SQL Azure Federations are here. At least on my server…

Late tonight I tried something that I didn't think would work because @@version on SQL Azure didn't report anything different from last week. (Microsoft SQL Azure (RTM) – 11.0.1814.30 Nov 21 2011 16:46:09 Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation). It didn't work last week. But it does work now. That's the last time I listen to @@version… […]

Speaking at Portland SQL Server User Group this Thursday

It's gotten around to the week of the Portland, Oregon, SQL Server User Group meeting. And there's not only going to be a holiday dinner, but I've volenteered to speak again. This time, it's about parameterization and autoparameterization on the server and with clients, sure to create more than a little discussion. Join us for […]

Four SQLskills Immersion Events coming to Chicago in April 2012

Got to take some time out from research and writing because yesterday Paul Randal announced SQLskills' first series of SQL Server Immersion training classes for Spring of 2012 in Chicago. They'll be 4 (count 'em) immersion-level class for DBAs, Database Developers, and Business Intelligence Specialists in a two-week stretch. Time to bring your career potential up a […]

Auditing database-level objects in SQL Express 2012

… Continued from previous blog entry …  The point of using a Server Audit Specification with database events in SQL Server 2012 is this. In SQL Server 2008, audit is an Enterprise-only feature. Only available in Enterprise, Evaluation, and Developer Edition. In SQL Server 2012, one of the new features (to quote BOL) is: "Support […]

Using filtering and server audit specs to audit DB objects in SQL Server 2012

I've always been pretty "standard" in my approach to SQL Server's auditing feature. That is, Server Audit Specifications are for auditing server-level objects and Database Audit Specifications are for auditing database-level objects. There have always been a few "Audit Action Groups" that pertain to database objects that could be specified in Server Audit Specifications. An […]

Local Windows Groups for Service Accounts (almost) gone in SQL Server 2012

When I installed CTP3 of SQL Server 2012 (on Windows Server 2008 R2 OS), I noticed that the "Service SID account" (known as the Managed Service Account) was directly available in the setup dropdown box, selected it, wrote a blog entry mentioning it, and went on. Lately, I've been looking at the local Windows groups (or […]