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Tools You Need

This is the oldest editorial we have on the site. This is being re-run for the US President's Day holiday as Steve is on vacation and we are celebrating 25 years of SQL Server Central.

I was browsing the web recently and caught this note on coders and their tools and a related article on must have tools. It seems the focus was more for programmers and network administrators, but there are definitely some good tools in the list for DBAs to understand.

However, since it's Friday, it got me thinking...

What are your essential DBA tools?

By these I mean those pieces of software not included with SQL Server, that you find very handy. It can be a utility that serves some purpose or a programming aid, I'm wondering what tools outside of those that come with SQL Server do you consider essential.

For me I have to say that the one tool I find most handy right now is Litespeed. I've used this utility for backups to save space for years. We made a deal a long time ago with DBAssociates, who developed the tool, and we've stuck with it. As of now we're quite a few versions back since Imceda and then Quest took over the tool, but we're happy with the way it's worked.

That's not to say other products aren't just as good or even a better value, but that's the one tool I've found most handy for me with SQL Server.

So are you using compare tools? Programming IDEs? Something else I'm not thinking of that has proven to be an essential SQL Server DBA or developer tool?

Let us know. You might just make someone's day.

Steve Jones

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Join the debate, and respond to today's editorial on the forums

 
 Featured Contents
SQLServerCentral Article

Database Deployment with Terraform - Modules

wagner crivelini from SQLServerCentral

Deploy resources in Azure using reusable code with Terraform modules.

External Article

Securing Your Databases in 2026: Best Practices for the Evolving Threat Landscape

Additional Articles from SimpleTalk

In 2026, your approach to both applications and databases must be focused on practical and technical real-world operations and use cases rather than just hype.

Blog Post

From the SQL Server Central Blogs - Claude Code Helps Analyze Test Data Manager Log Files

Steve Jones - SSC Editor from The Voice of the DBA

I had a customer ask about analyzing their Test Data Manager (TDM) usage to determine how many people were protecting data in dev databases and how often. TDM creates...

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The Definitive Guide to DAX: Business Intelligence for Microsoft Power BI, SQL Server Analysis Services, and Excel

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Now expanded and updated with modern best practices, this is the most complete guide to Microsoft’s DAX language for business intelligence, data modeling, and analytics. Expert Microsoft BI consultants Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari help you master everything from table functions through advanced code and model optimization.

 

 Question of the Day

Today's question (by Steve Jones - SSC Editor):

 

Backup to Immutable Storage

In SQL Server 2025, a backup can be made on Azure Immutable Storage. What changes in how the backup is created?

Think you know the answer? Click here, and find out if you are right.

 

 

 Yesterday's Question of the Day (by Steve Jones - SSC Editor)

The String Distance I

In SQL Server 2025, what is returned by this code:

SELECT EDIT_DISTANCE('Steve', 'Stan')

Assume preview features are enabled.

Answer: 3

Explanation: There are 3 changes needed.

  • e to a
  • v to n
  • remove e

Ref: EDIT_DISTANCE - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/functions/edit-distance-transact-sql?view=sql-server-ver17

Discuss this question and answer on the forums

 

 

 

Database Pros Who Need Your Help

Here's a few of the new posts today on the forums. To see more, visit the forums.

SQL Azure - Administration
Transactional Replication setup issue - Hi! I've been banging my head against the wall for 2 days now trying to setup Transactional Replication between an Managed Instance and Azure SQL Database. Documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/replication-two-instances-and-sql-server-configure-tutorial?view=azuresql That's the documentation I'm working with although I'm using the same instance for distribution and publishing. I've double checked the config on Azure and replication multiple times […]
Editorials
The Power of Data and Privacy - Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Power of Data and Privacy
The DBA is Dead; Long Live the DBA - Comments posted to this topic are about the item The DBA is Dead; Long Live the DBA
Optimism Without Illusion or Why AI Needs Blunt Technologists - Comments posted to this topic are about the item Optimism Without Illusion or Why AI Needs Blunt Technologists
When SQL Server Central Went Down - Comments posted to this topic are about the item When SQL Server Central Went Down
Discussions about Books
Data Warehouse Toolkit meets Star Schema: The Complete Reference - Is there a good syllabus for reading these two together? (Yes, it's called the table of contents!) Just wondering because Kimball's book is super high level, and Adamson's book is much more detailed. Maybe I'll just have to put it all in my book report. LOL
Article Discussions by Author
What's the Date? - Comments posted to this topic are about the item What's the Date?
Two New Shortcuts for Fabric Lakehouse Developers: The Fabric Modern Data Platform - Comments posted to this topic are about the item Two New Shortcuts for Fabric Lakehouse Developers: The Fabric Modern Data Platform
GPX distance and time analysis in SQL Server - Comments posted to this topic are about the item GPX distance and time analysis in SQL Server
Changing the AG Listener - Comments posted to this topic are about the item Changing the AG Listener
The String Distance I - Comments posted to this topic are about the item The String Distance I
SQL Server 2022 - Administration
SSMS 22 Latest Update Crashing - Hi all, I've just had to roll back my SSMS 22 version from 22.3.0, because this version seems to crash as soon as I open it (just after selecting an instance to connect to). Anyone else having any issues with 22.3.0?
SQL Server 2022 - Development
SSIS with VS2022 64/32 issue with Excel files - Hi all, I'm trying to do classic scenario for loading multiple Excel files into db working in VS2022. I have reliable template which worked OK for csv files. But now after switching to xlsx I have problem when file name defined on Variable tab let say FileA.xlsx is not present in directory. If […]
Case part is sloooooow - Hi So the case statement is slowing this down - but for the life of me I cant think/find a more efficient way to get the results:   select * FROM pec.tBRClaimLinePreCalc WITH (NOLOCK) JOIN dbo.tclaim_procedure WITH (NOLOCK) ON tclaim_procedure.claim_procedure_id = tBClaimLinePreCalc.claim_procedure_id JOIN dbo.TPEC_RGV_ProcedureType WITH (NOLOCK) ON TPEC_RGV_ProcedureType.claim_procedure_id = tClaimLinePreCalc.claim_procedure_id WHERE claimProc_ServiceType IS NULL OR […]
Why the following cmds in sequence do not work - I need to delete rows from both the temporal main and history tables. The temporal main table can get deleted without issues. For the temporal history tables, I code to turn system versioning off, issue the Delete, then turn system versioning back on. If I execute manually each of the below cmds one at a […]
 

 

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