Windows Internal Database

This past Friday I received a call from our systems team stating that they were running low on Disk Space on a SQL Server server that their team used for Share Point.  He stated that there was an .LDF file that was really large, and could he just delete it.  Yeah, I said jokingly, but quickly retracted the statement because he was on his way.  I knew that the offending databases recovery model was set to Full and that they were not backing up the Transaction Log.

After getting a little information about the system, I determined that I could change the recover model to simple.  I logged into the machine to find the SQL Server instance name.  To my surprise I did not see a SQL Server running on the box.  I did however notice that a Windows Internal Database service was running as a Service on the Machine:

 

I immediately did a web search (Windows Internal Database), which resulted in several great listings.  I am not going to repeat what the articles stated, but I am going to provide a great link from MSSQLTips.com that helped me solve my problem.

Administering your Windows Internal Databases (Microsoft##SSEE) instance.

I installed SSMS Express, connected to the instance and changed the recovery model to Simple, problem solved.

Talk to you soon

Patrick LeBlanc, found TSQLScripts.com and SQLLunch

SQL Down South.

Today’s SQL Lunch - Oracle-CDC for SQL Server Integration Services

Join us today for a SQL Lunch

Date: 9/14/2009

Time: 11:30 AM

Reserve your seat: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/509742840

Presenter: Jeff Cole. Jeff has been designing and building information technology systems for over 20 years. He has experience across many industries including banking & finance, health care and telephony using a variety of mainframe languages as well as the gamut of Microsoft development environments. He has been working lately in the middleware space developing systems on multiple platforms using integration technology to solve complex connectivity problems. Jeff is currently working with Attunity to help customers modernize legacy systems and make the most of their technology investments with an emphasis on the Microsoft technology stack including SQL Server and Integration Services.

Topic: Oracle-CDC for SQL Server Integration Services.

Leverage your SQL Server skills and software to reduce cost and accelerate Oracle data replication, synchronization, and real-time integration and enable operational reporting, business intelligence and data warehousing projects.

 

Talk to you soon

Patrick LeBlanc, Found TSQLScripts.com and SQL Lunch

SQL Down South

.Net SQLConnectionStringBuilder ApplicationName Property

We have several “Home Grown” applications at my current place of employment.  This provides our development staff with a great deal of flexibility.  We are allowed to upgrade to new versions of software at our own schedule.  We have full control of the source code and can modify it to accommodate the needs of our end-users as needed.   Recently, I put in a small change request.  I am currently using a suite of data visualization components for SSRS and Visual Studio provided by Nevron. During my development of a small .Net application that will monitor % Processor Times on my SQL Servers  using a Gauge component I noticed a property of the SQLConnectionStringBuilder that could be very useful to a SQL Database Administrator.

Currently, when I look at the SQL Profiler for any of our .Net applications the Application name is listed as .Net SqlClient Data Provider.  This is because we do not set the ApplicationName Property on our connection string.  Therefore, if a particular application is suffering from performance problems, we (the DBA) sometimes will have to sift through very large trace files to identity the problems.  We do have other means of other identifying problems, but the Trace is a very helpful tool.  So here is the request…

My request was to have the Application Developers set the ApplicationName on their connection strings.  I am not sure how soon it will be implemented, however I am sure we will see benefit from the change.  The following is a small code snippet of how I set it.

 

 

As you can see from the above snippet I set the application name to Nevron SQL Dashboard.  As a result, I can filter my trace on that application and it only returns calls to the database from that application.  See the sample trace below:

 

 

As you can see in the ApplicationName column, only events specific to my filter are returned. 

Talk to you soon

Patrick LeBlanc, founder TSQLScripts.com and SQLLunch

SQL Down South

SQL Lunch - Oracle-CDC for SQL Server Integration Services

We have been working hard trying to get speakers to complete the year for our SQL Lunch schedule. I am excited to announce the beginning of the Learning Series. Our next meeting is on 9/14/2009 at 11:30 AM.  If you would like to receive updates about upcoming SQLLunch meetings go here: http://tsqlscripts.com/sqllunch.aspx. To reserve your seat for this meeting go here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/509742840. The details for the meeting are as follows:

Date: 9/14/2009

Time: 11:30 AM

Reserve your seat: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/509742840

Presenter: Jeff Cole. Jeff has been designing and building information technology systems for over 20 years. He has experience across many industries including banking & finance, health care and telephony using a variety of mainframe languages as well as the gamut of Microsoft development environments. He has been working lately in the middleware space developing systems on multiple platforms using integration technology to solve complex connectivity problems. Jeff is currently working with Attunity to help customers modernize legacy systems and make the most of their technology investments with an emphasis on the Microsoft technology stack including SQL Server and Integration Services.

Topic: Oracle-CDC for SQL Server Integration Services.

Leverage your SQL Server skills and software to reduce cost and accelerate Oracle data replication, synchronization, and real-time integration and enable operational reporting, business intelligence and data warehousing projects.

Upcoming Events

Date	Meeting	Speaker	Topic	Time
9/28/2009	SQL Lunch	Thomas Leblanc	Historical DMVs	11:30 AM CST
10/7/2009	SQL User Group	Barry Ralston	Introduction to MDX	5:30 PM CST, 5551 Corporate BLVD, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
10/12/2009	SQL Lunch	Tim Mitchell	Deploying Report Builder 2.0 for Self Service Reporting	11:30 AM CST
8/14/2010	SQL Saturday	Various	.Net and SQL	All Day

If you are interested in speaking at any of these events or sponsoring any of these events please email me at pleblanc@tsqlscripts.com. To be removed from the mailing please email me at the same address.

SQL User Group site: http://batonrouge.sqlpass.org

SQL Lunch Calendar: http://batonrouge.sqlpass.org/SQLLunch/tabid/1788/Default.aspx

Talk to you soon

Patrick LeBlanc, Founder Tsqlscripts.com and SQL Lunch

SQL Down South

SQL Server 7.0 – Transaction Log Not Backing Up

I have not worked with SQL Server 7.0 in a loooong time.  So when I received a call from a client complaining about their Transaction Logs not backing up, I was stuck for a few minutes.  My initial thought was check the recovery model, but as I jogged my memory about recovery models I remembered that they were a new feature introduced in SQL Server 2000.  I did on the other hand, remember that SQL Server 7.0 did have an option, Truncate log on checkpoint, that would prevent Backing up the Transaction Log.  See the image below:

 

 

After my brief walk down memory lane, I asked the client to check this and as expected it was enabled.  Once they disable the option, the backups began to work.  So for all of you out there that are still using SQL Server 7.0 here is something for you.

Talk to you soon

Patrick LeBlanc, founder TSQLScripts.com and SQL Lunch

SQL Down South

Speaking to Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP)

On Monday August 1st I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of college students that all belong to the AITP.  I always enjoy talking to college students because they are always inquisitive.  They all want to know how to find jobs.  Unfortunately, that is a tough question to answer.  My response is usually to distinguish yourself from every other person, by obtaining a certification, doing some volunteering and joining organizations.  This will give you an advantage over the numerous individuals that will be graduating and beginning the job search along with you.

I spoke to approximately 50 students and many seem to be attentive and receptive to the presentation.  There was a mix of students, about half were IT students and the other half business students. 

 

Talk to you soon

Patrick LeBlanc

SQL Down South

Speaking At SQL Saturday #21

Well looks like I will be packing my bags for Sunny Orlando.  I Just found out that my abstract was selected for SQL Saturday #21 in Orlando, FL.  Last week or maybe the week before I decided to submit a session, Using the CLR to monitor Disk Space.  My family and I usually travel to Orlando about once a year.  Unfortunately, this year I had to miss the trip because of knee surgery.  Well thanks to Andy and his team I will get to make a trip after all.  Even though its an abbreviated trip, its still a trip, maybe I will stay a couple of days extra and visit Mickey and Friends. 

If you are in the Orlando area or if you think you can get there come out to SQL Saturday #21.  See you there.

Talk to you soon

Patrick LeBlanc, Found TSQLScripts.com and SQL Lunch

SQL Down South