Microsoft SQL Server Tips & Tricks
Tips and Tricks for the SQL Server Enthusiast
Automate SQL server backup file removal/deletion from Azure blob storage
In this post, we would like to explain one of the interesting issues that we encountered while...
Date: 01/22/2017
Automated backups configuration fails when configured from Azure portal
In this post, we would like to explain one of the interesting issues that we encountered while using...
Date: 01/22/2017
Error: Could not deploy package. Unable to connect to target server.
In this post we would like to explain one of the interesting issue that we encountered while...
Date: 10/12/2016
Troubleshooting SSL on SQL Server Issue - AT_KEYEXCHANGE is not set
It is one of the pre-requisites for the KEY-SPEC value of the SSL self-signed certificate to be set...
Date: 10/04/2016
Creating and Registering SSL Certificates
A few days back, I was working with one of our partners who had a requirement of creating a SSL...
Date: 09/26/2016
SQL Server Service fails to start after applying patch. Error: CREATE SCHEMA failed due to previous errors.
In this post we would like to explain one of the interesting issues that we encountered while...
Date: 07/14/2016
Setting up Service Broker where the initiator database is part of the AG
There have been several posts on setting up Service Broker where the database is part of the...
Date: 07/29/2015
Error configuring distribution- "Publishing and distribution are supported only in SQL Server version 7.0 or later"
I recently installed an instance of SQL Server 2016 on one of my server. Later when I tried to...
Date: 07/28/2015
How to find which user deleted the user database in SQL Server
In one of the recent scenarios we noticed that a user database was deleted and customer wanted to...
Date: 05/17/2015
Snapshot agent fails with Error: 241, Severity: 16, State: 1 (Conversion failed when converting date and/or time from character string)
ISSUE Let’s say you are monitoring Replication Agent status and noticed that the Snapshot Agent has...
Date: 02/09/2015
Common issues faced while configuring AlwaysOn listener on Azure VM cluster
We have MSDN article [Tutorial: Listener Configuration for AlwaysOn Availability Groups...
Date: 12/22/2014
Capture successful logins: You may see many entries(high volume) when you create Audit for SUCCESSFUL_LOGIN_GROUP action group
When you are auditing successful logins attempts using SUCCESSFUL_LOGIN_GROUP action group...
Date: 12/07/2014
Script level upgrade for master database failed
In this post I would like to explain one of the interesting issues that I encountered while...
Date: 11/27/2014
Merge Replication: Expired Subscription Clean Up Job / sp_expired_subscription_cleanup / sp_MScleanup_conflict fails with error Msg 1934, Level 16, State 1 AND Msg 20709, Level 16, State 1, Procedure sp_MScleanup_conflict…??
Issue: If you have a Merge Replication, you may encounter the below error message thrown by...
Date: 11/13/2014
SQL Server 2014 Setup Error: 'BIDS' is not a valid value for setting 'FEATURES'
SQL Server Data Tools (a.k.a. SSDT) used to part of product installation media in SQL Server 2012....
Date: 08/28/2014
Troubleshooting : Error: 8624, Severity: 16, State: 21. Internal Query Processor Error: The query processor could not produce a query plan.
Sometimes we see the below error in SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 when executing a query in SQL Server...
Date: 07/15/2014
Can I decrypt TDE enabled database if I have access to the master database’s mdf and ldf files or the master database backup?
If someone gets access to the master database, i.e., if s/he can manage to copy the MDF, LDF...
Date: 05/16/2014
How to move databases configured for SQL Server AlwaysOn
How to move databases configured for SQL Server AlwaysOn This article describes how to change the...
Date: 02/06/2014
How to configure Always On for a TDE database
Creating Availability group for an Encrypted database: In this blog we will walk you through...
Date: 11/22/2013
How to compare the rows of two tables and fetch the differential data.
In this blog I would like to demonstrate a scenario where users want to move the changes between the...
Date: 11/21/2013
Upgrade from SQL 2005 to SQL 2012 fails with error “Service 'SQLSERVERAGENT' start request failed.”
I was working on a 2005 to 2012 upgrade issue and came across an interesting issue which I thought...
Date: 07/24/2013
How do I map a differential/transaction log backup to its full backup without using MSDB?
If you have multiple full, differential and transaction log backups, there are chances you may end...
Date: 05/22/2013
Change Data Capture gets disabled when you break mirroring and bring the database online
Issue ================ Recently we encountered an issue where customer performed a...
Date: 05/15/2013
Do NOT delete files from the Windows Installer folder
C:\windows\Installer is not a temporary folder and files in it should not be deleted. If you do it...
Date: 04/30/2013
How to monitor deadlock using extended events in SQL Server 2008 and later
Before I talk about how to monitor the deadlocks let us have a small brief what is deadlock and how...
Date: 04/26/2013
Ventured into BULK INSERTS
Recently, whilst working with bulk insert queries I came across an unexpected result set which led...
Date: 03/13/2013
How to Login to SQL Server with NT AUTHORITYSYSTEM using PSExec Tool
PSExec tool gives you an option to run a remote process or an application using System account, if...
Date: 12/18/2012
How to limit connections to SQL Server until all databases are ONLINE!
Strange requirement, right? Recently, I got a peculiar case wherein the demand made by the customer...
Date: 12/18/2012
Why to look at "Wait Statistics" to troubleshoot SQL Performance
Here we will discuss on Waits in the context of SQL Server: Highlights of this video blog :- 1. What...
Date: 06/18/2012
SQL server 2008 Filestream
Filestream is a new feature in SQL server 2008, that allows storage and efficient access to BLOB...
Date: 06/18/2012
Troubleshooting SQL server High CPU : Part 2
In this blog we have explained the various causes for SQL to drive the processors i.e. high CPU and...
Date: 06/11/2012
Troubleshooting SQL server High CPU : Part 1
In this blog we have explained the various causes for SQL to drive the processors i.e. high CPU and...
Date: 06/11/2012
Product Update Feature in SQL Server 2012
A new feature introduced in SQL Server 2012 setup is "Product Update". Product Update searches for...
Date: 06/11/2012
Introduction to Sparse Columns
In this video blog we would walk you through a feature introduced from SQL server 2008 i.e. Sparse...
Date: 06/11/2012
High Availability for SQL Server Replication using Database Mirroring
Here we will Discuss on Providing High Availability for SQL Server Transactional Replictaion using...
Date: 06/07/2012
Missing MSI's/MSP's error during SQL Server Patching
In this video blog, we would walk you through some tips and methods to troubleshoot Missing...
Date: 05/08/2012
Bulk insert command fails to insert the correct characters?
Bulk insert command is not inserting correct characters from a flat file into the table. For...
Date: 04/05/2012
Can TLS certificate be used for SQL Server encryption on the wire???
During our recent interactions with a few customers, we were asked following questions about TLS...
Date: 04/04/2012
Failure of SQL Server 2008 Installation due to MSI error
Issue: Installation of SQL Server 2008 might fails with below error on 64-Bit Operating system. MSI...
Date: 04/04/2012
SQL Server Replication
Queries on SQL Server Replication? Check out our blog to get'em answered , that will give you an...
Date: 03/22/2012
INF: SQL Server Compressed backup may work fine if disk space is less and may fail if disk space is more
In this article We are going to discuss about pre-allocation scenarios and their aftermaths for SQL...
Date: 03/20/2012
An interesting find about Temp tables in SQL Server
I ran into a very interesting issue with temp tables recently, when working on a case. The issue...
Date: 03/15/2012
INF: AlwaysOn – The secondary database doesn't come automatically when the primary instance of SQL Server goes down
In this blog we would discuss about behavior of AlwaysOn availability group where the secondary...
Date: 03/15/2012
INF: Limitations for SQL Agent when you have many Jobs running in SQL simultaneously
Recently I have had a customer complaining that when he is adding more subscriptions to his...
Date: 03/14/2012
Table partitioning concepts with sliding window example
Highlights of this video blog :- 1. What are Partitioned tables & benefits2. Building Blocks of...
Date: 02/27/2012
SSL Encryption for SQL Server
Highlights of this video blog :- 1. What is SSL Encryption2. Why is it needed3. Configuring SSL...
Date: 02/22/2012
What's Data Collector
Highlights of this video blog :- 1. What is Data collector2. Architecture3. MDW(Management data...
Date: 02/22/2012
INF: You may not be able to change the Design of a Table (Insert or Delete a Column) using GUI.
We recently worked on an issue where modifying a Table from the GUI was not allowed even though the...
Date: 02/09/2012
Policy Based Management
Check our video blog, and get answers to your queries related to "Policy Based Management" in SQL...
Date: 01/18/2012
Hey Mr. SSMS! Why I am unable to open .sql files using by double click
For SQL Server 2008/2008 R2 installed on Win 7/Windows Server 2008, if we attempt to open .sql files...
Date: 01/11/2012