Thanks Steve,
I had no idea about Column Sets before today, so your question has done exactly what it should - expand my knowledge. Perfect.
Andy

As already mentioned, you definitely need your licenses to be covered with SA:
"Microsoft permits License Mobility as an exclusive SA benefit available for all SQL Server editions."
Although you...

Looking good for tonight, hope to see everyone there!

If your setup is very "strict" you first need to consider whether you can (or should) publish production data directly to your test environment. If you can, then a basic...

Confirmed, Encrypted Backups are supported in Standard, BI and Enterprise editions of 2014 onwards.

A good introduction can be found from Nicolas Souquet

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/mvpawardprogram/2014/06/02/sql-server-2014-backup-encryption/

For a long time, I've used GnuPG to encrypt...

A few things to try:

I suggest you enclose the path to the INI file in quotes, just in case:

/ConfigurationFile="C:\tempdir\config.ini"

I add params for QuietSimple and licence agreement (these can also be...

I hope the aliens have also upgraded their connectivity, a new Apple Mac can't even talk to a Mac from 20 years ago.

Interesting, much appreciate the feedback. I've lost count of how many times I've visited the Kevin Holman blog when looking at SPNs!

I have also encountered numerous problems in getting Kerberos...

Can you clarify something about the "automatic" creation of SPNs which you use.

In a Active Directory environment, the service account (running the MSSQL engine) needs significant permissions to register its...

Fair point that support costs are not all equal; the dba is valued far less than most 🙁

I certainly don't want to be re-inventing the wheel, and COTS /...

That "someone else" is still an employee, so still costs the company money.

I'm sure I'm not the only one here, who finds that they are expected to support any...

As you are based in the UK, consider attending SQLbits:

https://sqlbits.com/

This year it runs from 4th - 7th May.

Let's not forget that a COTS still involves an employee's time, from evaluating the possible products available, determining specs, reading the documentation (if there is any), pulling hair out trying...

$_.PlusOne

Here are my five:

1) dbcc checkdb with DATA_PURITY

2) I reckon these three count as one!

restore filelistonly from disk =

restore headeronly from disk =

restore verifyonly from disk...