Find Tables and Columns by Data Type

A couple weeks back someone asked me some questions about data types.  Apparently, while implementing some financial data, each developer on the project had chosen their own data type.  This was a bit of a problem that can lead to serious problems.  When financial data is rounded unexpectedly - bad things can sometimes happen and … Continue reading Find Tables and Columns by Data Type

MSDN Ultimate Subscription Winner

It’s been a busy week and I haven’t been able to put the time in to picking the winner for the MSDN Ultimate Subscription contest I was running through July 31st.  I know I suck. Tonight during a client’s SQL Server 2008 migration I took a couple minutes to write down the names of each … Continue reading MSDN Ultimate Subscription Winner

Webcast Today – Using XML to Query Execution Plans

I’ll be speaking for the SQL PASS Database Administration Virtual Chapter today at 12 PM Eastern time.  The topic will be Using XML to Query Execution Plans.  The abstract for the event is the following: SQL Server stores its execution plans as XML in dynamic management views. The execution plans are a gold mine of … Continue reading Webcast Today – Using XML to Query Execution Plans

Webcast Next Week – Using XML to Query Execution Plans

I’ll be speaking for the SQL PASS Database Administration Virtual Chapter next week.  It’ll be on July 28 at 12 PM Eastern time.  The topic will be Using XML to Query Execution Plans.  The abstract for the event is the following: SQL Server stores its execution plans as XML in dynamic management views. The execution … Continue reading Webcast Next Week – Using XML to Query Execution Plans

Webcast Today – Performance Impacts Related to Different Function Types

I’ll be speaking for the SQL PASS Performance Virtual Chapter later today starting at 12 PM Eastern time.  The topic will be Performance Impacts Related to Different Function Types.  The abstract for the event is the following: User defined functions provide a means to encapsulate business logic in the database tier.  Often the purpose of … Continue reading Webcast Today – Performance Impacts Related to Different Function Types

What Would You Build? MSDN Subscription Giveaway

Along with a number of my MVP peers, I received three (3) MSDN Ultimate subscriptions.  These were sent to us with the intention of finding someone that hasn’t had the opportunity to use Visual Studio 2010 and provide them with the opportunity to get in and play with it.  MSDN Ultimate Subscription If you aren’t … Continue reading What Would You Build? MSDN Subscription Giveaway

Webcast Next Week – Performance Impacts Related to Different Function Types

I’ll be speaking for the SQL PASS Performance Virtual Chapter next week.  It’ll be on July 6 at 12 PM Eastern time.  The topic will be Performance Impacts Related to Different Function Types.  The abstract for the event is the following: User defined functions provide a means to encapsulate business logic in the database tier.  … Continue reading Webcast Next Week – Performance Impacts Related to Different Function Types

Semaphore Timeout Did What?

Last week I had a blog about getting better error messages out of SQL Agent Jobs.  In that blog I had encountered the following error message: Error: 2010-06-23 19:00:30.68 Code: 0×00000000 Source: Execute SQL Task Description: TCP Provider: The semaphore timeout period has expired. End Error The downside is that I don’t have a good … Continue reading Semaphore Timeout Did What?

Why’d That Job Fail?

Have you ever had a SQL Agent Job fail?  Of course, just like myself, you have had this happen. When SQL Agent  jobs fail, you will want to know why it failed.  The problem is that knowing why a SQL Server Agent job has failed can sometimes be a tricky bit of business. The typical … Continue reading Why’d That Job Fail?