March 24, 2016 at 4:34 am
ChrisM@Work (3/24/2016)
rodjkidd (3/24/2016)
ChrisM@Work (3/23/2016)
How many of you contractors have been so taken with a gig that you've signed up as a permie? I just did. I never expected that.The idea of presenting fills me with irrational fear, and yet yesterday I gave a one-hour presentation on query tuning and execution plan basics to an alarmingly large group here in the biggest meeting room we have ("we"! Did you notice that?), and it wasn't too bad. They want more, Tuning Tuesdays, every other week. I never expected that.
Congrats Chris,
Haven't been tempted myself yet!
Cheers,
Rodders...
Thanks Rodders! BTW we're looking for someone to come in and give a presentation covering the new features of 2016, with a fairly rigorous q & a session afterwards. Do you know offhand of anyone who might fit the bill? We're prepared to go to their place but we'd prefer to run it here.
Chris,
I know of such a person 🙂
I'll skype them and ask about availability etc. and PM you the contact details.
Rodders...
March 24, 2016 at 4:36 am
Curious about other people's morning (first few minutes / first hour at work) routines. What is yours?
Mine is: Open email, two copies of SSMS (one non-prod, one prod on each of my two monitors), one copy of BIDS (soon to be data tools), Windows Explorer, and internet browser set to Google.
Connect to all instances. Open the five scripts I am most likely to use that day (sp_who2, Database Free Space, etc.)
Check email for error message notifications (and cell phone). Read "Failed Jobs" email if it comes out (I created this as CYA / insurance because one of the other DBAs doesn't set failure notifications on the jobs he creates). Check Job Activity Monitor (production DBs only) for failed jobs and jobs that have been executing for more than a day by comparing the Last Run date to the Next Run date.
Fix any and all problems that arise, using SQL job logs and the job history to determine the problems' sources. Send out all Business User notifications as needed. Google all error messages as needed (I'm the first one in the office, so rarely have anyone to ask at this hour).
Use Windows Explorer and linked network drives for a quick visual check of SAN storage availability (which has saved my butt more than once. This early in the morning, the visual indicator of blue vs red is faster than doing space math).
Review my list of projects and other odd maintenance items.
Sit back, drink my tea, then get to the "real" part of my job.
What shortcuts do you use for checking stuff? Or is that even part of your job?
March 24, 2016 at 5:43 am
ChrisM@Work (3/24/2016)
Ed Wagner (3/23/2016)
ChrisM@Work (3/23/2016)
Eirikur Eiriksson (3/23/2016)
ChrisM@Work (3/23/2016)
How many of you contractors have been so taken with a gig that you've signed up as a permie? I just did. I never expected that.The idea of presenting fills me with irrational fear, and yet yesterday I gave a one-hour presentation on query tuning and execution plan basics to an alarmingly large group here in the biggest meeting room we have ("we"! Did you notice that?), and it wasn't too bad. They want more, Tuning Tuesdays, every other week. I never expected that.
Good job mate and glad you survived 😀
😎
Thanks EE! I'll be tapping you for ideas next time we meet up for beers 🙂
Chris, you aren't the only one to have that paralyzing and irrational fear of presenting. I had it my first time, too. I was told I did well, but it sure didn't feel like it to me. I've done it a few times since and, while not completely comfortable with it yet, I'm getting there. Like anything, it takes time to develop a new skill.
I'm surprised at hearing this Ed, reading between the lines (having never met) I "see" you as bold, confident, and on top of your game. Stage fright can hit anyone I suppose.
Funny how you can be twitching with fear five minutes beforehand, then five minutes into it, you're in your stride and that fear has evaporated to nothing. It's reassuring to hear that you've persevered - kudos to you - and it's getting easier.
Thank you, Chris. I'm confident in what I know, but not always confident in my ability to present it clearly. I spend an awful lot of time putting a presentation together and still doubt if it's any good. Good reviews from others definitely help as long as they also contain points of what to work on.
March 24, 2016 at 5:55 am
Brandie Tarvin (3/24/2016)
Curious about other people's morning (first few minutes / first hour at work) routines. What is yours?Mine is: Open email, two copies of SSMS (one non-prod, one prod on each of my two monitors), one copy of BIDS (soon to be data tools), Windows Explorer, and internet browser set to Google.
Connect to all instances. Open the five scripts I am most likely to use that day (sp_who2, Database Free Space, etc.)
Check email for error message notifications (and cell phone). Read "Failed Jobs" email if it comes out (I created this as CYA / insurance because one of the other DBAs doesn't set failure notifications on the jobs he creates). Check Job Activity Monitor (production DBs only) for failed jobs and jobs that have been executing for more than a day by comparing the Last Run date to the Next Run date.
Fix any and all problems that arise, using SQL job logs and the job history to determine the problems' sources. Send out all Business User notifications as needed. Google all error messages as needed (I'm the first one in the office, so rarely have anyone to ask at this hour).
Use Windows Explorer and linked network drives for a quick visual check of SAN storage availability (which has saved my butt more than once. This early in the morning, the visual indicator of blue vs red is faster than doing space math).
Review my list of projects and other odd maintenance items.
Sit back, drink my tea, then get to the "real" part of my job.
What shortcuts do you use for checking stuff? Or is that even part of your job?
I check my email for problems that have come in. I've automated routine stuff to the point where I just look at my inbox. Then there's all the non-routine stuff that people tell me about, usually by email. If it's especially important, my phone will ring.
You can automate monitoring of drive space to remove that manual part of your morning and you still won't have to do math. I found the coolest part was in looking at your drive space history to get a gauge of how much time you have left. The only caution I'll throw out there is to allow yourself some cushion to make sure the occasional spike in workload doesn't bring unexpected pain.
March 24, 2016 at 6:12 am
Ed Wagner (3/24/2016)
Brandie Tarvin (3/24/2016)
Curious about other people's morning (first few minutes / first hour at work) routines. What is yours?Mine is: Open email, two copies of SSMS (one non-prod, one prod on each of my two monitors), one copy of BIDS (soon to be data tools), Windows Explorer, and internet browser set to Google.
Connect to all instances. Open the five scripts I am most likely to use that day (sp_who2, Database Free Space, etc.)
Check email for error message notifications (and cell phone). Read "Failed Jobs" email if it comes out (I created this as CYA / insurance because one of the other DBAs doesn't set failure notifications on the jobs he creates). Check Job Activity Monitor (production DBs only) for failed jobs and jobs that have been executing for more than a day by comparing the Last Run date to the Next Run date.
Fix any and all problems that arise, using SQL job logs and the job history to determine the problems' sources. Send out all Business User notifications as needed. Google all error messages as needed (I'm the first one in the office, so rarely have anyone to ask at this hour).
Use Windows Explorer and linked network drives for a quick visual check of SAN storage availability (which has saved my butt more than once. This early in the morning, the visual indicator of blue vs red is faster than doing space math).
Review my list of projects and other odd maintenance items.
Sit back, drink my tea, then get to the "real" part of my job.
What shortcuts do you use for checking stuff? Or is that even part of your job?
I check my email for problems that have come in. I've automated routine stuff to the point where I just look at my inbox. Then there's all the non-routine stuff that people tell me about, usually by email. If it's especially important, my phone will ring.
You can automate monitoring of drive space to remove that manual part of your morning and you still won't have to do math. I found the coolest part was in looking at your drive space history to get a gauge of how much time you have left. The only caution I'll throw out there is to allow yourself some cushion to make sure the occasional spike in workload doesn't bring unexpected pain.
We have an automated monitoring of our drive space history. But we're EOL on our servers and the non-prod drives, especially DEV, have been filling up rather fast lately because someone leaves processes running overnight or doesn't realize they're chewing up TempDB space.
The visual representation of the SAN drives is faster for me (I process pictures better than words / numbers that early in the morning) and it allows me at a glance to see if there are any issues I need to address NOW as opposed to later in the day. Sure the drives sometimes fill up during the day, but most of the time we get corporate drive alerts during the middle of the night when maintenance happens, databases are auto-restored, and the Dev / Reporting teams have left long-running queries open on their boxes.
So if I can fix the issue before anyone gets in, and all I have to do is open one window to see if there are any issues (rather than digging through the 50+ email messages I get every morning), then YAY. Easy-peasy.
March 24, 2016 at 6:15 am
<headdesk>
One of my coworkers just came up with the worst joke ever.
Three DBAs walk into a NoSQL bar. Soon after, they leave - they couldn't join a table!
Will G.
March 24, 2016 at 6:24 am
Back in the days of be a fully fledged Production DBA we had a set of procs on each instance and a spread sheet (now I'd use SSRS or Power BI) to pull the data together and offer a summary with core systems highlighted.
Only the one instance of SSMS but connected to just about everything as the day went on.
And BIDS.
Rodders...
March 24, 2016 at 6:25 am
I see the agenda for SQL Bits was released to the masses this morning http://www.sqlbits.com/
One of the photographs is by me, so that made me chuckle this morning.
Rodders...
March 24, 2016 at 7:08 am
ChrisM@Work (3/24/2016)
Stage fright can hit anyone I suppose.
Yes it does... even those that speak frequently. I know of a fellow threadizen that is a very frequent speaker, yet has stage fright prior to every presentation. It really surprised me when I was told this.
Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes
March 24, 2016 at 7:16 am
--I posted in another thread by accident a couple of days ago--
Thank you Mr. Moden. Another interview cut short with the simple "Name one way to get the current system time from sql server".
_______________________________________________________________
Need help? Help us help you.
Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.
Need to split a string? Try Jeff Modens splitter http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Tally+Table/72993/.
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Crosstab/65048/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69953/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 2) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69954/
March 24, 2016 at 7:19 am
rodjkidd (3/24/2016)
ChrisM@Work (3/23/2016)
How many of you contractors have been so taken with a gig that you've signed up as a permie? I just did. I never expected that.The idea of presenting fills me with irrational fear, and yet yesterday I gave a one-hour presentation on query tuning and execution plan basics to an alarmingly large group here in the biggest meeting room we have ("we"! Did you notice that?), and it wasn't too bad. They want more, Tuning Tuesdays, every other week. I never expected that.
Congrats Chris,
Haven't been tempted myself yet!
Cheers,
Rodders...
In a previous place, I was offered the "opportunity" of a permie job doing the contract work that I'd just signed up for. I turned that down, and ended up working a *very* long contract... And I still think I made the right choice, given the way the firm in question is going!
Thomas Rushton
blog: https://thelonedba.wordpress.com
March 24, 2016 at 7:36 am
Sean Lange (3/24/2016)
--I posted in another thread by accident a couple of days ago--Thank you Mr. Moden. Another interview cut short with the simple "Name one way to get the current system time from sql server".
"That's easy, if it is IBM iSeries then just press the centre blue button under the display":-D
😎
March 24, 2016 at 7:47 am
Eirikur Eiriksson (3/24/2016)
Sean Lange (3/24/2016)
--I posted in another thread by accident a couple of days ago--Thank you Mr. Moden. Another interview cut short with the simple "Name one way to get the current system time from sql server".
"That's easy, if it is IBM iSeries then just press the centre blue button under the display":-D
😎
I look at my watch. 😉
March 24, 2016 at 7:57 am
Eirikur Eiriksson (3/24/2016)
Sean Lange (3/24/2016)
--I posted in another thread by accident a couple of days ago--Thank you Mr. Moden. Another interview cut short with the simple "Name one way to get the current system time from sql server".
"That's easy, if it is IBM iSeries then just press the centre blue button under the display":-D
😎
And when asked about SSIS, SSAS and SSRS the response was "I don't really have much experience with those". I told them I was a little surprised since those terms were on their resume no less than a dozen times each.
_______________________________________________________________
Need help? Help us help you.
Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.
Need to split a string? Try Jeff Modens splitter http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Tally+Table/72993/.
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Crosstab/65048/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69953/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 2) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69954/
March 24, 2016 at 8:00 am
I need some SSIS script task help (2008 / 2012) over on this thread here. All assistance would be appreciated.
Google doesn't seem to recognize the first error at all and the third error is so generic (and sometimes throws on my machine because TFS is stupid even when a file exists)... The frustration is threatening to set in.
Viewing 15 posts - 53,206 through 53,220 (of 66,712 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply