Even db_datareader and datawriter could be too much in today's environment. Do 'most users' really need to be able to read or update every table in the database? Not that...

Are you setting up mirroring just for the migration? That would seem to be creating extra work. Database backups from the old server and restores to the new server can be...

To anybody remotely interested in IT from high school on: learn how to code. If you can code, you can make something from nothing. No need to even have an...

Back in the days when I got calls in the middle of the night, it was apparently OK for me to fix production problems in my pajamas. OTOH, the various...

For anything involving keys, you must have a proper key management procedure in place. It should be owned by your company's security department, not by developers or dba's. They get...

One thing that I have encountered over the years is servers that don't have the latest patched applied, i.e. drivers, Windows service packs and hotfixes, and reasonably current SQL Server service...

In a large heterogeneous environment, it's unlikely that a project manager will understand all of the nuances of the mainframe, UNIX, and Windows platforms. However, he/she should make an effort...

This would be a good interview question.

Would you politically be able to use a logon trigger to kill these Access connections?

The DBA is hardly the only place where companies scrimp. Take the desktop for example. Buy the cheapest home models that you can find, no need to worry if there...

Years ago, I heard of a situation involving a coffee maker.

One of the P90X workouts as soon as I get home. That way, no excuses later. Exercise does wonders to de-stress (this was far more of an issue in the...

One of the greatest inventions ever is the 'right click, script as'  and the script button on many of the SSMS dialog boxes. When SQL Server was in it's early...

My experience is that a monitoring tool is preferable to 'roll your own' solutions. Setting up operators means having to keep track of every person who might get an alert...