Rob Sewell

Rob was a SQL Server DBA with a passion for Powershell, Azure, Automation, and SQL (PaaS geddit?). Now he just helps people. He is a Cloud and Data Center MVP and a Data Platform MVP, an officer for the PASS DevOps Virtual Chapter, co-leader of Data South West and PSConf EU organiser and has spoken at and volunteered at many Data and PowerShell events all over the world. He is a proud supporter of the Data and Powershell communities.

He relishes sharing and learning and can be found doing both via Twitter and his blog. He spends most of his time looking at a screen and loves to solve problems. He knows that looking at a screen so much is bad for him because his wife tells him so. Thus, you can find him on the cricket field in the summer and flying a drone in the winter.

He has a fabulous beard

Twitter: @@SQLDbaWithBeard
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/robsewellsqldba

Using Twitter with VS Code

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

So today I saw this tweet from Mathias in reply to Stefan and Amanda

That looks cool. Twitter in VS Code, one...

2017-04-28 (first published: 2017-04-19)

1,020 reads

PowerShell Function – Validating a Parameter Depending On A Previous Parameter’s Value

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

I was chatting on the SQL Community Slack with my friend Sander Stad b | t about some functions he is writing for...

2017-04-26

453 reads

Testing SQL Server Access to a share with PowerShell using dbatools

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

A good security practice is to backup our SQL Servers to a network share but not allow users to be...

2017-04-13 (first published: 2017-04-08)

1,412 reads

Why VS Code Increases my Productivity

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

Last week I was showing a co-worker some PowerShell code and he asked what the editor was that I was...

2017-04-13

477 reads

Using Pester with dbatools Test-DbaLastBackup

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

In previous posts I have shown how to use Test-DbaLastBackup from dbatools and how you can make use of the...

2017-04-11 (first published: 2017-03-25)

1,675 reads

Why Volunteer at SQLBits ?

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

WARNING – Contains Orange and light-hearted photos
I have returned home from SQLBits 2017 The Disco Edition. I am exhausted, my...

2017-04-11

558 reads

Export SQL User Permissions to T-SQL script using PowerShell and dbatools

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

There are times when DBA’s are required to export database user permissions to a file. This may be for a...

2017-04-10

2,383 reads

Testing the Identity Column usage in SQL Server with PowerShell and dbatools

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

SQL Server uses identity columns to auto generate values, normally keys. When you create an identity column, it has a...

2017-04-07

573 reads

Backing up SQL Server on Linux using Ola Hallengrens Maintenance Solution

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

With the release of SQL Server vNext CTP 1.4 SQL Agent was released for use on Linux. To install it...

2017-04-06 (first published: 2017-03-22)

1,880 reads

Using Pester with Get-DbaLastGoodCheckDb from dbatools

by Rob Sewell

SQL DBA With A Beard

In my last post I showed Get-DbaLastGoodCheckDb from dbatools. This module is a community based project written by excellent, brilliant...

2017-04-06

551 reads

Blogs

Asking for Help Isn’t a Weakness

By Brian Kelley

During COVID, I attended training on software/enterprise architecture given by Mark Richards. One of...

The Proof of the Backup Is in the Pudding

By MarlonRibunal

For me, the objective is straightforward: have a backup strategy that is reliable, understandable,...

T-SQL Tuesday #204 – Are blogs still relevant?

Note: This post is the invitation for T-SQL Tuesday #204 on November 3rd, 2026....

Read the latest Blogs

Forums

The ##MS_DatabaseConnector## User

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item The ##MS_DatabaseConnector## User

Planning for Change

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Planning for Change

Importing Excel files into SQL Server, Azure Edition

By Cláudio Tereso

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Importing Excel files into SQL...

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Question of the Day

The ##MS_DatabaseConnector## User

On SQL Server 2025, I run this code as a sysadmin:

CREATE LOGIN Demo WITH PASSWORD = 'Demo1234567'
GO
ALTER SERVER ROLE ##MS_DatabaseConnector## ADD MEMBER Demo
GO

I then login as Demo and run this:

USE sandbox
go
SELECT CURRENT_USER

What is returned?

See possible answers