Despite some humorous examples of deployments gone wrong, failures are not funny. William Brewer explains why staging is so important and how it can help avoid the types of disasters he recalls in this article.… Read more
Smart DBAs automate tasks whenever possible. In this article, Greg Moore shows the need to use caution when using undocumented procedures for automating tasks, and that PowerShell may have what you need instead. … Read more
As developers should not have access to production data, it’s possible that duplicate values can sneak in during migrations. In this article of the series, Phil Factor demonstrates a way to check for duplicates when unique constraints are disabled.… Read more
Each year Redgate Software runs a survey to learn more about how organizations practice DevOps, especially when it relates to the database. This year, over 2000 individuals responded, and they are from diverse industries and company sizes. The key findings in the report are: Frequent database deployments are increasing: 49% of respondents now report they … Read more
Since SQL Server now runs in Linux, more database professionals will begin to learn this operating system. In this article, Robert Cain demonstrates how to set up an Ubuntu virtual machine for learning.… Read more
PowerShell is a widely used tool for administrators. In this article, Allen White shows how to export objects using CLIXML and work with those objects without being connected to the original servers.… Read more
Kubernetes can be used to deploy, scale, and manage containers. In this article, Mircea Oprea builds on the previous example in the series to show you how deploy your contains in the Elastic Kubernetes Service in AWS.… Read more
Every DBA should have basic PowerShell skills. In this article, Greg Moore explains how to write a PowerShell script that can create a window for a countdown timer.… Read more
Automation of server builds minimizes human error, ensures that environments are identical, and saves time building servers. This article from Mircea Oprea demonstrates provisioning one server or multiple load-balanced servers in AWS with code.… Read more
Take advantage of the CI/CD pipeline in Azure DevOps to build, test, and deploy continuously to deliver value to your customers consistently with ease. In this article, Joydip Kanjilal shows you how to get started with Azure DevOps using a .NET Core app. … Read more
Before including the database in your DevOps pipeline, you’ll need to decide if you are going to use a state-based or migrations-based approach. In this article, Robert Sheldon explains the difference between them and discusses the benefits of each.… Read more
As more shops begin automating build and deployment pipelines, it’s critical to learn about containerization. In this article, Mircea Oprea walks you through deploying an ASP.NET Core API in a Docker container. … Read more
As database changes are added to the DevOps pipeline, unit testing of those changes becomes crucial. In this article, Adam Hafner describes unit testing and how it applies to databases.… Read more
I’ve been speaking a lot on the topic of DevOps lately, and there’s a question I like to ask. What is the purpose of your organization? I get all kinds of answers. “We make software that delights our customers and makes their jobs easier.” “Our company makes low-cost widgets. “ “We make the best gizmos … Read more
PowerShell is the preferred tool for many DBAs when automating SQL Server administration. In this article, Greg Moore demonstrates how to use a server list to control which tasks are performed on which servers.… Read more
I hear from a lot of database administrators who are worried about being automated out of a job. These kinds of worries are not new. Over the course of my career, I’ve seen CTOs outsource large groups of IT jobs to different regions around the world to save money. IT has long been regarded as … Read more
As more dev teams move their code to Git, it’s important to understand the differences between it and other tools they have used in the past. In this article, Michael Sorens provides some good advice about doing code reviews with Git. … Read more
DBAs running SQL Server on Linux will not only need to understand SQL Server security well, they will also need to understand how security works on Linux. In this article, Kellyn Pot'Vin-Gorman walks you through several examples, explaining the permissions and ownership of files and directories in Linux.… Read more
In the third article of this series on testing PowerShell code with Pester, Robert Cain demonstrates how to test the functions in a PowerShell module. … Read more
Compliant Database DevOps
Standardize team-based development
Automate database deployments
Monitor performance and availability
Protect and preserve data
