Robert Marda

I have worked for bigdough.com since 18 May 2000 as an SQL Programmer. My duties include backup management for all our SQL Servers, mentoring junior SQL Programmers, and serving as DBA while our DBA is on vacation. I develop, test, and deploy stored procedures and DTS packages as well as manage most major SQL projects. Our offices are located in Bethesda, Maryland. Before working for bigdough, I worked for Telos Corporation in Ashburn, Virginia. I started learning T-SQL and using SQL Server 7.0 on 22 March 1999. In April 1999 I was given the position of Senior Database Analyst/Administrator at Telos Corporation. I have been married to Leoncia Guzman since 23 Jul 1994. We met in the Dominican Republic where I lived for about 2 years as a missionary. We have 4 children, Willem (age 8), Adonis (age 6), Liem (age 4 and a half), and Sharleen (age 3 and a half). My hobbies include spending time with our 4 children (we play chess, dominos, mancala, and video or computer games together), keeping tropical freshwater fish, breeding and training parakeets, coin collecting (US and foreign), and geneology. I have a 55 gallon tank and 20 gallon tank. I have many kinds of fish (such as a pleco, tiger barbs, mollies, cichlids, tetras, and guppies) I also have a small aquatic turtle. I last updated my bio 30 Mar 2004.
  • Interests: Sailing, camping, computers, reading and writing sci-fi and fantasy books.

SQLServerCentral Article

Case Study: Importing New Data Without Emptying Existing Tables

The challenge for Robert Marda was to devise a way to keep the data available at all times while importing the new data, detect if a full or daily update was received and run appropriate data pumps, put in sufficient fail safes to ensure bad data would not get imported, and to make the process automatic including notification to pagers upon failure. Robert shows you how he did it here.

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2003-01-09

8,199 reads

Technical Article

Create And Execute Table Script (SQL Server 2000)

This SP will only work on SQL Server 2000 and can be placed in your master database. sp_CreateAndExecTableScript is designed to script one table and create an identical table. I designed it to use with DTS packages so that I can create an identical table with a different name, pump data into the table and […]

5 (3)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2002-10-15

2,328 reads

SQLServerCentral Article

Performance Adding Hints

During the process of performance tuning queries and stored procedures there comes a time when you will notice that the execution plan selected by SQL Server is not the best plan. On occasion, everything you try doesnt cause SQL Server to choose the best way to execute your code. These are the times when hints can improve performance.

5 (2)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2002-09-10

9,370 reads

SQLServerCentral Article

Understanding Execution Plans Part 1

The purpose of this article is to give you a working knowledge of how to view and understand query execution plans for SQL Server. This is part 1 in a series of articles that will walk you through understanding execution plans to help you improve your queries.

4.44 (16)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2002-07-26

24,149 reads

Technical Article

Mark DTS Task As Complete

This is a VBScript that can be placed in an ActiveX Script Task.  The purpose of this script is to mark other tasks in the DTS package as complete before they execute.  In this way you can ensure a task does not execute.The Dim and Set lines give you access to the objects in the […]

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2002-07-18

223 reads

SQLServerCentral Article

Multi-Server Administration

Multi server administration allows you to create jobs and maintenance plans once. You can then monitor and change them from one SQL Server. View job histories and statuses for 2, 4, 10, or more SQL Servers from one master SQL Server. See how you can simplify your administration duties with multi server administration.

5 (3)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2002-05-06

12,981 reads

SQLServerCentral Article

How Dynamic SQL Can Be Static SQL

This article demonstrates the flexibility of static SQL when using the CASE function in a WHERE clause, SELECT clause, ORDER BY clause, GROUP BY clause, HAVING clause, and JOIN. This is done with five examples and includes sample code you can execute on your SQL Server.

4.5 (2)

You rated this post out of 5. Change rating

2002-03-14

11,267 reads

Blogs

Friday Flyway Tips–Comparison Options

By

Recently a customer asked how they could get index changes to be captured in...

A New Word: Guiltwrights

By

giltwrights  – n. the imaginary committee of elders that keeps a running log of...

Becoming Kristyna Ferris <3

By

Hey folks, fun personal post today. A few weeks ago, I got married! My...

Read the latest Blogs

Forums

Exam Ref DP-300 Administering Microsoft Azure SQL Solutions

By Site Owners

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Exam Ref DP-300 Administering Microsoft...

Love

By Louis Davidson (@drsql)

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Love

Drop or delete a existing partition

By Siten0308

Hello, so I was reading on partitioning a large table, Which i successfully did,...

Visit the forum

Ask SSC Logo Ask SSC

SQL Server Q&A from the SQLServerCentral community

Get answers