Randy Dyess

I have been working with SQL Server for over 5 years as both a development and production DBA. Before SQL Server I spent time as both a Visual Basic developer and Microsoft Access developer. Numerous projects upsizing Access to SQL Server lead me to become a full-time SQL Server DBA. Currently I have the privilege of working on one of the world's largest SQL Server "read-world" production installations at Verizon Communications for Verizon's billing project. We have 11 main databases totaling over 9 Terabytes of data with the largest single database over 2.2 Terabytes. My current position is as a development DBA, developing
new Transact-SQL code and enhancing existing code. Before working at Verizon, I worked at one of the largest advertising firms in America: Rapp Collins. There I supported up to 60 SQL Server web databases at a time, with some Oracle thrown in, doubling as both a development DBA and production DBA. Clients before Rapp Collins include: Auto One (a leading auto loan lender), Realpage, Inc. (leader in multi-housing management software) and BlueCross BlueShield of Texas (a large insurance company).

You can find out more about me and my works by visiting my website.

Technical Article

spAuditPasswords

This script is actually part of an article written about performing a simple password audit on SQL Server logins when you start to administor a new SQL Environment. The script will scan the sysxlogins table located in the master database for SQL Server logins with no passwords, passwords that are the same as the login […]

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2002-03-27

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Technical Article

Script to Find Locations of Specified Column

Use this script to find tables, views, stored procedures that directly reference a column in the SELECT statement or in a join. This script will also return stored procedure and view names that have SELECT * in them when the specified column exists in the table referenced by that SELECT statement.

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2002-03-15

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Question of the Day

Multiple Escape Characters

In SQL Server 2025, I run this code (in a database with the appropriate collation):

SELECT UNISTR('%*3041%*308A%*304C%*3068 and good night', '%*') AS 'A Classic';
What is returned?

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