Understand Developer Edition rights, identify the installed SQL Server edition, and keep shared test systems separate from production work.
Understanding Database Scalability – Vertical and Horizontal
One server with 64 cores or two with 32 cores? A customer asked me to help decide. Here is a simple look at Database Scalability, vertical and horizontal.
Generating Test Data That Behaves Like the Real Thing
Make test data generation reflect skew, row width, missing values, and key relationships so your SQL Server experiments expose realistic plan risks.
Automating Backups With SQL Agent and Checking They Worked
Plan to automate SQL Server backup with Agent scheduling, checksum verification, tested failure notifications, and retention that preserves recovery.
Finding Out Who Changed That Row
Investigate who changed data using existing audit evidence, transaction log limits, and the distinction between logins and individual users.
Finding Where an Object Is Used Across a Database
Use dependency metadata, definition searches, and runtime evidence to find object usage while accounting for dynamic SQL and external callers.
Giving Every Developer a Dedicated Development Database
Set up a dedicated development database from approved schema scripts and clean seed data, with repeatable rebuilds and drift checks.