Voice of the DBA

Category: Blog

  • Connecting to a Specific Port–#SQLNewBlogger

    Another post for me that is simple and hopefully serves as an example for people trying to get blogging as #SQLNewBloggers.

    I recently blogged about finding the port your SQL Server uses. At the end of that post I showed a connection to a server using a port. This is something I’ve used rarely, but it’s been very helpful.

    The specification for specifying a port can vary. For example, my build server at home runs TeamCity on port 8077. In my case, the URL to connect is:

    http://192.168.1.201:8077/overview.html

    If I had an FQDN, I might have this instead:

    http://Atlas.dkranch.net:8077/overview.html

    When I connect to SQL Server, I get this dialog:

    2016-11-15 15_28_10-Connect to Database Engine

    Some of you might note there is a “Connection Properties” tab, but there’s no port setting there, even if you choose TCP/IP.

    2016-11-15 15_28_27-Connect to Database Engine

    When I connect, I give a server name. In the example above, I used “.\SQL2016”. The default is that my client will try to connect on 1433 or use the SQLBrowser to get the port. However, I could specify the instance name like this:

    .\SQL2016, 1433

    For this instance, that wouldn’t work as the port is 6077. I’d have to write this:

    .\SQL2016, 60087

    But since I’m choosing a port, I don’t need that. I can use

    .,60087

    and I’ll connect.

    Learn to use the port in your connection string. At some point, this will help you to troubleshoot connection issues.

    #SQLNewBlogger

    This is a quick, easy post to write. It’s five minutes work for most of you. Maybe 10 if you have to Google/Bing.

  • Live #SQLintheCity–Behind the Scenes

    Here’s a shot from our engineer, behind the scenes of my live talk today.

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  • SQL in the City Prep

    I’m at the Redgate Software offices this week. I come over to visit the company, my boss and our department, and talk to product development groups a few times a year.

    IMG_0185

    This time I’ve been mostly focused on the SQL in the City 2016, which is being streamed this year from the office. A room has been set up with a variety of equipment to broadcast our presentations.

    IMG_0173

    We’ve been shooting some pre-recorded fillers this week as well as practicing our live sessions. I’ve got two tomorrow, one with a co-presenter. Today was practice time, working on timing, delivery, and remembering there’s a camera.

    rehearse

    I’m excited for tomorrow, and things seem to be coming together. Now it’s time to call it a day at the office, get some dinner, and then rehearse a bit more.

    See you tomorrow or Thursday. The content is the same, so you can tune in either day.

  • Using ReadyRoll to Automate Database Migrations

    I like ReadyRoll, and this week at SQL in the City 2017, I get to show some of the product off. I’ll be doing mostly demos and coding, live, with ReadyRoll, sending my code through from development to QA to production.

    Despite the power and ease with which I use SQL Compare, SQL Source Control and the DLM Automation tools, I really like the ReadyRoll paradigm. It’s not better or worse, but it’s a method I’ve been more comfortable using to deploy code to databases. It’s the type of process I’ve had to manually build in the past, but now it’s much easier with the ReadyRoll project and plugin for Visual Studio.

    Join me and see how I use ReadyRoll to write code, track it, and then deploy it to various other environments.

    We’re broadcasting a virtual SQL in the City this year, on December 14/15. The same content is both days, spread out to cover different time zones on each day. I hope you’ll join us and see what Redgate has in store for 2017.