Tag: syndicated

  • Daily Coping 5 Nov 2020

    I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

    Today’s tip is to set a goal that links to your sense of purpose in life.

    My purpose in life is to help others. I do this in a few ways, but one of them that I’ve been wanting to tackle is to find a new way to volunteer locally.

    Today, I’m setting a reminder to take my volunteer day from Redgate this year and spend it with a local group.

  • Redgate SQL Data Masker Refreshing Schema

    This is a quick blog to help me remember what is going on with the Data Masker product. This is for the SQL Server version, but I believe the Oracle one is very similar.

    I added a new column to a table, and I had a masking plan already built. How do I get my masking plan to show the new column?

    Here is my masking plan:

    2020-10-27 10_56_12-simpletalk_5_prod_ Data Masker for SQL Server

    I added a new column to the DCCheck table, which is under rule 01-0026.

    2020-10-27 11_00_47-SQL Change Automation - Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio

    If I open that mask and add a new column, I get this, but I can’t expand the dropdown. All the columns in this table are masked, and data masker doesn’t know about the new one.

    2020-10-27 10_57_23-Edit Substitution Rule

    I need an updated schema, as the rules do not update in real time. To get this to work, I need to return to the masking plan and double click the controller at the top. This is the schema manager for my set of rules.

    Note: If I mask different schemas, I need different controllers.

    Once this opens, I can see my connection to a database. In my case, I’m building this in dev areas, so it’s pointed to the QA environment.

    2020-10-27 10_57_50-Edit Rule Controller

    If I click the “Tools” tab at the top, I see lots of options, one of which is to refresh.

    2020-10-27 10_57_57-Edit Rule Controller

    Once I pick that one, I have a bunch of more options, which gets confusing, but I can click the “refresh all tables” at the top, leaving everything alone. Once that’s done, I get a note.

    2020-10-27 10_58_12-

    Once I get this, I can return to my rule, and when I add a new column, and I see it listed.

    2020-10-27 10_58_29-Edit Substitution Rule

    This isn’t the smoothest flow, but data masker isn’t something that is likely to be in constant use. For many of us, adding new schema items is relatively rare, so we can adjust our plans as needed.

    The one good thing is that I can easily find where I need to add a column, as opposed to digging through a number of .SQL scripts.

  • Daily Coping 4 Nov 2020

    I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

    Today’s tip is to find a new perspective on a problem you face.

    I’m struggling with some motivation lately. This is conference season, and even with the pandemic, it seems like I have no shortage of deadlines, but I also seem to be finding lots of content to watch. I find myself constantly inspired by seeing what others are doing with technology.

    And yet, I am struggling to actually do something.

    Mostly, while I dabble, I find myself struggling to focus and generate some feeling of accomplishment. Really, I feel like I’m not really getting anywhere with a huge variety of new things happening around me. I’m falling behind.

    I bet many people feel the same way, but really, I am trying to turn this around. I am learning a few new things, and getting the chance to work with tools, and so I have turned my view. Rather than looking at the large group of things I’m missing, and what percentage I am not working with, I am trying to focus on the thing I am working on, and valuing the skills I do build.

  • Daily Coping 3 Nov 2020

    I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here.

    Today’s tip is to think of three things that give you hope for the future.

    Today especially, election day in the US, it likely feels hope is elusive for many, but I don’t feel that way. I do have some anxiety, but it’s mostly for the immediate changes in my country, not the future beyond the next year.

    I do have hope and here are three things that I do cling to.

    Individuals are good

    Despite the disagreements I might have with many people about how specific issues, for the most part, I find that people I encounter in life, even in this crazy pandemic world, are good. They have compassion, empathy, and kindness towards others that stand in front of them. It’s important to remember that most of our world is still our live connections, not the digital ones.

    The Next Generations Have Values Beyond Themselves

    I don’t mean to imply that my generation doesn’t think this way, but I find that so many people overall think about themselves more so than anything else. They look at their situation, or their family’s, as much more important than anything else. They have short term thinking, in general.

    Despite the vapid, immediacy of how so many young people view the world, I also find them to more often be thinking about the wider world, other cultures, the planet, and more abstract items, with less concern about money.

    A vague generalization, but one I think is hopeful for the future of many aspects of the world.

    We Locked Down

    As much as a pain as it was, and as much disruption as it caused, regardless of effectiveness, I was amazed the world pulled together to shut down most air travel, most borders, and many businesses.

    It was truly amazing to me that we were able to do this without too much resistance. I know that this has been contentious since then, but in March and April, the world amazed me. Much like I was impressed by efforts like this one.