William Brewer

William Brewer is a SQL Server developer who has worked as a Database consultant and Business Analyst for several Financial Services organisations in the City of London. True to his name, he is also an expert on real ale.

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04 November 2016
04 November 2016

Questions About SQL Server Security and Access Control You Were Too Shy to Ask

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For many developers, database security and Access control is just something that gets in the way of development work. However, several recent security breaches have had devastating consequences and have caused a change in attitude about the value to any organisation of having database applications that meet industry standards for access control and security. The problem, however is in admitting that you have a problem and finding answers to those problems you are just too shy to ask in public. … Read more
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12 September 2016
12 September 2016

Database Cloud Backup Cribsheet

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Several database backup providers are now offering ‘Database Backup to the Cloud’, or ‘Backup As A Service’ (BaaS). There is little consensus within the industry as to what this actually means in terms of the service offered. ‘Cloud Backup’ can mean little more than copying database backups to Cloud ‘file lockers’ such as DropBox, but can include enterprise-wide solutions with central management, one-click restore, advanced compression over the network, aggregation of links to increase bandwidth, express dispatch of a hard drive with the data on request (e.g. AWS Import/Export), and minimization of storage requirements using deduplication. The main attraction of any of these ‘cloud’ services is that they provide offsite database backups. The more sophisticated solutions provide a way of meeting a company’s Disaster recovery requirements at a lower capital cost and in a way that includes outlying data in a company-wide backup regime. The simpler offerings aim to provide regular automatic offsite database backup where there was none before.… Read more
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09 June 2016
09 June 2016

Planning for a Successful Database Lifecycle

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Although it is well-known that the best efforts of a development team can be derailed by mistakes in the architecture, design and general governance of a development project, few attempts have been made to describe what needs to be done to increase the chances of success in the development of a database application. William Brewer steps into the breach to itemise what a delivery team needs to succeed.… Read more
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24 February 2016
24 February 2016

The Cross Platform

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With the new range of cross-platform runtime-systems, based on WebKit and Node.js, we developers are once again offered the lure of being able to write one application that, with minor differences, works in the browser as a cloud application, on the desktop PC, and in mobile devices. If you are already versed in the culture … Read more
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05 November 2014
05 November 2014

Database Configuration Management for SQL Server

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It is not just the rapid and painless testing, deployment and update of databases that requires care in the retention and management of configuration information. Configuration information is also essential for audit, resilience, and support. The range of documentation varies widely with the database and its setting, but the underlying principles remain the same. Without appropriate configuration management, automation is likely to be futile.… Read more
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11 September 2009
11 September 2009

Calling Stored Procedures from .NET Applications

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Everybody knows how to call stored procedures from a .NET application. Right? But then, how often do you see stored procedures used to their full advantage in database applications? William Brewer goes through some of the basics, but uses PowerShell and IronPython as well as VB.NET as the example .NET applications just to freshen the subject up a bit, and avoids all mention of Northwind or AdventureWorks!… Read more
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24 January 2008
24 January 2008

Audit Crosschecks

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In this short article, the second of a 2-part series, William suggests a solution, using SQL Data Compare 6.1, for providing an independent cross-check of database transactions to determine whether they have been retrospectively altered. … Read more
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13 November 2007
13 November 2007

Top HAT

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If there is one thing that developers and users always seem to disagree on, it is the relative importance of documentation. We take a look at the whole technology of producing Help and Documentation for tools and applications, and then review one particular product; EC Software's Help & Manua… Read more
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