I noticed failed login errors on my Azure VM. Someone was trying to hack my SQL Server logins in Azure. Here is what I found and fixed.
SQL SERVER 2016 – New T-SQL Functions – COMPRESS – DECOMPRESS
SQL Server 2016 adds two new string functions, COMPRESS – DECOMPRESS. Here is how they work, with examples, and the error you get on older versions.
SQL SERVER – Creating a Database Administrator Group Using User-Defined Server Roles
Can you give someone near DBA rights without full sysadmin access? Here is how to create a database administrator group using user-defined server roles.
SQL SERVER – Three Simple Guidelines for System Maintenance – Notes from the Field #098
Notes from the Field #098: three simple guidelines for system maintenance. Automate what you can, document the rest, and always validate.
SQL SERVER – Security Considerations for Contained Databases
Security considerations for contained databases: how contained authentication works, the initial catalog it needs, and the fallback to server logins.
SQL SERVER – Who Dropped Table or Database?
Who dropped table or database objects on your server? I show how the default trace, which runs in every SQL Server install, can answer these who questions.
SQL SERVER – Transparent Data Encryption and Frequently Asked Questions
A banking DBA quizzed me about TDE on SQL Server 2008 R2. Here are the Transparent Data Encryption questions and answers from that 30 minute chat.