Edition: Saturday, June 15th, 2024
No one wants to build a new SQL Server instance, release it to production, and immediately request a maintenance window to fix a configuration issue.
Has this ever happened to you before? I've experienced it a few times, and it doesn't reflect well on the DBA te...
Edition: Saturday, June 8th, 2024
Are you familiar with the terms DevOps and Platform Engineering? DevOps is the process of consistently and reliably deploying applications into production environments. Platform Engineering focuses on building and maintaining the foundational infrastructure and t...
Edition: Saturday, May 25th, 2024
Over the years, I've completed a lot of SQL Server installations. Some of those resulted in having to move database files around afterward because I failed to ensure the disks were properly formatted and aligned. I had to move files to a temporary location, refor...
Edition: Saturday, April 27th, 2024
Over the past several weeks we've implemented a CA, generated a certificate, and enabled SQL Server network encryption. We validated encryption was being used via the sys.dm_exec_connections dmv. This week, I'll take the validation one more step by using Wiresh...
Edition: Saturday, April 20th, 2024
For a DBA, securing SQL Server is a critical aspect of the job. Securing data at rest, data in motion, and data in use (in memory) are all areas a potential attacker could focus on. This month, I've focused on "securing data in motion" using trusted certificate...
Edition: Saturday, April 13th, 2024
Last week, we ended after the initial CA configuration. This week, we'll enable HTTPS for our Web Enrollment site. I'll cover an issue I encountered when using the Edge browser to request a user certificate via Web Enrollment and a workaround. Be warned though...
Edition: Saturday, April 6th, 2024
In the last edition, we concluded after installing Active Directory Certificate Services.
Today, we'll configure the new Certificate Authority as an Enterprise CA. We're installing an Enterprise CA because they're integrated with Active Directory Domain Servic...
Edition: Saturday, March 30th, 2024
Most new DBAs aren't familiar with certificates, or generating certificate requests, to be used by SQL Server.
I know I wasn't. Early in my career, I had worked in environments that didn't require encrypted connections to SQL Server so I struggled a bit the fi...
Edition: Saturday, March 23rd, 2024
Today I want to share a quick tip on getting started with Windows Server 2025 Standard Edition (preview). It seems Server 2022 just came out a few short weeks ago but in reality, it was released on August 18, 2021.
As technologists, we sometimes delay the inev...
Edition: Saturday, March 16th, 2024
Good morning! Hopefully, this week's edition finds you getting some much-needed rest on a Saturday. It's early here in Tennessee and I'm hoping for a sunny day.
This past week I posted a few LinkedIn challenges on the topic of change tracking in SQL Server:
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...
Edition: Saturday, March 9th, 2024
Keeping data confidential is a crucial role for a DBA. Today, I'll share strategies that Database Administrators can implement to enhance data confidentiality. You'll learn about the importance of encryption, access controls, auditing, and secure backups.
Data ...
Edition: Saturday, March 2nd, 2024
Welcome to March!
Today, I want to talk about one common challenge a DBA may encounter. Scripting a database(s). There are a few common scenarios that may require this. Here are a few:
- Needing to create an empty shell of an existing database for testing p ...