Voice of the DBA

Category: Blog

  • Using SQL Compare in Read-Only Databases

    Recently a customer asked if SQL Compare and SQL Data Compare can be used with a read-only database as a source. It’s a good questions as I’ve seen some tools that create temp tables or do some other work in a source database, which might cause problems. Certainly someone running SQL Compare against production would want to ensure it works as a read-only application.

    This post will look at SQL Compare with a database set to read-only. I’ll do a second post on a login that only has read authorization.

    This is part of a series of posts on SQL Compare.

    Setup

    I’ve got a couple of databases that I use for Compare demos. In this case, compare5_prod and compare1. The compare5_prod is set to read only, as you see below.

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    My connection is as a sysadmin, but that doesn’t override a read-only database. As you can see below, Compare works fine:

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    This is because SQL Compare is not writing anything to the database. We read metadata and then process that in-memory on the client before returning the results.

    You can see this also works in SQL Data Compare.

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    Summary

    This was a very simple example, but I find that clients always would prefer to see examples already completed and proof that something works when they are evaluating software. Hopefully this helps answer this question.

    SQL Compare is an amazing tool that millions of users have enjoyed for 25 years. If you’ve never tried it, give it an eval today and see what you think.

  • Denver Dev Day Oct 2024 Slides

    Here are the slides from my talk today: CI in Azure DevOps

    If you have questions, please feel free to contact me (top menu above).

  • Should I Learn PostgreSQL

    I got asked this question recently:

    I constantly see PostgreSQL on Microsoft slides, email, ads, etc. My MCADAA exam started with an entire section on it. I’m trying to determine if it’s worth focused study and training time. Roughly how much of the Azure cloud database space does PostgreSQL occupy? Should I include it in my personal training program?

    It’s a good question, though I am assuming that MCADDA is the Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate cert. That page describing the exam only mentions Azure SQL (SQL Server), and not PostgreSQL, so while I think Azure SQL for PostgreSQL is good to learn, I think the cert preparation needs an update if that topic is on the exam.

    In any case, should you learn PostgreSQL?

    I’ll give you the DBA answer: it depends.

    Ask yourself some questions:

    • Does your org use PostgreSQL or are they planning to do so?
    • Are you going to stick with your company for a few more years?
    • Are there more things you should be learning in the area you do work now?
    • Are there things you should become more skilled at that your company values?
    • Do you know what the opportunities are for people that know PostgreSQL well?

    Depending on the answers, I may or may not recommend you spend time there. If you have other things to learn that might be better at your current job, either the job you have or one you might want, then focus there. If your company does (or doesn’t) value PostgreSQL, then that influences your choice as well.

    PostgreSQL is growing fast. DB-Engines shows growth across a few platforms, and PostgreSQL is doing well.

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    The StackOverflow developer survey shows similar results:

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    However, those are general results. Your specific situation is different. Think about it and ask the question above to lots of people.

  • A New Word: Hickering

    hickering – n.  the habit of falling hard for whatever pretty new acquaintance happens to come along, spending hours wallowing in the handful of details you can gather about them, connecting the dots into elaborate constellations, even imaging an entire future together – images that have no particular purpose, except that they’re kind fun to think about.

    This sounds like a teenage love story habit, which I see from kids I coach, or from my kids in the past.

    I’m not often enamored with new friends, and can be a bit wary or distant. I certainly get that from my parents, who were a little hesitant to add new friends. I do make new friends, and I find people very interesting in new ways, but I rarely feel hickering where I try to learn more about them.

    I tend to flow in life and enjoy the interactions without looking to make them more or less important than there are in the moment.

    From the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows