Brian Kelley

Brian Kelley is an author, columnist, and Microsoft SQL Server MVP focusing primarily on SQL Server security. He is a contributing author for How to Cheat at Securing SQL Server 2005 (Syngress), Professional SQL Server 2008 Administration (Wrox), and Introduction to SQL Server (Texas Publishing). Brian currently serves as an infrastructure and security architect. He has also served as a senior Microsoft SQL Server DBA, database architect, developer, and incident response team lead.

Interests: Chess, Reading, Soccer (Football), Baseball, Animals, Theology

Dealing with Auditors: Password Settings

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

Yet again I've seen an audit request where the auditor wants the DBA to show what SQL Server's settings are...

2013-06-19

8,198 reads

Update Your Audit Queries for SQL Server

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

I was working with an auditor today who is working through a system with an external audit agency. The external...

2013-06-13

2,129 reads

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Data Encryption

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

Hitting close to home, SC Governor Nikki Haley noted that after the SC Department of Revenue breach was reported, that the IRS didn't...

2013-06-07

5,083 reads

Why Anti-Virus Offers Limited Protection

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

Sitting in the first Keynote for the 2013 Techno Security and Forensics Investigation Conference, I was not surprised to hear Kevin...

2013-06-06

1,492 reads

From the 2013 Techno Security Conference - Cloud Computing and Digital Forensics

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

I'm processing through my notes for the 2013 Techno Security Conference, which is finishing up today with post-cons. Of all...

2013-06-05

1,158 reads

Notes from 2013 Techno Security Conference Tuesday Keynote

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

There's enough from this morning's 2013 Techno Security and Forensics Investigation Conference to split into multiple blog posts. I'll focus this...

2013-06-04

1,156 reads

SQL Server security webinar series is coming soon!

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

I've gotten in contact with most of the speakers who submitted SQL Server security talks for the PASS Summit. All...

2013-06-04 (first published: 2013-05-30)

2,540 reads

Notes from the First Day of the 2013 Techno Security Conference

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

The Techno Security & Forensics Security Conference is held in conjunction with the Mobile Forensic Conference each year in Myrtle Beach,...

2013-06-03

1,185 reads

SQL Saturday Charleston!

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

Finally.... SQL Saturday has come back to... South Carolina! (with apologies to The Rock)

After the last SQL Saturday in Columbia,...

2013-05-30

1,910 reads

Security and SSIS webinar recording available

by Brian Kelley

Databases – Infrastructure – Security

If you missed the webinar Andy Leonard (blog | twitter) and I presented today or you had technical difficulties, here's the...

2013-05-29

946 reads

Blogs

I recommend Smart Brevity (book) for communications

By Brian Kelley

Following the advice in Smart Brevity improves communication.

SQL Server 2025 Developer Edition – One size fits all

Microsoft has released SQL Server 2025, bringing big improvements to its main database engine....

Monday Monitor Tips: Learning While Using the Tool

A customer was asking about what certain items in Redgate Monitor mean. They have...

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Forums

Switch partition: NULL boundary id

I have table: t1 in schema1 with 19 billion records. I have another table...

Minimally Viable Security

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Minimally Viable Security

Encoding NULL

By Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Comments posted to this topic are about the item Encoding NULL

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Question of the Day

Encoding NULL

What is returned from this code in SQL Server 2025?

SELECT BASE64_ENCODE(NULL)

See possible answers