Blogs

Online, Resumable, and WAIT_AT_LOW_PRIORITY operations in SQL Server

December 10, 2019

ONLINE operations in SQL Server were simple to understand for years – we got ONLINE index rebuilds in SQL Server 2005. That was it for a while.

Then, things got more complicated: we got more types of indexes. We got ONLINE options for schema changes that don’t involve indexes. We got more options for managing things like blocking, because online operations are really only mostly online — generally there’s going to be at least a short period where an exclusive lock is needed to update metadata. We now have some RESUMABLE operations coming in, too, for those big operations that are tough to handle.

What would you say you do here?

in devops

December 9, 2019

The other day, I was looking back at an excellent blog post my colleague Jamie Wallis wrote about what Product Marketing Managers do at Redgate. I really like the chart he created which explains how Product Marketing Managers work with Product Managers – what each role focuses on, and where they collaborate.

I realized that my own role as an Advocate can also be hard to understand.

Installing Redgate SQL Toolbelt with Chocolatey (video with transcript)

in sql

December 2, 2019

Chocolatey is a package manager that helps you install, upgrade, and uninstall packages (applications) on Windows quickly and easily from the command line.

My Git CLI Cheat Sheet

in sql

November 27, 2019

I created a cheat sheet for the Git Command Line Interface to go along with my Git tutorial for SQL Change Automation video.

I find the Git CLI to be very friendly and easier to learn than a GUI interface.

Upcoming Free Webinars on Database Development and Operations

in devops, webcasts-and-conference-sessions

November 19, 2019

Fall is in swing, and it’s officially webinar season! Here’s a bunch of free events I’ve got on my calendar.

Links and Resources from How to Architect Successful Database Changes

in devops

November 6, 2019

Group exercises beginning around the room Steve Jones and I had a great time today talking about source control for databases and release patterns for performance and availability in Seattle. We had a great group of folks who asked terrific questions, made thoughtful comments, and interacted throughout the day. Here are some links and resources from the day… Suggestion for configuration option to make SQL Server Developer Edition act like Standard Edition This has been requested by the community for many years, but now is the right time to please vote up this suggestion.

Why I Make Animated Gifs for Presentation Demo Backups

in sql

October 30, 2019

PASS Summit 2019 starts up next Monday with pre-conference sessions. I’ve got my schedule all set, and I’m going to be busy: I’m speaking in two full-day pre-conference sessions, giving two regular sessions, judging the ever-exciting Speaker Idol competition, and also spending time at the Redgate booth in the expo hall. Oh, and I scored a little PASS-TV interview to talk about Redgate right before the keynote on the first day.

Thinking About Robert Davis

in tech-community

October 25, 2019

It’s been more than a year and a half since Robert Davis passed away. I wrote a bit about Robert’s passing last April. I haven’t written about him since, but I think about Robert a lot. I think about Robert when I work on a tough problem that he would have found interesting, when chatting about database nerdery on Twitter, when preparing for a conference or training that I know he would have been excited to attend.

Building my schedule for PASS Summit 2019

in sql

October 24, 2019

It’s just ten days until PASS Summit 2019 begins in Seattle. The schedule is up and there are loads of good sessions. Here’s what I’m putting on my calendar to make sure that I don’t miss it – along with some things that I wish I could attend that I’ll be sure to catch the videos of afterwards.