Troubleshooting

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Troubleshooting

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SanjayAttray

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 7:55 AM

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CoetzeeW (4/2/2009)

Great Article, Since most DBA's responsiblity is supporting\troubleshooting such a complex product like SQL server you have highlighted a good methodology and approach to problem solving, Thanks ! Wink

Excellent article Mike.

I like this part most though from above quote ..........supporting\troubleshooting such a complex product like SQL server. Laugh

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Post #688913

mike_walsh

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:12 AM

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SanjayAttray (4/2/2009)

CoetzeeW (4/2/2009)

Excellent article Mike.

I like this part most though from above quote ..........supporting\troubleshooting such a complex product like SQL server. Laugh

I am not sure if the sarcascm was frustration about troubleshooting SQL or the fact that SQL is less complex than other database management systems. SQL Server is less complex than some but shoddy troubleshooting happens all the time and often causes more problems than solutions (or accidental solutions that can't be recreated). In fact the simpler management interface and installation interface is what causes a lot of the woes with SQL Server.

A lot of companies have the theory that since you can just click next, next, next, finish and it's installed you don't need a DBA staff. You don't need to follow best practices and it can't be that complex to fix, you can just fix it with a quick web search. Watch the forums here or the msdn forums and you'll see the results repeat time and time again.

No it's not as complex as the human body either but the point is the same principles of problem solving and troubleshooting can be applied anywhere.

__________________________________________________

Mike Walsh
SQL Server DBA
Blog - www.straightpathsql.com/blog |Twitter

Post #688937

Ken Shapley

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:12 AM

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Just about any working professional that's been able to survive any length of time in our profession does what this article says. Where I work now we perform it as a necessity. Not sure we've ever wrote it out and followed it. We do have a lot of written antedotes and not all apply. I think I've learned this process from making all the mistakes in the past. This would have been good advise then. Then again....

Post #688938

Ken Shapley

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:18 AM

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Wow! "SQL Server is less complex"?

What kind of production environment are you running. A lab?

Post #688946

mike_walsh

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:23 AM

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Ken Shapley (4/2/2009)

Wow! "SQL Server is less complex"?

What kind of production environment are you running. A lab?

Thanks :) I was confused by that comment as well. My response to them about yeah maybe it's less complex than say an Oracle or DB2 was more about the installation and management options/methods. It is still a very complex DBMS with tons happening under the hood, lots of moving pieces and parts and if you treat it like it's just a simple thing then you end up seeing the kind of troubleshooting I concluded with.

Also to your point about everyone following this if they have survived awhile. I think you summed it up best when you said "Then again..." Wink

I work with a lot of folks at the same skillset or much higher who could stand to use a better troubleshooting method. They try the chicken with the head cut off approach far too often :)

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Mike Walsh
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Blog - www.straightpathsql.com/blog |Twitter

Post #688956

Ken Shapley

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:32 AM

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The chicken approach would not be tolerated where I work.

Post #688970

mike_walsh

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:37 AM

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Sounds like you work at a great place. I have not been doing technology very long. I have worked with SQL Server for 10 years but I have yet to not find folks executing that type of troubleshooting. Anyway, thanks for the comments, gives hope.

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Mike Walsh
SQL Server DBA
Blog - www.straightpathsql.com/blog |Twitter

Post #688976

timothyawiseman

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:39 AM

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Beautiful article, and well written.

It seems, as with so many things in life, the key element in the article can be summed up with a quote from the Hitchhiker's Guide "Don't panic."

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Timothy A Wiseman
SQL Blog: http://timothyawiseman.wordpress.com/

Post #688980

mike brockington

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:40 AM

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Interesting analogy, but I'm afraid that is simply isn't true.
Recent studies have shown that well trained personnel (I think it was Incident Controller, aka Lead Fireman specifically) simply do not run all the possibilities in an emergency situation, they just look and act. The training allows them to adjust procedures as the reality of the situation emerges. The key thing being that they can never have any significant understanding of the problem domain in advance, only of the tools at their disposal. In tech support, the reverse is more often true: people know how to configure devices, but only use the diagnostic tools when they need to, and therefore only ever learn the bits that they have used so far.

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Post #688983

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 8:42 AM

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Nice job, Mike.

I fixed the one type on "seen"

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Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help

Post #688988

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