Category Archives: IT Pro

Blue Screen Your SQL Server On-Demand

Posted on March 9, 2017 by | Leave a comment

These days I do a lot of testing with SQL Server.  When I am testing new features or helping clients implement SQL Server High Availability solutions I want to have several tests including blue screens.

Simulating blue screens actually might be much easier than you think.  For example, you can use Not My Fault from the system utilities to create blue screens whenever your heart desires.

Blue Screen with Not My Fault

Do you really want to push that Crash button?

Just remember, if you use Not My Fault and click on the Crash button, It Aint My Fault.

Instantly after clicking on the crash button you should see the following blue screen.

SQL Server Blue Screen on Demand

SQL Server Blue Screen on Demand

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Posted in High Availability, IT Pro, SQLServerPedia Syndication

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3 Reasons to Attend SQL Saturday Austin on Jan 30th

Posted on January 12, 2016 by | 1 comment

The Austin SQL Server User Group will host its third SQL Saturday on Saturday,

SQL Saturday Austin on January 30th, 2016

SQL Saturday Austin on January 30th, 2016

January 30th. SQLSaturday is a training event for SQL Server professionals and those wanting to learn about SQL Server. Admittance to this event is free ($15 for lunch), all costs are covered by donations and sponsorships. This all-day training event includes multiple tracks of SQL Server training from professional trainers, consultants, MCM’s, Microsoft Employees and MVPs.

Here are three reasons why I am excited to attend the SQL Saturday in Austin.

PreCons

While the SQL Saturday is free, there is also two separate all-day classes on Friday, January 29th that are dirt cheap compared to the cost of attending these classes at your local training center.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make SQL Server go faster?  In a single day, Robert Davis will show you Performance Tuning like a Boss.

Have you wondered how you can keep your data highly available when your servers go bump in the night?  Ryan Adams will be teaching a class on Creating a High Availability and Disaster Recovery Plan.  Having a solid recovery plan can make you a Rockstar DBA and also help keep your company in business.

Sessions

In Austin we are blessed to have some of the best teachers come to town to share their knowledge.  We will have Connor Cunningham from the SQL Server Product team talk about the new features coming in SQL Server 2016.  We will have several MVP’s and MCMs sharing their knowledge.  If you want to learn about SQL Server there is not a better venue to do so than a local SQL Saturday.

Networking

Are you the only DBA or data professional working at your company?  If not, are you interested in meeting people who are as passionate as you are about data? If so, SQL Saturday is a great place to meet and network with some of the best data professionals.  I will never forget my first SQL Saturday. I found some vendors that had tools that made my job easier.  I also built some friendships that have helped me thought out my career.

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Posted in High Availability, IT Pro, Performance Tuning, SQLServerPedia Syndication

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Speaking at Pittsburgh Powershell User Group

Posted on May 14, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Tomorrow, May 15th at 6pm I will be joining the script club and give a presentation on how DBA’s can leverage powershell to do their job quicker and automate processes.  It’s not too late to sign up. If you will be near the north shore I highly recommend checking it out. You can also follow the Pittsburgh PowerShell User Group to checkout their future meetings.

 

 

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PowerShell User Group starts in Pittsburgh!

Posted on December 12, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Recently, it has come to my attention that there is a PowerShell User Group being born in Pittsburgh.  The first user group meeting is December, 13th and  Ed Wilson also known as TheScriptingGuy will be their first presenter.   There are still a few seats available. If you are interested in developing scripts to automate processes I recommend you follow this user group.

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Share your local drives with a Remote Desktop Connection

Posted on November 22, 2011 by | 8 comments

Have you ever wished there was a way to share your local drive with an Remote Desktop Connection? I have, especially when a client doesn’t have a test box.  For example, lets say I need to do a perfmon trace for performance tuning.  I would usually use the PAL Tool to generate a perfmon template and copy it from my machine to the server to configure the trace.  Once the perfmon collection is finished I would want to copy the template back down to my individual machine to generate the PAL reports.

This lead me to do some research and I found an easy solution that works.  Hopefully, this tip helps you out in the future.

Time For The Good Stuff…

Load your Remote Desktop Connection tool and enter in your computer name for the server.  For this example I am going to keep the computer name and user name blank.  Now click on the options button in the lower right corner of the RDC screen.

Remote Desktop Connection initial screen

Type in your computer name and user name for your Remote Desktop Connection.  Once your computer name and user name are entered click on the local resources tab.

Share local drive with Remote Desktop Connection

Now that we are on the local resources tab click on the “More” button shown at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Share local drive with Remote Desktop Connection

Select the local drives you would like to share with your Remote Desktop Connection. In this example I am only going to share my C drive.

The following screen shot will show you that I am sharing my local C drive on the Remote Desktop Connection.

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Posted in IT Pro