A client clicked Browse for more in SSMS and the Network Servers tab was empty. Here is how we narrowed it down and what caused it.
SQL SERVER – Install Error – Could not Find the Database Engine Startup Handle
Install error: Could not find the Database Engine startup handle. This error has many causes, and here is one I found while helping a client.
Reading the system_health File Target With Plain T-SQL
Locate the system_health file target, read its retained events with T-SQL, and inspect serious errors, connectivity records and waits.
SQL SERVER – Delayed Durability, or The Story of How to Speed Up Autotests From 11 to 2.5 Minutes
My friend Sergey Syrovatchenko shares how Delayed Durability helped speed up autotests from 11 to 2.5 minutes on a SQL Server 2014 project.
What Breaks If I Drop This Column? sys.sql_expression_dependencies
Use sql_expression_dependencies and referencing-entity queries before a column change, then check module text and external callers for gaps.
SQL SERVER – Inspecting Historical CPU Ring Buffer Samples
CPU Usage History helps me establish when a reported problem began. It gives a timeline rather than identifying the responsible query.
SQL SERVER 2016 – Encrypt Your PII Data – Notes from the Field #132
Mike Lawell’s PII data lesson raises a lasting question about exposure. This refresh clarifies encryption boundaries, key management and Always Encrypted.