Category: SQL Server

SQL Server Blog Archives, by Peter Whyte (Database Administrator).
Includes: Database Admin, Management Studio (SSMS), Windows Admin, PowerShell, WSL, MSSQL Backups, Restores & more…

  • How to Check Your SQL Server Version

    Checking your SQL Server versions is a thing we need to do quite often as Database Administrators (DBAs). We know how important it is to keep our software up to date. This post is here to help you check the version of your running SQL Server instances, with…

    Read More


  • How to Silently Install SSMS

    This is a note on how to silently install SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) via command (PowerShell). SSMS is a tool most people use when working with SQL Server. If you need to install SSMS on multiple computers, you may want to use the silent installation feature for…

    Read More


  • SSMS Maximum Characters Displayed

    By default, the max number of characters displayed in a single column of a query in SSMS when outputting as text is 256 characters. We can amend our query outputs in SSMS to Results to Text, rather than the default grid layout. This can be done by clicking…

    Read More


  • Add Columns to a Table in SQL Server

    Adding new columns to tables in SQL Server is a common task for anyone developing and/or maintaining databases, usually driven by the need for new features on an application/script procedure. As ever, before you get started with MSSQL changes, have a look at the relevant Microsoft Documentation –…

    Read More


  • How to Show Line Numbers in SSMS

    This post contains a quick guide on how to show line numbers in the SSMS query window. Useful if you want to see line numbers while you code. As well as general preference, enabling line numbers in SQL Server Management Studio is particularly useful when debugging an error…

    Read More


  • Add a Filegroup to a Database in SQL Server

    This post contains a demo on how to add a new Filegroup for a database in SQL Server. Most databases work well with single data/log files and do not need this. Database files in SQL Server generally operate with 2 files, data (.mdf) files and log (.ldf) files.…

    Read More


  • Disabling Change Data Capture in SQL Server

    This post contains a demo on how to disable CDC (Change Data Capture) in SQL Server 2022. The sp_cdc_disable_table and sp_cdc_disable_db in-built MSSQL SPs are what we should use to disable CDC in SQL Server which is explained more below. The sp_cdc_disable_table and sp_cdc_disable_db are the in-built MSSQL…

    Read More


  • How to Enable CDC in SQL Server

    This is a post on how to enable Change Data Capture (CDC) in SQL Server. Enabling this on a database and table will allow the recording of activity when tables and rows have been modified. This is a feature available for us to configure within SQL Server and…

    Read More


  • SQL Server Default Port

    The default port for the SQL Server Engine is 1433, which is a key thing to know if you’re working as a Database Administrator (DBA), especially when managing network configurations or troubleshooting connectivity issues. In my experience, SQL Server runs on port 1433 about 95% of the time.…

    Read More


  • Connecting to SQL Server on Another Domain

    This post contains a guide on how to connect to SQL Server with Windows Authentication, but using a different Domain User other than your own. The regular Windows SQL Server User connects & runs their queries via SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). If you’re in a corporate environment,…

    Read More