What is a Master Database in SQL Server? – Interview Question of the Week #076

The other day, I received an email from a user, who had dropped master database in their system. I told him directly that he should have not dropped master database as that is a very important system database. It is really strange that after so many years quite a few of the people do not know what is a master database in SQL Server.

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SQL SERVER – Database Backup and Restore Management and Automation with ApexSQL Backup

ApexSQL Backup is a powerful yet simple tool for Microsoft SQL Server which represents a fully equipped command center for database backup and restore jobs management. It enables users to create and schedule backup related jobs (backup, restore, log shipping, index defragmentation…) and monitor all scheduled backup activities or overview complete backup history on multiple servers across the domain.

ApexSQL Backup is designed to create and work with native Microsoft SQL Server backups and databases, and supports all backup options which can be used in the SQL Server Management Studio and encompasses them in a simple and user friendly UI which revolves around simple wizards for each particular job.

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SQL SERVER – ReadOnly Databases and Notes Using Snapshots

This seems to be the third week that I am writing about ReadOnly databases, this blog is in continuation of last weeks notes. When I wrote the notes from last week, one of my blog reader said if it is possible to get the ReadOnly error without making the database into a ReadOnly database. This got me thinking and I couldn’t sleep that day. And a quick call to my friend to get some ideas – the answer was simple – using Snapshots.

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SQL SERVER – Configure, Monitor and Restore Backups from Mobile & Web browser

So tell me if this is a fantasy or a reality about restore backups: You are on a beach, sipping on your cocktail and looking at the sea when you get a frantic call from your boss, “One of the junior DBAs has just deleted all of the data from a critical database”. You say “Hold on”, switch to a browser on your smartphone, go to your dashboard on SqlBak.com and click a Restore button on your latest transaction log backup. In a few seconds, you get back to your boss and say: “I have fixed it”. Your boss is stunned, thinking you are a magician and makes a note to give you a raise and a bonus while you continue enjoying the beach…

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SQL SERVER – Attach or Detach Database – SQL in Sixty Seconds #068

When we have to move a database from one server to another server or when we have to move a database from one file to another file, we commonly use Database Attach or Detach process. I have been doing this for quite a while as well. Recently, when I was visiting an organization I found that in this organization lots of developers are still using an older version of the code to attach the database. I quickly pointed that out to them the new method to attach the database, however it was really interesting to find out that they really did not know that sp_attach_db is now a deprecated method to attach the database. This really made me to do today’s SQL in Sixty Seconds. I demonstrate in this SQL in Sixty Seconds how to attach or detach the database using a new method of attaching database. Let us learn about Attach or Detach Database.

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