Encrypting SQL Server Databases

In this article, we will be discussing about the different available options, for encrypting SQL Server databases.   The Need for Data Encryption In corporate environments there is always the requirement/policy of data protection. Data is the most valuable asset in every organization, after its human resources of course, as it is with data where … Read more…

T-SQL Tip: Retrieving Security-Related Info for SQL Server Logins

—— Retrieves Security-Related Information— for all the SQL Server Logins—— SQL Server versions  supported: SQL Server 2005 or later—SELECT [name] as LoginName,LOGINPROPERTY ([name] , ‘DefaultDatabase’) as DefaultDatabase,LOGINPROPERTY ([name] , ‘DaysUntilExpiration’) as DaysUntilExpiration,(CASE ISNULL(LOGINPROPERTY ([name] , ‘IsExpired’),0) WHEN 0 THEN ‘False’ ELSE ‘True’ END) as IsExpired,(CASE ISNULL(LOGINPROPERTY ([name] , ‘IsLocked’),0) WHEN 0 THEN ‘False’ ELSE ‘True’ END) … Read more…

Snippets Generator v2.0 is Out!

[Update 2018] Please visit Snippet’s Generator page for the latest release of the tool and much more. We are very happy to announce the general availability of version 2.0 of Snippets Generator. Snippets Generator allows the user to easily create T-SQL snippets for SQL Server 2012 and later! You can create a snippet from scratch or … Read more…

Selected Tweets of Year 2012!

Hello friends, Another year has come to an end and as being faithful to the “tradition” of posting in the last day of every year my selected tweets for the year that ends, here I am, posting the “Selected Tweets of Year 2012!“. It was another great year of interaction with you, the SQL Server Community. … Read more…

Screencast: Migrating to a Contained Database in SQL Server 2012 or later

Via this post, you can watch an interesting screencast, about Migrating to a Contained Database in SQL Server 2012 or later.   Introduction: What are Contained Databases in SQL Server? Contained Databases is an exciting new feature, originally shipped with SQL Server 2012. Among other, it introduces a more robust security model where you can … Read more…

T-SQL Tip: Getting the File Locations for all DBs in a SQL Server Instance

—— Dynamically builds  T-SQL statements for retrieving the file — locations for all the databases in the SQL Server Instance—— SQL Server versions  supported: SQL Server 2005 or later—SELECT ‘use ‘+ [name]+’; select ”’+[name]+”’ as DBName,cast ([name] as varchar(45)) as LogicalFileName,cast (filename as varchar(100)) as FileName from sysfiles;’ as SQLStatement FROM master.sys.databases Details: Just execute the statements generated … Read more…

Internal Query Processor Error: The query processor could not produce a query plan

OK folks, it did happen at some point, to get this error message: Internal Query Processor Error: The query processor could not produce a query plan. For more information, contact Customer Support Services.   Reproducing the Internal Query Processor Error Message I was trying to execute the following query: SELECT *  FROM dbo.tbl1 WHERE  tbl2ID=(SELECT … Read more…

Handling Disk Space Issues During Heavy Index Rebuild Operations

There are times where you need to massively rebuild indexes on some really large databases, after indicated by the relevant analysis of course. However, rebuilding indexes, requires also the adequate amount of free disk space that will be used during the rebuild operation (mainly for the sorting process). Usually the required space is the size of … Read more…

Argument data type ntext is invalid for argument 1 of left function

When you try to run a string function directly on a text or ntext column, in this example the “LEFT” function, you will get the following error: Argument data type ntext is invalid for argument 1 of left function. Similarly, if you try to run the REPLACE function against a text or ntext column, you will … Read more…

There was an unexpected failure during the setup wizard

In this article, we will be discussing how to resolve the following SQL Server error: “There was an unexpected failure during the setup wizard”.   When you might get this error OK folks, this is a little bit “tricky” issue. The scenario is the following: You are trying to install SQL Server 2005, then you … Read more…

[Webcast] SQL Server 2012: The Database Engine

– Celebrating 250.000+ Visits! – SQL Server 2012 shipped with a plethora of useful new features. In this webcast we will see the majority of the Database Engine features. To this end, we are going to see enhancements that fall into the following SQL Server areas: High Availability Manageability Enhancements Programmability Performance & Scalability Security … Read more…

[Celebrating 250.000 Visits!] Q&A Session on SQL Server

– Celebrating 250.000+ Visits! – As promised a few days ago, the celebrations for the 250.000+ visits on my blog continue with the Q&A Session on SQL Server! You can submit your SQL Server-related questions using this form. I will be accepting questions until October 24, 2012. After the submission is over, I will categorize all … Read more…

[Celebrating 250.000 Visits!] SQL Server 2012 – The Database Engine [TRAILER]

– Celebrating 250.000+ Visits! – Within the context of celebrating the 250.000+ visits on my blog, on Wednesday, October 17th, 2012, I will make available my brand new webcast on SQL Server 2012 focusing on its Database Engine features. In order to spread the news about the webcast this time I thought of doing something … Read more…

Celebrating 250.000 Visits!

Today, my blog has reached the 250.000 visits. That’s 1/4 of a million! 🙂 I started this blog four years ago with a simple purpose: Share knowledge with the Community. Be a part of the Community. Four years later I must say that I have received more than what I gave. The interaction with you, … Read more…