Useful undocumented SQL Server 2008 distributed queries stored procedures
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SelectViews Video Program
Talking to experts - the show today features Kevin Kline, talking about his experiences in field. Also, Adam Jorgensen is on the show today talking about his experiences helping clients with BI projects and more.
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Voice Recognition and Developing/Coding?
I was emailing with a reader the other day talking about voice recognition software projects and developing. They were asking about what I'd seen "out there" and asking about whether development (and specifically SQL) would work well with voice recognition.
I've worked with a certain fiery-breathed software application on just about every release that has come out. Every time I've really looked forward to using it, only to be disappointed. It seems there are other projects out there too, a few specifically targeting developing and writing code using voice recognition.
Have you had any luck with this? I've read a number of responses talking about how it seemed that it would be tough, that you'd be talking all day long as you write the code, etc. On the flip side, with well-defined databases, tables and attributes of the database system, is that enough to have a standardized vocabulary such that it could actually work? I'm not sold, but wanted to ask. What's your experience been like with voice recognition specifically for development projects?
Send me a quick email, let me know...
Featured Article(s)
Useful undocumented SQL Server 2008 distributed queries stored procedures
In this article, Alexander Chigrik looks at five undocumented SQL Server distributed queries stored procedures that shipped with SQL Server 2008.
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3/10/2010
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Data Privacy in the Real World
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dba3_DynamicSql_Demo
see link(http://www.sswug.org/forum/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3256)... (read more)
Fighting with Data Sources...
Have you tried working with data sources, pulling information from Excel or CSV files, then making it available to other applications for analysis? It can be very ... challenging. This can be a great place to use DataDefractor - it's a visual data mapping and processing tool that will help automate these types of transformations. Check it out here - see if it could save your sanity.
Data Privacy in the Real World
Chris wrote in with his experiences with some real-world data privacy (and data duplication) happenings -
"I saw the commercial that you had mentioned and immediately what came to mind was the number of doctors that are looking at the legal liability that impacts these decisions.
I think about the fact that each of these doctors have to be willing to have their work reviewed and overturned. Consider the large number of issues that people could start with simple symptoms from, at first look it could be the flu or maybe something they ate. But 2 weeks later when they are still ill tests are run and next thing you know someone has the swine flu. The first doctor made the best call they could with the information they had, but the person who has suffered with the swine flu for 2 weeks will not see that, and here come the law suits… Privacy is only half of the issue. If you don’t believe me ask your doctor for you own copy of your medical records including all documents so you can have a history.
With that being said, I think the overall question that you proposed, “what things should we be doing, developing, creating, etc. today to address this?” Databases need to be developed so they can move information in and out better. Most databases today are designed with the internal user in mind, but what if we thought out of the box? Think about how you buy car today, first you have to find the car, your address and copy of your driver’s licenses will be used to make sure you are legal to drive. When you purchase that car, now you information needs to be re-submitted for the credit if you are getting financed and/or input again for the bill of sale.
Just when you think you are done then you insurance information needs to have the VIN, your name and address, model and make of the care, with… your driver’s license again. But wait, if you get insurance now you get to register your new car for just the 4th time of passing along this information and another check. My point? Each time someone types your information you are at risk for Identity Theft, at risk for someone making a mistake, and then you get to pay for all the overhead of people putting in the same information 4 times. End result, we need to share information, we need to make it cheaper for the administration of this information, we must start working smarter not harder."
Learning SQL Server, SharePoint, Business Intelligence...
- Learn More or Register: Virtual Workshop: SQL Server Performance (Mar 12!)- key concepts, learning and how-to information for working with SQL Server
- Register: Spring 2010 SSWUG.ORG Virtual Conference (Apr 7, 8, 9) - SQL Server, Business Intelligence, SharePoint - 75 sessions, 20 speakers...
- Register: DBA School - 15 people max - (Apr 19, 20, 21) - In-Person class that focuses on the things you really need to know - and shows/teaches how to apply it.
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3/9/2010
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Privacy a Thing of the Past?
Featured Article(s)
Top 10 Agile Database Development Practices
Many organizations like the idea of rapid application development without a long waterfall Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). They recognize the effort to generate a complete "to be document", such as a database Entity Relationship Diagram meeting all system requirements, to be an exercise in futility. Rather than swinging to an opposite extreme of chaos and inadequate design, Agile developers have established practices resulting in reliable and efficient software design. This articles reviews what I believe to be the top 10 principles that, when applied to Agile Database Development, result in the optimum production reliable code.
Learning SQL Server, SharePoint, Business Intelligence...
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- Register: Spring 2010 SSWUG.ORG Virtual Conference (Apr 7, 8, 9) - SQL Server, Business Intelligence, SharePoint - 75 sessions, 20 speakers...
- Register: DBA School - (60% sold-out already) 15 ppl max - (Apr 19, 20, 21) - In-Person class that focuses on the things you really need to know - and shows/teaches how to apply it.
Time's running out to register for each of these - please register soon to save your spot.
New SelectViews Video Program Released
Talking to experts - the show today features Kevin Kline, talking about his experiences in field. Also, Adam Jorgensen is on the show today talking about his experiences helping clients with BI projects and more.
[Watch the Show]
Next Idera "Secrets" Webcast - Register Now
Are you a SQL Server developer dealing with an increasing number of administrative tasks traditionally assigned to DBAs? Expert Donabel Santos will ease your database administration headaches in a “Secrets of SQL Server” webcast March 10, 2010 at 3 p.m. CST. During the event, you will learn tips, tricks and solutions to common administrative challenges. Santos will also share ways that DBAs and developers can work together to ensure successful implementation of development projects and avoid those terrible ‘oops’ moments. Register now for the webcast.
Privacy a Thing of the Past?
The SSWUG/Bits team was at a recent conference where they were talking about technologies and where things are going, how they'll apply to what we're doing today and so-on. One comment stood out. "Privacy" is a done deal. Just write it off. "fuggetaboutit..." and move on.
The comments were part of talking about technology, the cloud and how things will morph in the near (not sure what "near" is) future. Specifically, that there was more value in the global access than risk in the data exposure.
Now, before everyone gets all up in arms, I think this is not so much about "identity" type items - social security numbers, credit card numbers, etc. It's more about the fact that we need to be coming up with better ways to protect the identity items and better ways to make available those items that benefit from being open to the tools and technologies here now and coming soon. I quickly thought of the commercial I've seen recently with the man in the doctor's office. The Dr. asks a question and the patient answers... then an audience of doctors, also with knowledge about the patient and/or condition chimes in.
I *think* it's supposed to be an uncomfortable moment, but it makes a good point too. We all talk about crowd-sourcing so much of the knowledge we rely on daily. If we focus on solid technologies to apply and crowd-source other things, we could see some interesting benefits. Yes, I do get it that some information needs to be controlled and that this opens up all sorts of issues, and I do understand that the combination of life-clues and data potentially leads to people knowing more about us that we like publicly, but ...
So, without degrading this to another privacy discussion, my real question is this... what things should we be doing, developing, creating, etc. today to address this? We have issues of data protection, we have issues of opening up information sources, etc. What else will need to be addressed and, perhaps as important, are there things today that we should be doing to not close off systems to the opportunities? Is it just to make sure you've designed your systems well? That you've incorporated some protections on information selectively?
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3/8/2010
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Interesting Tuning Best Practice
Learning SQL Server, SharePoint, Business Intelligence...
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Interesting Tuning Best Practice
I was digging around the Microsoft site, looking through guides, tips and such looking for a nugget for today and stumbled across a surprise, at least to me.
Did you know that how you set up your data files can impact how information is stored on your various drives? You might think you're spreading the information stored across different drives by setting up different data files on different drives... you're right, to a point.
The tip, though, is that you make the different data files the same size. What?! Really? Yep. SQL Server uses an algorithm as it stores information to your data files, looking for the largest available chunk of free space at the time, then using that space to store the next chunk of information. Very intriguing to know! What this means is that if you set up a big data file for your database as one of the storage locations, you could actually find that SQL Server *only* uses that data file for storage for a while. At the very least, it may heavily favor it in storing information to your drives. If you want to optimize things, well, optimally, review those data files and see if you can set them up in similar sizes.
While we're talking about this - you do know about a couple of other tips - right?
- pre-allocate the space you need, don't use autogrow.
- don't use auto-shrink.
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3/5/2010
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Troubleshooting Approach - Optimize Your Chances for Success
Learning SQL Server, SharePoint, Business Intelligence...
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Troubleshooting Approach - Optimize Your Chances for Success
Kent wrote in about the troubleshooting post from yesterday. I mentioned "one thing at a time" and "don't forget to undo things that don't work!" as key things to keep in mind. Kent had a couple of additional points to consider:
"I completely agree that a disciplined and systematic approach is key in order to have any hope of understanding the root issue. The important practical upshot here hits not on the exotic and mysterious glitches, but the simple stuff. You might scramble to “fix” something – and manage to get it back on its feet – while all along some seemingly innocent change made by someone else is the whole problem. Now your workaround is in production, probably giving somebody else a headache, and when the environment changes back the problem resurfaces and you go into another tailspin. Had you taken the time to learn the real situation you could have applied a solution that would prevent the same issue in the future. (Sounds like communication is the root issue in my example!)
I will offer a modification, or an extension, to the “change one thing” rule. We must use a flexible definition of “one thing” to include sets of things that interoperate. Without the ability to work with variables in various combinations, it’s impossible to address mixed-mode cases. And in my experience, lots of misbehavior ends up being the result of interaction between multiple factors. Often the problem has been dormant, or below the threshold where anyone cares, until something exacerbates it into a complete failure. Either irritant alone wouldn’t cause so much damage, but their mutual presence is disastrous.
While in multivariate troubleshooting mode, you still have to be systematic. All the more so! Change “one set” of parameters, and then change it back before trying the next set (which might overlap with the previous one). It gets very complex, so taking notes and planning your moves is really important."
Featured Script
fn_BracketedWords
Text processing. User-defined function for extracting bracketed words from a string. Returns word plus bracket start and end ... (read more)
Webcast available on-demand now:
High Availability Through SQL Server
With failover clustering, data mirroring, peer-to-peer replication, and log shipping available there is an option or two for every scenario. While each technology has a place in the world, they aren't interchangeable and provide the greatest benefit when applied to the proper solution. A walkthrough of each of these technologies and where they fit in your environment.
Presented by: Jason Strate
> Watch Now
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3/4/2010
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