In March, I ran a Question of the Month that asked, “What is the biggest mistake/problem you ever found on a SQL Server instance, and how did you fix it.” There were so many great responses that I thought I would summarize many of them here, as this list provides many remarkable examples of real mistakes made by developers and DBAs. To see all of the responses (and who contributed them), visit this webpage. Of course, this list is not a comprehensive list of every potential mistake that can be made, but it offers you a glimpse of the kind of mistakes (some very amusing) that some people make when working with SQL Server. Keep in mind that this list applies to the specific examples provided by those who responded to the question, and that there are always exceptions to every rule. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this list.
Monthly Archives: April 2010
Learn How Vendors Price Their Software
As DBAs, we are often put in the position of purchasing software from third-party vendors. If you are like me, you are probably amazed at the wide variation in software prices, and how the price of a product seems to bear little relationship with its actual cost. For example, why is the SQL Server Enterprise Edition so much more expensive than the SQL Server Standard Edition?
Speaking Seven Times in April
April will be a busy month for me as I will be speaking seven different times, on seven different topics, at four different user group and conferences. Here’s my lineup:
Baltimore SQL Server Users Group
Monday, April 5, 2010, 7:00-8:00PM
”How to Use the SQL Server 2008 Performance Data Collector to Analyze Queries”
I will be speaking remotely at this meeting, as I couldn’t fit it into my travel schedule.
Atlanta Microsoft Database Forum
Monday, April 12, 2010, 6:30-9:00PM
”How to Become an Exceptional DBA”
Chicago SQL Server Users Group
Thursday, April 15, 2010, 5:30PM
”How to Optimize TempDB”
SQL Saturday #31 Chicago
Saturday, April 17, 2010
”How and When to Use Indexed Views” – 3:00PM
”Introduction to Graphical Execution Plans” – 4:00PM
European PASS—Neuss, Germany
April 21-23, 2010
”Essential DBA Skills: Best Practices Every SQL Server DBA Must Know” – Thursday—1:00PM
“How to Analyze Performance Monitor Data Using PAL”—Friday—11:45PM
If you are able to attend any of these events, be sure to stop me and say hello.
Brad M McGehee 