Voice of the DBA

Author: way0utwest

Custom Schemas

One of the things I seem to see more and more is an expanded use of schemas in their development efforts. This isn’t something I had done much in the past as almost half of my career was with SQL Server 2000 or earlier, where we didn’t really have schemas and we were loathe to tie too many objects to owners. However the last decade has had schemas as a first class citizen in all SQL Server versions since 2005.

I’ve seen a number of software packages use schemas, but it seemed more as a way of separating out development efforts than any well thought out architecture. However there have been a few interesting uses of schemas as a way of duplicating tables for various uses. ETL and auditing are two of the more common uses, though there have been others.

I ran into an interesting approach recently that I found interesting. A group of developers had added a new schema to separate out their custom objects from all other objects in the database. They did this as the database was created by, and maintained by a third party application. They wanted to create new objects, but wanted them separate from the vendor’s objects, and used a new schema.

I thought this was a good idea and wondered who else be doing something similar. This Friday, I wanted to ask the question of the rest of you.

Do you have a custom or reporting schema as a way to separate objects from those that aren’t under your development control?

Let us know if you’ve created some interesting use of schemas. Or are there reasons you don’t use schemas? Have you never considered the advantages of using schemas to group objects in their own section of the database?

I think schemas can be a powerful way of grouping objects, applying separate security, and organizing your database in a way that makes it easier for developers, and report writers, to manage the complex objects that may clutter up your database.

Steve Jones

The Voice of the DBA Podcast

Listen to the MP3 Audio ( 2.2MB) podcast or subscribe to the feed at iTunes and LibSyn.

November 13, 2015
Thankful in November

I’m taking a short break from technical talk today to spend a few minutes thinking about life. My wife started the Thankfulness challenge in November, and while I didn’t participate, I’ve been thinking about life as I watch her posts.

This is a career and learning blog, and much of my life has been about growing my career. However I’ve also had many things outside of my career that are important to me and occupy much of my time. My wife, my kids, my health and fitness, and various hobbies keep me busy, not to mention occasionally filling in as the ranch hand for my wife. I even got some unexpected, but very appreciated thanks this week.

However there is something that I was amazed by this week. The outpouring of support for my call to make a #sqlwish come true was incredible. I was truly touched that so many people came together and donated money that allowed us to raise the entire amount in a day. Not even a day. This is one of those things that makes me think the SQL Server community, the #sqlfamily, is truly a special and amazing thing.

Life is Hard

I do struggle at times with the overall load. I struggle with stress at times. I have plenty of guilt when I’m away from home and something happens. I definitely find that I don’t always have the time I’d like for myself amid all the chaos in life.

However I’m very lucky. I have a wonderful wife I love dearly. I have three kids, well two kids and an adult child, that are all healthy and successful in life. I have a good job that I enjoy. My family is financially secure. We don’t really have any complaints, and I definitely appreciate all that I have. I truly do try to stop and think about the amazing times I’ve had. I use Timehop to revisit memories in my life. I stop as I travel and reflect on the good and bad I see, while considering how I can leave the world a little better than what I found.

I wrote about a fundraiser yesterday, trying to make a #sqlwish come true. I can’t imagine for a moment how my life would be different, or how much things would change if someone in my family were sick. I can’t really imagine the situation, and my heart goes out to Lucy and her family.

As great as it’s been to make the wish come true, I also would like you to reflect a moment on the good things in your life. Your family, your health, your beliefs, the people around you, I’m sure there is some good around you. Stop for a minute and give thanks.

I do hope that all of you reading this are well, and you are able to create a great career doing something you love. I will help where I can, and hopefully SQLServerCentral does that. However I know that life isn’t always easy or smooth. I hope that when you experience tough times that you have someone to help pull you through. If you really need an ear, the #sqlfamily is great. On Twitter, or in our wild and wacky thread, there are plenty willing to listen.

November 13, 2015
Git Pull in SQL Source Control

I wrote recently on Git Push in SQL Source Control (SOC), and now wanted to add the other side of the story, pull. This process is even simpler.

I’ll be working with a new database, one that has two client systems set up already with Git support. I know I haven’t tackled that part of SOC and Git, but I’ll do that in a new post.

In this case, I’ve got a repository on Github for my Redgate and SQL in the City demos. It’s a sample database, but I’ve been making multiple changes to the database across time, using Version Control as a way of continuity, and then being able to rollback changes or see history.

I’ve got a connection in a VM to a second development machine. When I launch my VM, and SSMS, I go to the second SOC tab, the one that is labled “Get Latest.” You can see the image below, and notice that there are two buttons in the upper left. There is the familiar “Apply changes to database,” which has been the way that we pull changes from TFS and SVN, but now there is a new “Pull from remote respository.” This is the one specific to Git.

In this case, I’ve refreshed my database previously in sync with the local Git repo. Therefore the button is grayed out. However, I don’t know if there are remote changes until I click the other button.

I do that and get the familiar four step dialog from SOC that checks for changes and then compares them to the local database. However what you don’t see is that a “git pull” is issued first, pulling changes from the remote repo. In my case, I had one change I’d made in London, actually, and hadn’t synced with my VM.

This is the familiar SOC actions now where I see the changes and can use the “Apply changes to database” to compile this code in my local database.

In some sense, this is less exciting then push, but it’s nice to be able to do this in the client.

I’ll write some more on the workflow as I develop changes in the coming posts, which are going to be aimed at building a small database in Azure SQL database and moving changes from my local system to Git for tracking, and then to Azure for production use.

November 12, 2015
Make a #SQLWish Come True

A few weeks ago I was sitting in Farestart at the annual Friends of Redgate dinner when my eyes teared up. The waiter was explaining the mission of the organization, and I was proud that Redgate chooses to support them. However I was also touched that people choosing to help others when there is so much pain, strife, and suffering in the world. I’m glad the speech was short or I would have had a wet napkin.

I have been lucky in life. I’ve had career success, my family is healthy, and we really don’t have any problems in the world. The difficulties we have are really minor annoyances compared to what so many must deal with. I suspect many of you are in similar situations, working in technology and making a good living. However not that’s not the case for everyone.

We have a prominent member of the #sqlfamily whose child, Lucy, has been sick with a life threatening illness. Mark Broadbent has spent the last few years volunteering his time, helping with the user group and SQL Saturday in Cambridge, UK. He has volunteered to speak and write about SQL Server. I would venture to guess that some portion of you have been helped by Mark’s willingness to share his knowledge. At the same time Mark and his wife, Lorraine, have been dealing with Lucy’s struggles at home.

I’d like to make a wish come true for Lucy and her family. Lucy loves Disney, and I’d like to send the entire family to Walt Disney World in Florida. This is a gift, a gift for a person in our community, a gift that will bring some joy after all they’ve been through.

I’m asking you to join me. I’m asking you to donate funds to help us bring the Broadbents from their home in the UK to the US for a vacation, for a break from the strife in their lives. Lucy is doing well, but she has a long road ahead, and I’d like to bring some joy to a little one that didn’t deserve the struggles she’s faced. I’m asking you to show some love for a member of the #sqlfamily that could really use it.

I’ve set up a fundraiser on YouCaring.com, and started off the donations with $200 of my own money. I rarely attach my name to donations, but in this case, I’m hoping to inspire a few of you to join me in trying to raise the $15,000 this will cost.

Whatever you can give is appreciated. $5, the cost of a coffee, or maybe the $10 cost of a quick lunch, or more if I’ve touched you. Maybe a few of you might even get your company wants to participate. Every bit helps, and we’d very much appreciate your generosity.

I’m asking you to pause in your life when you read this. Imagine your child were sick, or a niece or nephew, or even the child of a good friend. Imagine the worry about the child’s future. Imagine the stress from bills and the struggles as you try to somehow work while a child suffers at home or in the hospital.

Now reflect on your good fortune.

Join me in showing the world just how amazing the #sqlfamily can be and make Lucy’s #sqlwish come true.

View the fundraiser at Youcaring

UPDATE: Thank you very much for your support. We achieved our goal in one day and I’m am so proud of the #sqlfamily out there. On behalf of the Broadbents, thank you for your generosity and support.

Steve Jones

The Voice of the DBA Podcast

Listen to the MP3 Audio ( 3.9MB) podcast or subscribe to the feed at iTunes and LibSyn.

November 12, 2015