2016 T-SQL Tuesdays

December 2016 #85 – Backup and Recovery Rollup Backups are one of the most common things DBAs discuss, and they are at once one of the simplest and most complicated parts of our whole job. So let’s hear it for backup and recovery!
November 2016 #84 – Growing New Speakers  Roundup  For T-SQL Tuesday, I am giving differing topics if you are currently a Speaker or have never have spoken.If you are a presenter, help new speakers. If you have never spoken, start thinking about your first presentation.
October 2016 #83 – We’re Still Dealing with the Same Old Problems  Roundup I offer two fill-in-the-blank topics:

  • In the years I have been a database professional, we’re still dealing with
  • In the years I have been using SQL Server, we’re still dealing with
September 2016 #82 – To the Cloud… And Beyond! When Adam asked me if I wanted to host another T-SQL Tuesday, I immediately knew a topic I wanted to talk about: The cloud, and (if you want to) specifically about Azure SQL database.
August 2016 #81 – Sharpen Something ()  Roundup  This month I am asking you to not only write a post but to do a little homework – first. In other words, plan to do something, carry out that plan, and then write about the experience.
July 2016 #80 – My Birthday  Roundup  Treat yourself to a birthday gift and come up with a present for yourself SQL related – no limitations.
June 2016 #79 – It’s 2016  Roundup  SQL Server 2016 went RTM this week and so naturally, we’re going to write about it.
May 2016 #78 – Learn Something New I’m challenging you to learn something new and blog about it!
April 2016 #77 – Favorite SQL Server Feature  Roundup The topic is: What is My Favorite SQL Server Feature.This can be anything from Reporting Services as a report creating tool, down to the Columnstore Indexes. Anything goes!
I selected this topic precisely to illustrate the breadth and depth of what SQL Server has evolved into over the last decade+.
March 2016 #76 – Text Searching/Processing Wrap-up  If you’re using SQL Server Full-Text Search, I’d love to hear from you. But I’d also love to hear from anyone using any other kind of text searching or processing methods.
February 2016 #75 – Power BI roundup – 11 responses Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to create and publish your very own Power BI report!
January 2016 #74 – Be the Change roundup – 11 responses How do you track changing data? How do you do your ETL? How do you clean or scrub your data? Anything related to changing data.

T-SQL Tuesday #085 – Backup and Recovery

Invitation and roundup from Ken Fisher.

Come on down! You’re the next contestant on T-SQL Tuesday! I’m your host Kenneth Fisher and this month I’d thought we might talk about security.

No. Wait. Sorry, that was last time. This time I want to hear about backup and recovery.

Backups are one of the most common things DBAs discuss, and they are at once one of the simplest and most complicated parts of our whole job. So let’s hear it for backup and recovery!

Need some suggestions for your post? How about:

  • Backups to Azure storage
  • Backing up an Azure SQL DB
  • Filegroup backups and/or piecemeal restores
  • Page restores
  • How do you back up an SSAS cube?
  • The importance of log backups
  • Backup internals
  • Recovery strategies
  • Any other backup related subjects you can think of (BI, SSRS, Sharepoint, certificates & keys, etc)

And you know what? I’d love it if someone (or a few someones) would do a post on simple, basic backups and/or recovery.

At beginning of the year Tim Ford (b/t) created the Entry Level Content Challenge. Basically saying that entry level information is just as important as advanced content, and I agree 100%. Personally I think this would be a great subject for some #EntryLevel content. It’s certainly important stuff.

 

T-SQL Tuesday #084 – Growing New Speakers

Invitation and roundup from Andy Yun.

This month’s topic is going to be about Speaking & Presenting with a focus on Helping New Speakers! 4 short years ago, I attended my very first PASS Summit and never did I think I’d ever dare to become a Speaker and present. But a year later, I got coerced into a lightning talk. Since then, I’ve presented at several dozen User Groups & SQL Saturdays. Tomorrow, I have the honor of presenting at PASS Summit 2016! And what an adventure it’s been!

For T-SQL Tuesday, I am giving differing topics if you are currently a Speaker or have never have spoken. And if you’ve never spoken, this T-SQL Tuesday comes with a challenge and a twist.

IF YOU ARE A PRESENTER: HELP NEW SPEAKERS

If you’re a Speaker, that’s great! Your T-SQL Tuesday topic will be to write about something to Help New Speakers. Write something about Speaking to aid new Speakers.

To give you all some ideas:
• Share insight about developing a presentation
• Share some advice about Speaking
• Write about your first Speaking experience
• Share beginner tips & lessons learned

IF YOU HAVE NEVER PRESENTED: WILL YOU TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE?

If you’re not a Speaker, then this month’s T-SQL Tuesday is a challenge to start that journey. Start thinking about your first presentation. Think about technical topics that either you’re very comfortable with, really love, or are eager to explore, and pick one.  Presentations aren’t always about sharing knowledge from an expert perspective. Many effective presentations are told from the point of a learning journey!  Keep in mind that your first presentation doesn’t have to be an hour long public presentation.  A 10-15 minute presentation to your coworkers is also a great way to start off!

For your T-SQL Tuesday blog post, take that topic and write about it. It can be the basis for your future presentation. Write up an outline about something you learned about recently. Or explore a problem you recently resolved at your workplace and write a starter post about it. Perhaps try your hand at writing your first demo script and blog that.

Remember, this blog post doesn’t have to encompass your entire prospective presentation. Think of it as a first draft, an exploration your idea. No need to be fancy, in-depth, or comprehensive.

If you are having difficulty deciding on a first presentation topic, no problem! Why not write about the topic(s) you are considering? Explore each one at a high level, and why they interest you.

Still on the fence about Speaking? Feel free to write a non-technical blog post about that too! You could explore and share your thoughts about presenting and even explore any concerns you may find yourself having.

This T-SQL Tuesday is all about helping you to start your journey to giving your first presentation.

THE TWIST: I WANT TO HELP

Here’s this month’s T-SQL Tuesday twist. If you’ve never presented before and take me up on this challenge, I or another experienced speaker volunteer, will take the time to privately provide feedback to each and every one of you.

• If you want help developing your first presentation out, I will help you.
• If you are wary of putting your first PowerPoint together, I will help you.
• If you need ideas on how to write demo scripts, I will help you.

I will do whatever I can to help you begin this journey. Feel free to reach out to me prior to T-SQL Tuesday, if you want feedback on where to start. Otherwise, I will reach out after your blog post goes live, to keep the fire alive and help you take the next steps!

 

T-SQL Tuesday #083 – We’re Still Dealing with the Same Old Problems

Invitation and roundup from Andy M. Mallon.

At the end of August, Allan Hirt (blog|twitter) tweeted:

I proceeded to flood Twitter with a bunch of things that IT has been messing up for years. At the end of my tweetstorm, I realized it would be a wonderful topic of T-SQL Tuesday.

Of course, because this is T-SQL Tuesday, let’s put a database-centric spin on Allan’s original tweet. For this month’s topic, I offer two fill-in-the-blank topics:

  • In the <N> years I have been a database professional, we’re still dealing with <some problem>
  • In the <N> years I have been using SQL Server, we’re still dealing with <some problem>

Whatever your problem, this month is a chance to give your stump speech, and raise some awareness about it. Perhaps we can even make some progress in fixing some of these problems.

 

 

T-SQL Tuesday #082 – To the Cloud… And Beyond!

Invitation from Jeffrey Verheul.

When Adam asked me if I wanted to host another T-SQL Tuesday, I immediately knew a topic I wanted to talk about: The cloud, and (if you want to) specifically about Azure SQL database.

Last time we blogged about the cloud was back in december of 2013, when Jorge Segarra hosted this monthly party. Since then, “the cloud” (to use that buzz-word again) has changed a lot, and I think the possibilities are endless nowadays.

The reason I would like to see you all blog about this topic, is that I’m working with Azure SQL databases a lot now since I switched jobs in December. Currently I’m working for a small start-up that has a cloud-first focus. This means the main (if possible) host for our (data)platform is Azure. And although hosting our platform in Azure makes it easier for us to scale parts of that platform, it also gives us new challenges to overcome. And I’m probably not the only one with that experience…

So with that said, I would like to give you the opportunity to blog about the cloud, in the broadest sense that you can imagine. I’m imagining really interesting blogs about migrating to the cloud, missing features in Azure SQL database, how you’re determining the cause of and solving performance problems, etc. Please surprise us all with your view on the cloud.

T-SQL Tuesday #081 – Sharpen Something

Invitation and roundup from Jason Brimhall.

It has now been 30 months since the last time I hosted a TSQL Tuesday, that was TSQL Tuesday 51. I recapped that event here with the original invite here. I can’t believe it has been that long since I last hosted. It only seems like yesterday.

sqlskillsharpener_pigComing into the present day, we are now at TSQL Tuesday 81. For this month, I would like to try and up the ante a bit. Usually we only get about a weeks notice prior to the event to think about the article to write for the event.

This time, I want to invite everybody just a little bit sooner and will follow-up with a reminder seven days prior to the event. The reason I want to do this is because I think this may be a touch more difficult this time.

 

This month I am asking you to not only write a post but to do a little homework – first. In other words, plan to do something, carry out that plan, and then write about the experience. There is a lot going into that last sentence. Because of that, let me try to explain through a few examples of what I might like to see. Hopefully these examples will help you understand the intent and how this month the topic relates to “Sharpening Something“.

EXAMPLES

  1. You have learned about a really cool feature called Azure DevTest Lab. Having heard about it, you wish to implement this feature to solve some need in your personal development or corporate environment. Develop a plan to implement the feature and tell us the problem it solves and about your experiences in getting it to work from start to end. An example of how I might try to use this might involve the creation of a disposable and easy setup environment for Precons, Workshops, and various other types of training.
  2. There is a really awesome book about SQL Server you heard about and you decided to buy it. Plan to sit down and read the book. Take a nugget or two from the book and tell us how you can use that nugget of information within your personal or professional environment.
  3. You know you are extremely deficient at a certain SQL Skill. Tell me what that skill is and develop a plan to get better at that skill. Report on the implementation of this skill and how you are doing at improving. Maybe that skill is about Extended Events, PoSH or availability groups.
  4. Similar to the skill deficiency, you know you do not understand a certain concept within SQL Server as well as you feel you should. Maybe that concept is indexing or statistics (for example). Create a two week plan to become more proficient at that concept. Follow that plan and report on your progress.

In recap, this is an invite to make a short term goal covering the next two weeks. Tell everybody what that goal is (in your tsql tuesday post of course) and how you went about creating a plan for that goal and how you have progressed during the two week interval.

T-SQL Tuesday #080 – My Birthday

Invitation and roundup from Chris Yates.

T-SQL Tuesday time is here again! And I’m honored to be hosting this months block party. Why you ask? T-SQL Tuesday #80 happens to fall on my birthday believe it or not!

With that said let’s get this party started and have some fun with it this month shall we. Treat yourself to a birthday gift and come up with a present for yourself SQL related – no limitations:

  • Is there something you’ve been wanting to do for a long time in SQL, but haven’t done it yet?
  • Perhaps there is a feature you would like to see added into SQL that just isn’t there yet – what is it?
  • Maybe you are a consultant and know something many of us don’t as you parachute in and out of shops that a reader can benefit from?
  • Is there a co-worker struggling with something SQL related; here is your chance to share the present (knowledge).

Gift wrap your post for yourself and be innovative with what you write about.

 

T-SQL Tuesday #079 – It’s 2016

Invitation and roundup from Michael J. Swart.

SQL Server 2016 went RTM this week and so naturally, we’re going to write about it. Here are a few writing prompts for you:

  • Check out what’s new. Microsoft has written a lot about their new features. Thomas Larock has written a really nice landing page for those posts, SQL Server 2016: It Just Runs Faster – Thomas Larock. Look through those links. Do you feel optimistic about 2016? Or maybe a bit disappointed? Let us know either way
  • Haven’t had time to download the bits, install them, explore and form thoughts on 2016 yet? Have no fear, check out Microsoft’s Virtual Labs. It lets you explore features without worrying about all the setup. In minutes you’ll be typing SELECT 'hello world';

Still Not Inspired Eh?

  • Write a post starting with “It’s 2016, why is this still (not) a thing?” <cough>regular expressions</cough>
  • Think outside the box and maybe write about something besides SQL Server. Write about something you did in 2016 that would have been impossible at the same time last year.

 

T-SQL Tuesday #078 – Learn Something New

Invitation  from Wendy Pastrick.

Plenty of heads-up for this installment of #tsql2sday because this time, I’m challenging you to learn something new and blog about it!

There are so many new things to play around with, some brand-spanking newly released, and others that have been around for a bit, but you’ve probably still not taken any time to try it out.

Here’s a short list of ideas to get you started:

  • PowerBI
  • Azure (remember you can get $150 monthly credit just for trying it out!)
    • Virtual Machines
    • SQL Database
    • Stretch tables
  • SQL Server on Linux
  • SQL 2016
    • Always Encrypted
    • Query Store
    • Row Level Security

T-SQL Tuesday #077 – Favorite SQL Server Feature

Invitation and roundup from Jens Vestergaard.

This month I get to pick the topic, and I am going to go with:

My favorite SQL Server Feature

This can be anything from Reporting Services as a report creating tool, down to the Columnstore Indexes. Anything goes!
I selected this topic precisely to illustrate the breadth and depth of what SQL Server has evolved into over the last decade+. Starting out as a RDBMS (w/ DTS), adding Analysis Services, then Reporting Services, following a myriad of auxiliary services and tools. So please, share your story about a specific SQL Server feature close to your heart. So please, share precisely what you think makes SQL Server such an awesome tool.