Additional Articles

Find SQL Server databases where log file is too large

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MSSQLTips.com

Administration

I support thousands of databases and I'm running across situations where I have a database that has a data file of a couple hundred megabytes and the associated log file is gigabytes in size! I understand this is because I may not have my transaction log backups scheduled properly. What I'm interested in is an easy way to identify these situations where the SQL log file is too large, so I can go in and further analyze these problem databases without needing to look at each database.

2011-05-09

5,073 reads

How to remove parent as a child from a SSAS parent child dimension

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MSSQLTips.com

Analysis Services (SSAS)

In a parent child dimension, when an attribute's usage type is set as Parent and browsed from a client tool, many designers as well as users may get confused based on the displayed results. For example, when you browse a parent attribute in a parent child dimension like Employee and say the parent attribute is Employees, you can browse data members from the parent node until the deepest available level of the child node. By default you will find each parent member having a child member with the same name even though this member might not exist in the data. From a user experience point of view this is not a desirable way of browsing a parent child hierarchy because it may get confusing. In this tip we will look at an example of this issue and how to solve this problem.

2011-05-06

2,757 reads

Obtaining Identity Column Values in SQL Server

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Database Journal

IDENTITY Property

When you enter a new record into a table that contains an identity column, the identity value will be set with the next available value. Your database design often requires you to obtain that value, so you need to be able to find it.

2011-05-05

5,354 reads

A Developers' Guide to Refactoring Databases

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SimpleTalk

CHECK constraints

When Agile meets 'Big Design', the result can be frustration on both sides. Is it possible for database development to to easily coexist with Agile methodologies for application development? Nick suggests that the technical solutions already exist, and the dissonance is more due to cultural and organizational problems

2011-05-04

6,129 reads

SQL Server Foreign Key Update and Delete Rules

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MSSQLTips.com

Foreign Keys (FK)

Foreign key constraints are an integral part of SQL Server database design. These are used to maintain integrity among related data in different tables. While implementing update and delete operations on values in the parent table (referenced table with primary key) we have to consider the impact on related values in the child table. SQL Server provides different rules for managing the effect of updates and deletes on child table values. How can these rules be used effectively without threatening the relational integrity?

2011-05-03

4,940 reads

Performing DBCC Checks Using SQL Virtual Restore

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SimpleTalk

DBCC CHECKDB

Ever restored a corrupted database from the backup, only to find that the backups are corrupted too - All the backups? Sure it can happen and it isn't nice when it does. To check that a database backup is internally consistent you have to use DBCC CheckDB. On a huge highly-loaded live system? Grant Fritchey has, as usual, a practical solution.

2011-05-02

3,896 reads

SSIS Event Handlers Basics

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SimpleTalk

Integration Services (SSIS)

SSIS event handlers are the simplest means of turning an SSIS script into a reliable system that is auditable, reacts appropriately to error conditions, reports progress and allows instrumentation and monitoring your SSIS packages. They are easy to implement, and provide a great deal of flexibility. Rob Sheldon once again provides the easy, clear introduction.

2011-04-29

4,017 reads

Check your Digits

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SimpleTalk

T-SQL

The most persistent struggle in data processing has been to ensure clean data. There are many ways that data can be incorrect and a database must check, as best it can, that the data is correct. The CHECK constraint is ideally suited for this sort of work, and the checking routine can become quite complex when dealing with check digits in data.

2011-04-28

3,328 reads