database administration

Technical Article

Stairway to Reliable Database Deployments Level 6 – Managing Changesets Over Time

  • Stairway Step

As database changesets accumulate over time, they gradually become more than deployment artifacts. This level explores how a well-organized changeset library evolves into a replayable representation of the database’s structural history, supporting not only reliable deployments but also reconstruction, auditing, and long-term maintainability. Through practical examples and a real-world case study, it shows why maintaining coherent Create and Rollback scripts continues to provide value long after a successful production deployment.

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2026-08-05

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SQLServerCentral Article

How to Safely Remove a SQL Server Data File Without Downtime

  • Article

Learn how to safely remove a SQL Server .ndf data file without any downtime using DBCC SHRINKFILE (EMPTYFILE). This hands-on tutorial walks through real-world Azure-based setup, data redistribution, and storage cleanup — ideal for DBAs managing enterprise SQL Server environments.

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2025-05-16

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SQLServerCentral Article

Creating a Hyperscale Database in Azure Using the Azure Portal

  • Article

One of the most effective ways to fully utilize your data is to create an Azure Hyperscale database. The principles of Azure Hyperscale databases have been discussed in this article, including their cost-effectiveness, worldwide accessibility, automatic scaling, and reliable performance.

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2023-12-22

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SQLServerCentral Article

Different Ways to Populate the List of Tables

  • Article

This article shows how you can query different types of tables, based on certain criteria that may be important to you. A good list of basics for any database administrator that will help you find tables in your database.

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2023-10-06

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SQLServerCentral Article

SQL Server Resumable Index Operations

  • Article

The ability to pause and then resume index rebuilds has been added to SQL Server. This is a fantastic feature, and with the release of SQL Server 2019, we can now replicate it on the actual create index process. Learn how to use this feature in this short article.

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2023-06-26

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Managing Incidents and Fighting Fires

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Backing Up a DMK

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The Quiet Part

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Question of the Day

Backing Up a DMK

In SQL Server 2025, I have a database with a Database Masker Key (DMK). I want to back up this key and keep a copy offline. When do I have to open this key before running the backup?

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