Monthly Archives: March 2013
HyperBac No More
In case you missed it last week, Red Gate announced the death of the HyperBac tool for backup and recovery. I am not surprised by this move as the features were pretty much the same as the Backup Pro tool also offered by Red Gate. When I setup a test case for the tools in comparison with Backup Pro and native compression, it consistently had the worst compression ratios.
However, I was a little sad about the death of the Virtual Restore piece of HyperBac. This tool had great potential, especially since we just figured out how to script it to autoMAGICally restore all of our backups on a nightly basis. Maybe they will be able to incorporate this piece into the Backup Pro tool. Only time will tell, I guess. Enjoy!
Random Mirroring Facts
Today is a hodge podge of facts about mirroring, since I am in learning mode I thought I would share with you.
- Mirroring is deprecated, meaning it is going away and moving to AlwaysOn availability groups. Now is probably not the time to devise a mirroring plan.
- You can mirror some or all of your databases on a particular instance.
- You can only mirror databases in the FULL recovery model.
- Mirroring supports only one principal and one mirror.
- All versions support witness modes but only Enterprise supports high-performance mode.
- Enterprise, Standard and the new BI version all support the high-safety mode.
- You cannot mirror a database that is using FILESTREAM file groups.
- You can only mirror user databases.
Enjoy!
Restoration Recovery State Options
(Editor’s note: I just discovered that this blog did not post on 2013-Feb-06 as it was originally intended)
Yesterday, I was asked what the difference was in some of the restoration options. Thus, I thought this would make a good blog post as it is somewhat confusing in the beginning.
On the options page of the restore database interface in SQL Server Management Studio, there are several options than can be quite frightening to new DBAs. I have tried to explain them here in the order that they appear on the screen.
In the Recovery State options:
- Leave the database ready to use by rolling back uncommitted transactions. Additional transaction logs cannot be restored. (RESTORE WITH RECOVERY): Choose this option only if you are restoring the log files now (in full or bulk-logged recovery models). This is the default option and allows you to only go back to the last backup file.
- Leave the database non-operational, and do not roll back uncommitted transactions. Additional transaction logs can be restored. (RESTORE WITH NORECOVERY): Pick this option when you want to go to the very latest possible data! Leaves the database in a restoring mode as you restore the backup and then all of the transaction logs generated since the backup up to the point of failure (if possible).
- Leave the database in read-only mode. Undo committed transactions, but save the undo actions in a standby file so that recovery effects can be reversed. (RESTORE WITH STANDBY): The database will be left in read-only mode. At this point you can still apply transactions logs and is generally used when it takes too long to restore the system to a full database and you wish to use the server as a stand by server.
I hope this helps, enjoy!
SQL Saturday 192, Tampa Has Come and Gone But Left Its Mark!
This past weekend was SQL Saturday 192 in Tampa. Being my home user group event always makes this event special, however this was the first time I spoke at my home SQL Saturday and that made it an event that I will always cherish. In addition, this year, I took in a full day pre-con training on Friday with Buck Woody (b | t) and quite frankly it changed my life. How many times can you say that about a SQL training, let alone a $99 training?
I know what you’re thinking, believe me I do. How can a one day training change your life? I have spoken at two SQL Saturdays prior to this event and a couple of times at a couple of user group meetings so to say that I was a speaking novice would be an accurate term in my eyes anyway. In addition, I have had no formal training in public speaking except for the semester speech class that I nervously tried to avoid and almost vomited every time I stood up in front of the class.
This journey began in 2011 as I resolved myself in Andy Warren’s Professional Development Plan session at the Tampa BI SQL Saturday. I wanted to conquer this fear of public speaking and give back to the community. It seemed pretty simple. I had no idea how hard it would be and with my fight or flight instincts many times I wanted to just run away, but I did not want to embarrass myself in this community and that held me accountable.
After taking Buck’s class entitled “Creating Your Best Technical Presentation: A Speaker Workshop,” I now feel that I have the skills necessary to put together a decent presentation and deliver it without embarrassing myself. The presentation this past Saturday went well considering that I did not rewrite it, I also did not want to run or vomit and those are great things in my book. Now I have to go back and rewrite my presentation with the skills that I have learned. If you ever get the opportunity to take this class at a local SQL Saturday near you, do it!
Enjoy!
SQL Swampland 