Backup Compression Tip

I had a new tip go live today over at MSSQLTips, it is on backup compression and you can read more about it by going here.
Backup compression is a feature offered with the Enterprise version of SQL 2008. After having native compression available in Sybase ASE for years I was happy to see that Microsoft [...]

Why I Voted For Seattle

There has been a lot of blog chatter in the past week regarding the PASS Summit Survey. I won’t bother pointing you to each and every post and comment that has been made, as Jack Corbett has already done a great job of that. What I want to do is tell the PASS Community why [...]

SQL Server Audit Tips

I had two tips go live this past week over at MSSQLTips, both with regards to the SQL Server Audit feature in SQL 2008. The first tip shows how to enable SQL Server Audit. The second tip shows how to use the AUDIT_CHANGE_GROUP to monitor changes to your audit configurations. Some people would call that [...]

SQL Server Training Resources

I get asked from time to time to recommend SQL training resources. Many times the question is more about free training, as most everyone would like to avoid having to spend money (in good times, and in bad, but especially in bad). The trouble with anything free is that you get what you pay for. [...]

You Want Answers?

I’ll resist the rest of the quotes from A Few Good Men and instead go with these:
“Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” -Sun-tzu

“It’s not personal, it’s business.” -Anthony Soprano
Tales of corporate espionage abound these days. Fake Twitter accounts and Facebook fan pages are the latest rage, each designed to engage people in conversations [...]

Making a Stronger Team

I was thinking to myself the other day with regards to teams, and how you can make them stronger.
Let’s say that you have a team member that is unable to come to work one day, for whatever reason. Now, as the manager you have a specific workload to get done, so you need someone to [...]

My Book Has A Cover!

As my book inches closer to being actually published, I finally got my new cover and just noticed that it was live at Amazon so I thought I would post it here as well.
Yeah, it is starting to feel real now. I have not heard about an official release date, but I think we are [...]

Improve SQL Server User Experience With KB976264

A colleague forwarded this KB to me earlier this evening to ask me if I was aware of its existence yet. He was going to dismiss it because it would appear to apply mostly to games but hidden in the middle of a long list of applications is the following nugget:

The hell? This KB will [...]

Cloud Computing Conference

I took part in a one day conference today on cloud computing. It took place at the Harvard Club in Boston, which was an interesting choice to have the event. I had never been to the Harvard Club before, and I enjoyed the history displayed all around me. I did not wear a coat and [...]

Do You Know SQL Server?

If you think you do then take part in this official contest. Winner gets a netbook. You can read more about the contest at the SQL Server Team Blog. In addition to weekly prizes there is also a grand prize.
This weeks question is: “What are the four new types of data visualization provided in SQL [...]