T-SQL Tuesday #135: The outstanding tools of the trade that make your job awesome

It’s been a while since I’ve posted on a T-SQL Tuesday topic and glad to see the topic being discussed by Mike Bronowski (blog) on tools.

Throughout my career, I’ve worked for companies that have allowed me to utilize some pretty nice tools. Whether they are vendor or community-related there are a plethora of options for all platforms and prices.

Some of the ones that I have a special place for can be found here, but I’ll specifically name a few below:

Forums

• Stack Overflow
• SQL Server Central

SSIS

• Andy Leanord’s SSIS Catalog

Maintenance / Performance Tools

• SQL Sentry Plan Explorer

Utility Tools

• SSMS Boost
• sp_Blitz (Brent Ozar’s exploratory script on servers – highly recommend it)
• sp_BlitzIndex (Kendra Little’s Index Sanity Test)
• sp_Blitz App
• Glenn Berry’s Diagnostic Queries

Red Gate Tools

• SQL Compare
• Full Listing of all Products

SQL Sentry Tools

• Plan Explorer

PowerShell Tools

• DBATools

One thing outside of the above I like to look at periodically are mentors. These morph over time and have a unique ebb and flow about them based on where you are at in your life, career, or journey. Solidifying some good mentors can become just as valuable an asset as a physical tool in your toolbelt.

Thank you, Mike for hosting this month!

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