SQL DBA Blog

  • SQL Server Replication Monitoring Scripts

    In this post I’m sharing scripts and tips that will help you monitor, identify and troubleshoot SQL Server Replication latency and issues. The following is included in this article: 1. Check Latency in Log Reader Agent. 2. Check Latency in Distribution Agent. 3. Check Undistributed Commands. 4. List…

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  • Get Last Node Blip in SQL Server FCI

    In a SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance (FCI) environment, a “node blip” refers to the event when the active SQL Server instance moves from one cluster node to another. This movement, typically triggered by a Failover or planned maintenance, causes a brief outage—usually 30 to 60 seconds. While…

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  • SQL Script to Get AAG Latency

    In this post, I’m sharing a script that I use frequently as a Production SQL DBA to check Always On Availability Group (AAG) latency. Always On Availability Groups (AAG) are a high-availability and disaster recovery solution in SQL Server, allowing you to synchronize databases across multiple replicas. These…

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  • SQL Server User Permissions Audit Script

    As a Production SQL DBA, checking user permissions is a task I handle frequently. Whether it’s for proactive audits, troubleshooting access issues, or responding to unexpected requests, having a quick and reliable way to verify user permissions is needed. One of the most useful tools I rely on…

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  • Creating SQL Logins on an Availability Group (AG) Environment

    In an Always On Availability Group (AG) environment, SQL logins must be configured with consistent Security Identifiers (SIDs) across all replicas to avoid issues like orphaned users and ensure seamless authentication during failovers. For Domain users in SQL, this sync’s automatically and we just need to create the…

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  • CIDR Conversion Table / Subnet Calculator

    This blog post provides a quick reference table for CIDR notation, subnet masks, and host counts, making it a valuable tool for tasks like configuring security groups, firewall rules, and subnetting. It simplifies network planning and ensures accurate IP address allocation for efficient and secure network setups. CIDR…

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  • Removing Quotes from all CSV Files in a Directory

    Managing CSV files often involves cleaning up data before processing. A common task is removing unwanted quotation marks from the contents of CSV files. I wrote a blog post on how to remove quotes from a single CSV file using PowerShell some years ago, which I have just…

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  • Keeping SQL Server and Critical Systems Up to Date

    Applying the latest patches to SQL Server, Windows OS, and underlying hardware is a vital part of maintaining secure, high-performing systems. For many organizations, this is done on a regular schedule—monthly, quarterly, or aligned with specific maintenance windows. However, for business-critical, 24/7 systems, patching takes extra planning and…

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  • How to Set the Default Database for SQL Server Users

    This blog post contains a quick guide on how to set your default database in SQL Server using SQL Management Studio. When you log into SQL Server using SSMS and open a new query window, you will automatically be set to use your logins default database which was…

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  • How to Open SSMS as a Different Domain User

    If you’re working with SQL Server in a corporate environment, you might need to connect to the server using a different Domain User account, opening SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) as a another user. This may be required if your computer is joined to a different Domain than…

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Useful SQL DBA Posts

Performance & High Availability
– 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 Always On Availability Group (AAG) Latency
– Get Mirroring Status & Latency
– Get Replication Latency
– 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

Categories

– Microsoft SQL Server
– Windows Server
– PowerShell
– Linux & WSL
– Other

Tags

Always On Availability Groups (AAG) (4) Certificates & Encryption (3) Change Data Capture (CDC) (2) Database Admin (76) Database Backups & Recovery (14) Database Mirroring (2) Deleting Data (1) Error Messages (5) Git Commands (5) Importing & Exporting Data (2) Linked Servers (3) Linux Admin (2) Logging & Monitoring (1) Measuring Databases (10) Microsoft Patching (2) PowerShell Scripts (1) SQL Server Agent (5) SQL Server Database Files (1) SQL Server Data Types (2) SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) (15) SQL Server Network Connectivity (3) SQL Server on Linux (1) SQL Server Patching (2) SQL Server Performance (5) SQL Server Permissions (2) SQL Server Processes (5) SQL Server Replication (2) SQL Server Scripts (13) Windows Admin (21) Windows Authentication (2) Windows Automation (1) Windows Events (2) Windows Firewall (4) Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) (19)