Voice of the DBA

Author: way0utwest

  • Searching Binary Data in SQL Server

    More and more data collected in organizations is in an encoded format, essentially a binary classification of data. These can be images, audio files, video, or even common formats like Word and Excel files. This data contains lots of important data, but the formatting must be stripped out in order for users to effectively search this data.

    This presentation starts with a discussion of the three types of data in SQL Server to set the framework. It demos and explains:

    • structured data
    • semi-structured data
    • unstructured data

    The talk then looks at how unstructured data is stored in SQL Server, specifically briefly looking at Filestream and Filetable.

    There is a short discussion of full text search, with a look at the changes in SQL Server 2012 before moving on to the iFilter interfaces which are used to search the binary data while ignoring the encoding. There are demos of the basics of CONTAINS and FREETEXT searches, along with some of the more advanced options, like customizable NEAR and weighting of search terms.

    The talk finishes with a short look at the new semantic search feature in SQL Server 2012.

    Level: 200

    Length: 60 minutes

    Downloads: PPTX, code

    Presentation Schedule:

    June 1, 2013 – SQL Saturday #200 – Philadelphia

    May 3, 2013 – SQL Bits XI

    April 7, 2013 – SQL Saturday #197 – Omaha

    October 30, 2012 – SQL Connections, Fall 2012

  • Getting Control of Your Instances with Policy Based Management

    Managing lots of database or instances in an efficient manner requires a DBA to find automated ways to ensure their databases are configured correctly. In SQL Server 2008, Policy Based Management (PBM) was introduced to help DBAs implement a framework across their systems.

    This presentation discusses the philosophy of managing systems in groups and with declared rules, policies, and procedures. PBM is discussed from an architectural standpoint, as well as with practical demonstrations of policy creation, import, export, and limitations. There are also demonstrations on how to execute policies outside of the PBM interface using Powershell.

    Level: 100

    Length: 60 minutes

    Slides: PPTX, code

  • Checking In

    Just checking in for a few days

    It’s been a crazy couple of months for me, with the US tour of SQL in the City and the fallDevConnectionsconference taking me away from the ranch and to a variety of places. Those events had me away from home and delivering 14 talks on a variety of topics with a few more coming next week at SQL in the City – Seattle 2012. I’m just stopping by for a few days at home before I head back out to the Pacific Northwest for a few days.

    My job is not the typical job that DBAs have, and my schedule results in a number of trips all around the US and sometimes to Europe. Despite that travel, my daily chores still need to get complete. I don’t have to manage servers like many of you, but I do have a certain number of processes that need to run every day and require me to prepare things in advance when I’m away. I’m glad for all the automation since I’m not sure how I’d cope otherwise.

    It’s not that much different than my former production DBA routine. There were times when I was in a class, or attending an event, or even working on a large deployment of some application. At those times I’d often be away from my desk, and less available then other times, but I still had to keep an eye on the rest of the systems. Like many of you, I setup automation, crossed my fingers, and hoped that no major issues would crop up while my attention was focused elsewhere.

    Over time I learned to let go a little as a DBA. If something broke, then it had to wait, or a manager had to decide which crisis needed to be handled first. I realized I couldn’t stress myself out about other systems and had to count on them running while I was away. These days I also do the best I can, but I also realize that at times I might have something break while I’m away. I have to trust that someone else will fix it, or I’ll deal with it when I return.

    Next Thursday.

    Steve Jones

    The Voice of the DBA Podcasts

    We publish three versions of the podcast each day for you to enjoy.

  • Software Teams

    Teamwork is important

    Today’s editorial was originally published on Dec 10, 2007. It is being re-run today as Steve is at DevConnections.

    I definitely used to not trust developers. At least not with my database code, requiring them to send requests to me and I’d build tables, stored procedures, etc. Over the years as I’ve talked to others and become a little more mature, I’ve started to believe that I can trust them more and let them build objects. I still think I need to review their work, but they can be trusted to get the job done their way.

    Apparently I’m not the only one and this is a good blog entry on software teams and some of the issues with managing developers. In the post Jeremy Miller talks about the need for teams to work together with great communication and not be bound or regulated by external groups that just want things to flow a certain way.

    It’s probably a lot of common sense, but it’s really good advice that you have knowledgeable people within and outside of the development team. You include people in discussions about architecture or implementation, you invite collaboration and you trust your people.

    Trust.

    That’s the big word and despite the fact that many of us say we trust our teammates, too often we just do something outself rather than ask or expect someone else to do it. Or trust that they will.

    We may say it’s because it’s quicker, we don’t have to explain it, we were already working on something similar, or many other reasons. But often it’s that we trust ourselves more than others.

    That’s understandable, but it doesn’t build a strong team for the long term. Working with others, letting them make some mistakes, maybe even take a little longer than you would, will pay off over time as you learn to trust each other, count on each other, build that bond that only a team that has all members working as one unit can achieve.

    And achieve a synergy that produces from work from the team than would come from the sum of each individual’s efforts.

    The Voice of the DBA Podcasts

    The Great Music

    The podcast feeds are now available at sqlservercentral.podshow.com to get better bandwidth and maybe a little more exposure :). Comments are definitely appreciated and wanted, and you can get feeds from there.

    Today’s podcast features music by Joe Sibol. If you like it, check out his stuff on iTunes or at www.joesibol.com.

    I really appreciate and value feedback on the podcasts. Let us know what you like, don’t like, or even send in ideas for the show. If you’d like to comment, post something here. The boss will be sure to read it.