Microsoft SQL DBA Blog

Published by Peter Whyte, an experienced SQL Server Database Administrator.


  • Get Last Database Restore Date and Time in SQL Server

    This guide provides a script to retrieve the last restore date and time for each database in SQL Server. It’s particularly helpful for tracking restore operations or verifying backups during disaster recovery scenarios. The script below queries the sys.databases and dbo.restorehistory system tables to get the most recent…

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  • List All SQL Agent Jobs in SQL Server

    SQL Server Agent jobs are needed for automating tasks such as backups, index maintenance, and data processing. This post provides a SQL script to list all SQL Server Agent jobs on an instance, along with useful tips to help understanding. How to List SQL Agent jobs in SQL…

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  • How to Check WSL Distro Versions

    This is a quick post on how to check your Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) distribution versions, with added info on what being on a different WSL version means. To check your WSL version we can simply run wsl -l -v in our PowerShell terminal window. This will…

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  • How to Restore a Database in SQL Server

    Restoring a database in SQL Server is an essential task for Database Administrators (DBA’s). We need to be able to quickly restore databases as part of Disaster Recovery (DR), as well as for configuring SQL features such as Always On or Database Mirroring. You can restore databases using…

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  • How To Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

    Want to run Linux directly on your Windows machine? Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) makes it easy! This guide provides a quick demo on how to get WSL enabled with a Linux distribution installed within minutes. We’ll cover the simplest methods to install WSL by using the <wsl…

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  • Git Log Oneline Command Examples

    To check our commit history on a Repository within Git, we use the git log command. When using this command we scroll through the commit log within our Terminal by hitting the Enter key, and then we need to hit q on our keyboard to exit reading the…

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  • What’s New in the SQL Server 2022 Install

    SQL Server 2022 was officially unveiled at Microsoft Build 2022, an annual event aimed at software developers passionate about Microsoft technologies. The conference, which focuses on Microsoft Azure updates and other key tools, is a fantastic opportunity for professionals to stay informed, learn, and network. It includes a…

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  • How To Change From WSL2 to WSL1

    This is a post on how to change a Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) Distribution from running on Version 2 to Version 1. Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) supports two versions:> WSL2: The latest version with full Linux kernel support, offering better compatibility and performance. > WSL1: The…

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  • Why Use WHERE 1=2 in SQL

    In a previous blog post, I explained why WHERE 1=1 is often used in SQL queries. This time, let’s discuss WHERE 1=2 — or any condition that results in a FALSE value, such as WHERE 1=9. Essentially, the point is to use a condition that is guaranteed to…

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Useful SQL DBA Posts

SQL Server Performance
– Get Full SQL Server System Info Fast
Quick Performance Troubleshooting Scripts
Identify Missing & Unused Indexes
– Get Wait Stats & Top Consuming Queries
Get Exclusive Locks on Tables
Get Last Node Blip in SQL Server FCI
Security & Maintenance
Get Estimated Database Backup/Restore Time
Get Last Database Backup Dates/Times
– Get Database Sizes & Space Used
How to Get Table Sizes
Get Index & Heap Fragmentation Levels
Get SQL User Permissions and Roles
Creating SQL Users on Availability Groups
– Audit Failed Login Attempts

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Always On Availability Groups (AAG) (4) AWS (4) AWS Redshift (6) Database Admin (72) Database Backups & Recovery (14) Database Mirroring (2) Error Messages (5) Failover Cluster Instances (FCI) (1) Git Commands (6) Importing & Exporting Data (2) Linked Servers (3) Linux Administration (2) Logging & Monitoring (1) Microsoft Patching (2) MySQL (4) Postgres (6) PowerShell Scripts (2) SQL Certificates & Encryption (3) SQL Server Agent (5) SQL Server CDC (2) SQL Server Data Types (2) SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) (17) SQL Server Networking (3) SQL Server on Linux (1) SQL Server Patching (2) SQL Server Performance Tuning (6) SQL Server Processes (SPIDs) (7) SQL Server Replication (2) SQL Server Scripts (13) SQL Server Security (4) SQL Server Storage (10) Windows Admin (20) Windows Authentication (2) Windows Automation (1) Windows Events (2) Windows Firewall (4) Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) (18)