I am not a big fan of using command line utilities in general. But from time to time I do explore and play around with command line tools that make my life easier. Having said that, when working with SQL Server, I do often give out the recommendation of not trying to use the native xp_cmdshell commands with SQL Server. Even the SQL_Server_2012_Security_Best_Practice_Whitepaper talks about xp_cmdshell and recommends to avoid the same if it is possible. These are basic building blocks of security that I highly recommend my customers from time to time.
SQL SERVER – CONCAT function and NULL values
CONCAT is the new T-SQL function introduced in SQL Server 2012. It is used to concatenate the values. It accepts many parameter values seperated by comma. All parameter values are concatenated to a single string. A simple example is SELECT CONCAT('SQL Server',' 2012') which results to SQL Server 2012 The…
Read MoreSQL SERVER – Login Failed For User – Reason Server is in Script Upgrade Mode
I just can’t get enough of the error messages that land into my Inbox almost every single day. I do my due diligence of making a search in my blogs and I try to hang around in the forums from time to time to learn what people are getting as…
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SQL SERVER – The Basics of the File System Task – Part 2 – Notes from the Field #075
[Note from Pinal]: This is a new episode of Notes from the Field series. SQL Server Integration Service (SSIS) is one of the most key essential part of the entire Business Intelligence (BI) story. It is a platform for data integration and workflow applications. In this episode of the Notes from the…
Read MoreSQL SERVER – Introduction to Policy Management
As March comes, most of us are trying to chase our dreams and hope the much awaited yearend review comes good for us. I know many pray and don’t realize it is just an assessment of what was done the whole of last year. It is not a myopic view,…
Read MoreSQL SERVER – What is Filtered Statistics?
Continuous learning is the only way to keep myself up-to-date with SQL Server product features. While I was working for a demo to show usage of SQL Server Statistics, I came across feature called Filter Statistics which was introduced in SQL Server 2008. There are many times when we have…
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SQL SERVER – Transaction Log Backup Failing After Rebuilding Database Log File
Speaking at community events get me really energized. It is wonderful to connect with people who build some of the greatest code ever for their respective organizations. Last weekend, I was at a conference in Delhi and it was an awesome opportunity for me to meet a number of you.…
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