This!

You're not going to be able to get around the need for a lock to perform DDL. No matter what. Again, it sounds like architecture is more of the problem....

Total agreement with everyone else that you should be spotting when new databases are created. However, it's entirely possible to create a backup script (or use Minion or Ola Hollengren's...

How often are you adding columns to this table? If it's frequent, it sounds like you'd benefit from normalization. Actually, it sounds like you'd benefit from normalization a lot.

Quick story.

When I was first learning Powershell, it happened to coincide with a data center move. We were going to physically move our data center between builds. Loads of planning...

Honestly not sure of the titles now. The one I read, about 10 years ago, was PowerShell TFM (and yeah, that means what you think). Not sure if he's maintained...

Oh do learn Powershell. Don Jones is who I learned from. I can heartily recommend him. Great person. Great teacher.

In general, what you're doing here is attempting to treat SQL like it's a regular, functional, or object oriented language. It's not. SQL is declarative. Don't attempt to control the...

The pluralsight stuff is on demand, so you could still pursue it.

Another plug for the Accidental DBA book. It's a little long in the tooth, but the info in it...

Probably the stuff produced by the SQLSkills team for Pluralsight would be worth checking out. Not sure of the cost. I just know I trust the source. Otherwise, there...

If you've set up the credentials on the server, then you should be all set to run the backups. The documentation here is pretty clear.

A view does not stay in memory at all. Unless, you're simply calling SELECT * from the view. A view is just a query. The query that calls that view...

And yeah, total agreement on ignoring the list of required technologies. That stuff is a nightmare.

Story time:

Leaving my previous employer after 10 years (all good with them, I just wanted...

As you said certificates don't replace experience. My intention is very much to a) to add to my knowledge in a way I can demonstrate b) to genuinally add...

I did something similar once. We had a version table. Everything did an insert to the version table to get a version ID, then that ID was used across all...