Checking on Failed Server Logins, Server Errors and Warnings using SQL Monitor

Provides a PowerShell monitoring script for errors, warnings and critical events on the Windows server hosting your SQL Server instance, including the failed server login attempts that would accompany a brute-force password attack. Read more

Safely Deleting Clones and Images during Database Development and Testing

Whenever you’re ready to refresh a test cell with the latest database version, you need a safe way to drop the current set of clones, and the parent image, without losing any unsaved work. Phil Factor provides a PowerShell script that automates this process so it runs in the time it takes to grab a coffee, after which can quickly deploy the new clones. Read more

Scripting Custom SQL Server Clones for Database Development and Testing

Phil Factor shows how to automatically apply T-SQL modification scripts during image and clone creation. Using this technique you can, for example, apply data masking to all clones, or customize an individual clone to work on a special variant or branch version, or set up instance level objects like Agent jobs or linked servers. Read more

Deploying and Reverting Clones for Database Development and Testing

Demonstrating how to use PowerShell automation to create a suite of clones, for testing or development work, with the ability to revert a clone to its original state, instantly, ready for the next set of tests to begin. Read more

How to create and refresh development and test databases automatically using SQL Clone and SQL Toolbelt

A PowerShell automation script to build a SQL Server database from source control, seed it with dummy data, document it, and then deploy copies to any number of test and development servers. Read more

Avoid running out of Disk Space ever again using Redgate Monitor

SQL Monitor not only collects all the disk and database growth tracking data you need, automatically, but also analyses trends in this data to predict accurately when either a disk volume will run out of free space, or a database file will need to grow. Read more

Monitoring the Application with SQL Monitor: Website Activity

Using a PowerShell script that collects log data from a web server, plus a SQL Monitor custom metric, Phil Factor offers a way to check for suspicious website errors and unusual patterns of activity, right alongside your database monitoring. Read more

Using a Variable-length Datatype Without Explicit Length: The Whys and Wherefores (BP007/8)

If you declare a variable-length string , or coerce a string, without specifying its length, you can fall foul of ‘silent’ string truncation. Some developers resort to using the (MAX) specification, which is a mistake too. Phil Factor explains the dangers and then offers a workaround for the problem, when you're importing text and simply don't know the correct length of each string. Read more

How to Monitor IDENTITY columns to prevent unplanned downtime

If a table runs out of IDENTITY values then it, and any dependent services and applications, will be "read-only" until the problem is fixed. Steve Jones explains how to set up a custom monitor to detect and prevent such problems. Read more

Automating Builds from Source Control for the WideWorldImporters Database

Kendra Little shows how to get the WideWorldImporters database into version control, using SQL Source Control, and then set up an automated database build process, using Azure DevOps with SQL Change Automation. Read more

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