Officially disguised as a Canadian
Microsoft SQL Server (all versions)
I’ve just finished writing 70-464. As I commented at the end, I found the overall quality of the exam lower than the first three I wrote. Owing to the non-disclosure I sign for every one, I can’t talk about specifics, but there were numerous typos, product references were wrong, and in some cases, I readContinue reading 70-464 – Developing Microsoft SQL Server Databases
This week is intense. Yesterday (Monday) I wrote and passed 463 with my highest score yet. This surprised me greatly. It also means that I am a Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate: SQL Server 2012.
I wrote and passed this exam yesterday and I enjoyed it more than the first one. I think this has more to do with knowing what to expect from the type of questions, as opposed to the questions themselves. I will reserve comment on what I thought of the questions, due in part to theContinue reading 70-462 – Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012
I passed. Not as comfortably as I’d have liked, but I did score 100% in the Modify Data category. The next one is in two days.
I’ve been revising something wicked for my upcoming exams. There are some very useful resources on the web, including the Virtual Labs from Microsoft, demonstrating new features in SQL Server 2012. I was also shocked by the number of “braindump” sites, and even more shocking (but somehow not surprising, given that I come from aContinue reading Revision for SQL Server 2012 Exams
I’m taking the plunge to write all five SQL Server 2012 exams that are currently available, on my track to obtain the MCSM qualification (previously known as MCM, or Microsoft Certified Master). By going public with my plan, I hope to motivate myself to spend some time preparing properly for it. But in true RandolphContinue reading SQL Server 2012 Exams
For the next two weeks, I’ll be spending time with the SQLskills.com gang again, this time for IEDev and IE4. It’s all very exciting! The hotel has even put me on the ground floor so that I don’t have any stairs to contend with.
On SuperUser.com, a question came up about how to do a proper Linux backup, including the applications installed, and associated configurations. In light of a previous post I wrote about backups and run books, I thought this would be useful information to share. I answered with a link to the original run book I haveContinue reading Where do I start with a Run Book?
I’ve been vocal for some years about the importance of backups, and I have zero sympathy for anyone who does not have good backups*. This comes with (very) painful experience: a few years ago, during the migration of data from several drives to my new computer at the time, I lost the drive everything wasContinue reading On the importance of good backups
The latest version of sp_WhoIsActive (and apparently last for SQL Server 2005/2008, according to Adam Machanic), was released a week ago. Yesterday, out of curiosity piqued by my recent three-week SQLskills training, I decided to run sp_WhoIsActive while doing a DBCC CHECKDB on a moderately large database (mainly because it takes longer, so it’s easierContinue reading Adventures in @BlobEater, sp_WhoIsActive and DBCC CHECKDB