I know I have been fortunate to write back-to-back on topics around SQL Server. I get a number of you do take time in writing down to me over emails, comments and even sometimes over Skype pings. I see every such mail as an opportunity to learn something from you for sure. One of my friends from the networking team pinged me to check if I knew a query about the last bootup time he had:
Interview Question of the Week #059 – What are the Limitations of User Defined Functions (UDF) ?
Interview Question of the Week – What are the Limitations of User Defined Functions (UDF) ? Let us learn about that in today’s blog post.
SQL SERVER – Starting Up Database – Why Multiple Times in Errorlog?
Fixing error messages is something which keeps me energized because there is something challenging that is put in front of me. I know these can be frustrating times working on errors, but they also make you learn more about the product and make you better. My day life includes creating demo’s for sessions and learning new techniques that will enhance my knowledge. One of the days I started my machine and immediately connected to my SSMS environment to just see that it was taking unusually longer than expected time to get the instance up and ready. Let us see blog post about Starting Up Database.
My instinct was to scan through the ERRORLOG, I found the below series of messages.
SQL SERVER – Updating Data into ColumnStore Index with SQL Server 2012
Off late I have been writing tons of content working with SQL Server 2016. Some of the cool capabilities was to introduce the ability to update a ColumnStore index. This was also covered in the SQL SERVER 2016: Updating Non-Clustered ColumnStore Index Enhancement earlier. One of the readers asked me an interesting question about being inside SQL Server 2012 and they wanted to write / update their data on the ColumnStore enabled system and what was the process for them. The email started saying they were getting the following error.
SQL SERVER – Attaching and Restoring Database in Clustering Generates An Error – Notes from the Field #115
[Notes from Pinal]: In my career, I have seen many database experts who are great with what they do, but when they have to work with clustering or AlwaysOn solutions, they usually avoid it. The reason is that there are not many experts who know this subject well enough. One thing I always personally felt that the documentation is also not widely available when it is about clustering. If one receives some error, they are usually lost. This is when I reached out to Eduardo and asked him what can we do to if we face error while attaching or restoring database in clustering environment in SQL Server.
SQL SERVER – FIX Error 18456, Severity: 14, State: 6. Login failed for user
One of the blog which I wrote earlier was also on Login failed for user with state 58. Let us see how to FIX Error 18456.
After reading that blog, one of the blog reader contacted me and told that she is getting state 6. I thought this error are very common and is important to demystify some of the reasons for the same. I have asked completed error message to assist him. Here is the message she shared:
Error: 18456, Severity: 14, State: 6.
SQL SERVER – View Dependencies on SQL Server: Hard & Soft Way
As an independent database consultant, I often face a challenge when analyzing the performance of SQL Server instances, which I see for the first time in my life. In many cases, this may seem a difficult task, because in order to fix something you must first understand the database structure. A great many of the companies do not document their database. And even if documentation exists, it is rarely updated. As a result, we have the following situation – documentation is either obsolete, or does not reflect the actual state of things. Let understand SQL SERVER – View Dependencies.
SQL SERVER – ShowPlan XML Additions for ColumnStore Indexes
The last time when I wrote about ColumnsStore FAQ, one of the readers had an interesting question. The question was around how to identify the traits of using a column store inside an execution plan. The very thought got me thinking. I was thinking where to start. I remembered that ShowPlan XML was a great way to see some of these attributes. The very next question that came up, what should one look forward to inside a ShowPlan XML.
Interview Question of the Week #058 – What is the Difference Among DECIMAL, FLOAT and NUMERIC Datatype?
Question: What is the Difference Among DECIMAL, FLOAT and NUMERIC Datatype? Let us learn more.
SQL SERVER – FIX Error 18456, Severity: 14, State: 58. Login failed for user
One of the most common and searched SQL Server failure is around “Logins”. Login failed for user has always been tricky and interesting to troubleshoot. I don’t think there is a silver bullet to easily troubleshoot the same. With every version of SQL Server, there are enhancements made in error reporting, which try to make life on DBA’s easy. In previous version of SQL, whenever there is a login failed, it would print message in the SQL ERRORLOG along with the state of login failed. It was difficult for a DBA to find the cause further and it all boiled down to doing a number of permutations and combinations of resolution over the internet. Let us see how to FIX Error 18456.