server insights, monthly.

Performance tips, security advisories, and industry analysis. No fluff, no spam.