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Poor Database Design Realities

  • June 7, 2024 at 12:00 am

    #4425197

    Comments posted to this topic are about the item Poor Database Design Realities

  • June 7, 2024 at 7:23 am

    #4426777

    Primary keys? What sort of nonsense is that? Next you'll be telling us to put different things in different tables 🤨

  • June 7, 2024 at 7:53 am

    #4426780

    Thankfully developers have Entity Framework to model their databases. INTs for every number, DATETIME2(7) for every date and NVARCHAR(MAX) for any string column that might look like it may hold data as well as uniqueidentifiers wherever possible.

    Oddly enough, it is Microsoft who really benefits from this lazy way of database development. Their cloud charges per MB moved and the fatter the datatypes, the more they can charge. The developers are under time pressure and so the quickest development is what gets them bonuses, praise & promotions.

  • June 7, 2024 at 11:29 am

    #4426836

    I guess that's better than BIGINTs 😉

  • June 7, 2024 at 2:13 pm

    #4426909

    Nvarchar(max). Every now and then the developers get a reminder to review those. They sneak in when you're in a hurry.

    SELECT table_schema,table_name,COLUMN_NAME
    FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS
    WHERE data_type in ('nvarchar','varchar','char','nchar')
    and CHARACTER_MAXIMUM_LENGTH=-1
    ORDER BY table_schema,table_name,COLUMN_NAME

  • June 8, 2024 at 1:54 pm

    #4427118

    I am a retired DBA who supported both Oracle and SQL Server databases in my career.  What I noticed about the latter is that anyone who had SQL Server installed on their desktop thought they were a DBA. Or worse, anyone who had Microsoft Access installed on their desktop thought they were a database expert.  The old saying of familiarity breeds contempt seems to have morphed into familiarity breeds overconfidence (to use a generous term, maybe delusions of grandeur is more appropriate).  I also believe that management exacerbates this themselves by thinking that if something can be installed on your desktop it has to be easy to use and manage.  The use of GUI interfaces also feeds this trend in that 'if I can point and click I can do anything'.  When I began my career in Oracle there were no desktop installations or GUI interfaces and only those with training were allowed to perform DBA duties.  The culture of ease of use has contributed to the casual, sloppy technical practices we see today.

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