SQL Server Radio

Guy and Eitan talk about a lot of exciting announcements and announcements about a lot of excitements! Does this even make sense? I don't know! Listen to the show to find out!

Relevant links:

• How to HADR Your SQL Jobs
• Contained AlwaysOn Availability Groups Overview
• Pedro Lopes's Slides Deck for SQL Bits 2022
• How to Identify and Fix TempDB Contention
• The Best Solution for SQL Server Partitioning Sliding Window
• Roll_Forward_Transaction_Log_Backups.sql
• Restore-DbaDatabase (DbaTools)
• Tsql2sday - My First Technical Job

Also, we talk about performance considerations of partitioning in SQL Server, a blog post series about how to tune performance, and new scripts in our Madeira Toolbox on GitHub.

Relevant links:

• Data-tier Applications (DACPAC and BACPAC)
• About: Snapshot Replication
• Generally available: Azure Virtual Machines increase storage throughput by up to 300%
• Generally available: Announcing Azure SQL Migration extension for Azure Data Studio
• Public preview: Reverse Migration of Azure SQL Database Hyperscale tier to General Purpose tier
  • Limitations for Reverse Migration
• SQL SERVER – Table Partitioning for Slow Performance | Pinal Dave
• How To Tune Performance - Chapter 4: Common Problems | Sagi Amichai
• Find Redundant Indexes with Recommendations for all Databases | Madeira Toolbox

Guy and Eitan discuss upcoming events and conferences in 2022, and also about new features in SQL Server 2022, and more.

Relevant links:

• Conferences:
  • SQL Server & Azure SQL Conference
  • Data Platform Virtual Summit 2022
  • DataGrillen
  • PASS Data Community Summit 2022 (registration is open!)
• Get Ready for SQL Server 2022
• Get Azure recommendation in Azure SQL Migration extension
• Madeira Toolbox Roundup:
  • Linked Server Vulnerability.sql
  • Maintenance of Azure SQL Databases via Azure Automation and Powershell
  • Balance CPU Cores Across NUMA Nodes.sql
  • Database Design Best Practice Checks.sql

In today's show, Guy and Eitan host the co-founders of EverSQL, Oded Valin and Tomer Shay. We talk about their automated SQL tuning solution and SQL tuning best practices in general.

• eversql.com - Official Website
• Software Vendor Mistakes - Erik Darling Data

Relevant links:

• Cardinality Estimation: Combining Density Statistics | Paul White
• SQL Server CE: Multiple single-column statistics connected by AND
• SQL Server CE: Multiple single-column statistics connected by OR
• Detect Low PAGE Compression Success Rates in all Databases | Eitan Blumin
• The Curious Case of… tracking page compression success rates | Paul Randal
• The Ultimate Compression Savings Estimation Script for an Entire Database | Eitan Blumin
• SQLBits 2022 Conference
• Enterprise Data World 2022 Conference
• Buffer Pool Distribution by Tables | Guy Glantser
• Track Failed Logins in Azure SQL DB using RING_BUFFER_CONNECTIVITY
• Is SQL Server Profiler in Azure Data Studio? – SQLServerCentral
• Using the SSMS XEvent Profiler

Guy and Eitan discuss some interesting announcements and focus on the topic of Security in SQL Server.

Relevant links:

• Announcing new features for the SQL IaaS Agent Extension! - Microsoft Tech Community
• Troubleshooting SQL Server made easy via Notebooks – seeking your feedback - Microsoft Tech Community
• Veeam security breach: Backup “Removal” Solutions - From Conti Ransomware With Love
• sp_helprotect is very useful in permission issue - Microsoft Tech Community
• Databases and Guests - Vitaly Bruk
• Performance Tuning Like a Pro - with Hypothetical Indexes - Eitan Blumin
• Dynamic Data Masking in SQL Server
• Madeira Toolbox Roundup:
  • GUEST user with database permissions.sql
  • PUBLIC role with excessive permissions.sql
  • DBCC CLONEDATABASE (Transact-SQL)
  • Audit trace file binary search by timestamp.sql
  • Security_Audit_Default_Trace.sql
  • SQLSecurityAudit.sql
  • Detect Weak Passwords in SQL Server
  • track_logins_in_use_extended_events.sql

Guy and Eitan talk about the interesting new features announced in SQL Server 2022, a new sp_whoisactive version, and a bunch of Microsoft blog posts on Tech Community.

Relevant links:

• SQL Server 2022:
  • Announcing SQL Server 2022 preview: Azure-enabled with continued performance and security innovation
  • Introducing SQL Server 2022 | Bob Ward
  • Announcing the SQL Server 2022 Early Adoption Program
  • SQL Server 2022 | Official Microsoft
• The new version of sp_whoisactive - v12.00
• Extended Events to the Rescue - by Guy Glantser on SQLFriday
• New Microsoft support troubleshooting articles:
  • SQL Server CE: Multiple single-column statistics
  • SQL Server CE: Multiple single-column statistics connected by OR
  • Update Stats Sample Rate does not work
  • Use Orca.exe Tool to Verify Corrupted MSI/MSP file in Failed SQL Patching
  • Use Trace Flag 902 (TF902) to Bring Up Your SQL Service in Failed Post Upgrade Script
  • Prevent SQL Server Dump Generation in Hot Cases: Common Ways & Scenarios
  • Recover TDE Databases in Disaster : Recover Steps for 3 Common Scenarios

Guy and Eitan talk about some important news, about Availability Sets in Azure, and several useful T-SQL scripts in our Toolbox.

Relevant links:

• Azure Feedback is back!
• Troubleshooting SQL Server made easy via Notebooks – seeking your feedback
• Open sourcing the .NET 5 C# Language Extension for SQL Server
• Replication enhancements in the SQL Server 2019 CU13 release
• This episode was recorded on October 25th, before the important announcement about the release of SQL Server 2022. Check it out here.
• Availability Sets for Virtual Machines in Azure
• Madeira Toolbox Round-Up:
  • Certificate Management Scripts
  • Shrink All Shrinkable Transaction Logs.sql
  • Ola Hallengren Recommended IndexOptimize Examples

Guy and Eitan talk about various topics related to SQL Server, including upcoming virtual events, interesting new scripts from our toolbox, and more!

Relevant links:

• SQL Server 2016 SP3: Last Service Pack for SQL Server
  • SQL Server Release Dates and Product Lifecycle
• PASS Data Community Summit - November 8-12, 2021
  • Development Lifecycle Basics for DBAs
• Group By Conference 2021
  • SSDT Methodologies & Features for DB DevOps
• Level up your skills with Bicep!
• TRY/CATCH and Transactions in SQL Server:
  • TRY...CATCH (Transact-SQL)
  • @@TRANCOUNT (Transact-SQL)
  • XACT_STATE (Transact-SQL)
  • SET XACT_ABORT (Transact-SQL)
• Today's Madeira Toolbox Round-Up:
  • Table and Index High Unused Space.sql
    • DBCC CLEANTABLE (Transact-SQL)
  • DatabaseIntegrityCheck - Minimal check on PRIMARY, Full check on SECONDARY.sql
    • DatabaseIntegrityCheck by Ola Hallengren
  • Shrink_Database_File_in_Specified_Increments.sql
• SARGability Week by Erik Darling

Are you a data professional who needs to be able to convince people that you're right? Blythe Morrow is here to help!

Blythe Morrow is our special guest for today, teaching us tech folks how to talk and convince people about topics in regards to Data Platform technologies.

• Blythe Morrow on LinkedIn
• Blythe Morrow is a Pre-Con speaker at PASS Data Community Summit
• Blythe Morrow in: Meet the Pre-Con Speakers
• Paper Sword B2B
• Paper Sword B2B is also the agency behind the Group By Conference

Guy and Eitan discuss change automation tricks for databases, do a round-up of the newest scripts in the Madeira Toolbox, and more.

Relevant links:

• Database Change Automation:
  • DbaTools
  • sp_generate_merge by Daniel Nolan (readyroll)
  • Add support for "Prevent saving changes that require table re-creation" option in SqlPackage / SSDT (Azure Feedback)
    • (New feedback item at Microsoft Q&A)
• Madeira Toolbox Round-Up:
  • Missing Indexes with High Impact
  • Increase Database File in Specified Increments
  • SSRS Deployment Powershell script
  • Update RegisterAllProvidersIP and HostRecordTTL in all AG Clusters (multi-subnet best practice)
• AT TIME ZONE Performance Issues (Jonathan Kehayias)
• More about AT TIME ZONE (Jonathan Kehayias)
• Dativerse event by DataGrillen on August 13th

Guy and Eitan shoot the breeze about several interesting topics that you wouldn't want to miss out on!

Relevant links:

• SQL Server 2016 going out of mainstream support
• Intelligent Query Processing Capabilities in SQL Server
• Group by conference recordings on YouTube
• Dynamic search queries in T-SQL - THE NINJA WAY - by Eitan Blumin
• SQL Data Partners Episode 227: SSDT Methodologies for DB DevOps
• Data Platform Meetup Israel:
  • Call for Speakers
  • Wait Statistics - Torsten Strauss
  • Great Reasons to Run Your Cloud App on Azure SQL MI - Niko Neugebauer
  • 6 Techniques to Make SQL Server Speedometer Go Crazy - Amit Bansal
• Decrypting MSSQL Credential Passwords - NetSPI Blog
• How to Protect SQL Server from Hackers and Penetration Tests - Eitan Blumin
• Handy Powershell script templates to rule them all
• How to create indexed views ONLINE - by Michael J. Swart
• SQLCMD Template for Creating an Indexed View Online and Gradually Migrate Data Into it

Today we go over a list written by Kevin Chant about a year ago, and add some of our own insights.

Relevant links:

• Ten comments I think every SQL Server DBA wants to say | Kevin Chant
• Eitan's T-SQL Tuesday blog posts about automation and productivity:
  • T-SQL Tuesday #123 – Life hacks to make your day easier
  • T-SQL Tuesday #127 – Tips and Tricks to Automate Your Life
  • T-SQL Tuesday #130 – Eitan’s Laws of Automation
  • T-SQL Tuesday #135: The Tools of My Trade
• Test-DbaBackup Powershell cmdlet for automated restore tests
• Maintenance Script for Integrity Checks split into buckets per weekday
• How to Find which user deleted the database in SQL Server
• SQLWatch.io

We have two very special guests in today's show: the AzureSQL rockstars Anna Hoffman and Bob Ward!

Some relevant links:

• Azure SQL Fundamentals | Microsoft Learn
• Azure SQL for beginners | YouTube Playlist
• Digital event: Transform Your Applications with Azure SQL
• http://aka.ms/newsupdate
• https://aka.ms/sqlworkshops
• DataMinutes | Data Grillen
• SQL Saturday official site

Guy and Eitan discuss lots of interesting recent news, and also about various technical topics in SQL Server.

Relevant links:

• News about PASS and SQL Saturday:

  • What’s next for PASS Summit this fall? Ideas forum

  • The SQL Saturday Foundation Board of Directors

  • The new Azure Data Community webpage from Microsoft

  • PASS Summit 2020 session recordings

  • PASS Pro Educational Series at Red Gate University

• Data Saturday #1 Recordings Available on YouTube
• Around the Clock with Azure SQL and Azure Data Factory
• Microsoft Ignite 2021 Book of News
• Azure retiring a lot of services on February 29, 2024
• Azure Tips and Tricks: 5 Things you didn't know about Azure SQL Database
• SQL Server Automatic Tuning
• SQL Server Transaction Log And High Availability Solutions - Pros and Cons and more | Destin Joy
• Classic GUI issue or how to fix MAX Server memory too low | Vitaly Bruk

Check out the episode where we start movements to change the way everyone writes T-SQL code, and/or deliver data platform meetups!

And we also talk about a bunch of other stuff as well.

Relevant Links:

• Join the SQL Server Community Slack and our new channel #SQLServerRadio !
• Ask Us Anything: Database Performance Tuning and Optimization | Data Platform Meetup Israel
• Redgate Software takes over from PASS and commits to the future of the Summit, SQLSaturday and the community
• Educational Series (Red-Gate University)
• Database DevOps Considerations for SQL Server Availability Groups
• GenerateDeployReport method of DacServices | Microsoft Docs
• Database DevOps Implementation | Madeira Data Solutions
• I learned to love WHILE (true) and you should too | Eitan Blumin
• We’re taking Azure certifications for data and AI to the next level | Microsoft Tech Community
• Azure Data Fundamentals: Explore Core Data Concepts (Part 1) | Microsoft Reactor Tel-Aviv Meetup
• Watching out for Deferred Name Resolution

We have a special topic for today, where we talk about our own managed DBA service, and how we ended up choosing SentryOne SQL Sentry as our go-to monitoring platform for SQL Servers.

Relevant links with more details:

• DBSmart - The Managed DBA Service from Madeira Data Solutions
• SentryOne SQL Sentry
• clr_http_request - CLR assembly to send HTTP web requests from within SQL Server
• Case study - UPDATE STATISTICS causing TempDB stress and Availability Group fail-overs
• Madeira Data Solutions is a SentryOne Partner

Guy and Eitan host a very special guest and speak about various SQL Server and Data Platform topics, and recent events.

Relevant links: for more details

• Cassandra - Use cases: when to use and when not to use
• Community call for creating the fastest number series generator | Itzik Ben Gan
• SQL Server Feature Request: Adding Multi-column IN clause support by SQL Server
• mysqlbinlog — Utility for Processing MySQL Binary Log Files
• FAQ about the dissolution of PASS | Andy Mallon
• PASS alternatives and related links:
  • SQLSatHistory.com
  • SQLUGs.com
  • DataSaturdays Project (SQLCollaborative)
  • Microsoft resources for the SQL Server and Azure Data community
• SQL Governor - Proactive Microsoft SQL Server optimization, consolidation, and rightsizing powered by machine learning
• Columnstore indexes: Overview | Microsoft Docs
• The SolarWinds Orion Hack
• How to Protect SQL Server from Hackers and Penetration Tests | Eitan Blumin

Guy and Eitan take a break from talking about the PASS virtual summit, and celebrate with some interesting content.

Relevant links:

• Notes on the PASS Virtual Summit by Andy Warren:
  • Part 1
  • Part 2
  • Part 3
  • Part 4
  • Part 5
  • Part 6
  • Conclusions
• Satirical DBA Twitter accounts:
  • @TrumpDBA
  • @Bernie_DBA
  • @biden_dba
• Concatenating Strings in SQL Server | Guy Glantser
• Making a more reliable and flexible sp_MSforeachdb | Aaron Bertrand
• PrintMAX by Ben Dill
• PrintMaxMinified by Eitan Blumin
• Access Violation Error querying from system functions with parallelism
• SQL Server Cumulative Update releases are paused until end of December
• SQL Server TOP clause performance problem with parallelism | Neeraj Prasad Sharma
• What is MaxDOP controlling? | Pedro Lopes

Our guest for today is Yitzhak Khabinsky, a subject-matter expert on XML in SQL Server (among other impressive titles).

We deep dive into the topic of XML, its history, its purpose and limitations within SQL Server, and fascinating capabilities that you never knew about... And also, how does JSON fit in this whole story?

• Yitzhak Khabinsky | LinkedIn
• Azure Feedback item to update XML API engine in SQL Server
• Azure Feedback item to improve JSON capabilities in SQL Server