We do lots of csv import and have found that | isn't a good delimiter character as it can easily be mistyped into data when hitting the shift key or...

We do this on two or three systems - backup live between 6pm and midnight then restore that backup to test server from 4a.m. onwards. It's a good way of...

I would go for a separate database for each customer every time for security reasons.

Most customers do not want anyone else (and especially competitors) seeing their data and even...

My general rough rule and first setting on a new server is to set it so sql server max memory is 75% of the total available memory. Then see how...

My general rough rule and first setting on a new server is to set it so sql server max memory is 75% of the total available memory. Then see how...

Personally I would tell your managers that there's no point in you being there if the developers insist on continuing these diabolical practices and either you get the management support...

Of the 25 main sql servers I work with only 5 are physical and they are all production servers. Dev and Test are 100% virtual.

File and print servers are...

Another free ebook that may be useful is The Accidental DBA

If you are using Ola Hallengren scripts that's a good sign that backups are in place, but make sure that...

I suggest sending a copy of Brad McGhee's Maintenance Plan book https://www.simple-talk.com/books/sql-books/brads-sure-guide-to-sql-server-maintenance-plans/%5B/url%5D to each and every DBA in that team, especially the manager!

Or any other recommended book on Maintenance...

As someone who attended launch events for SQL 2005 I can only say that ten years is too short a life for a product from a business perspective. It takes...

Thanks to what I learned from Itzik Ben Gan's Advanced TSQL course, I've recently reduced our audit trail by a hundred million records by running the following script as a...

If it is a new application then have they got a test version available for you to examine the database and have they done any load trials on that?

If bought-in...

When we've upgraded we've done it one application at a time so the move to the newer server is gradual.

Databases are backed up and restored on a development server of...

Takes me back to the old early PDP days where you had to use the switches to toggle in the bootstrap code to make it read the paper tape you...

Management Studio open all day for database management and sql querying then either Visual Studio 2008 for SSIS/AS/RS development as we're on SQL 2008 for those or Visual Studio 2010...