Use DROP_EXISTING to change an index definition in one operation, inspect its columns, and check online availability and dependencies.
Upgrading With Log Shipping for a Short Cutover
Upgrading with log shipping stages a newer secondary with NORECOVERY, applies logs in order, and leaves a short, rehearsed final cutover.
Moving a Database to New Hardware With Little Downtime
Moving a database to new hardware with little downtime uses early restore, a maintained log chain, final synchronization, and a tested client switch.
Tuning Step One: Capture a Wait Stats Baseline Before Changing Anything
Capture a wait stats baseline, compare two saved snapshots, reject reset intervals, and rank meaningful waits before changing settings.
Reading a Backup File Before You Restore With RESTORE HEADERONLY
Use RESTORE HEADERONLY to identify backup sets, source versions and finish dates before selecting a restore and checking the media.
Testing a Failover Before You Need One
Testing a failover reveals connection, data, job, and recovery gaps before an outage; learn to plan a SQL Server drill and record the result.
Counting Users, Roles and Orphans in Every Database
Audit counting users across databases, include roles and schema ownership, and distinguish orphaned SQL users from contained identities.