Expanding Your DBA Horizons: Installing PostgreSQL in a Home Lab

Are you diversifying your DBA skillset? My recent job search made one thing clear: the database landscape is broader than just SQL Server and Oracle. More and more companies are seeking experience with open-source platforms like PostgreSQL and MySQL.   While I’ve always focused on SQL Server, I recently deployed PostgreSQL for a project and Read More …

Scaling PowerShell – Lessons from a Technical Interview

Recently, I was in a technical interview where the topic of running PowerShell at scale came up. Although I’ve worked with PowerShell for quite some time, I realized I’d grown comfortable with “my” environment. Script runtimes and long-running processes were not a significant concern.   I’d encountered PowerShell jobs and parallel execution before, but never Read More …

Troubleshooting SQL Server – Starting with the Error Log

We’ve all been there. Someone walks up and asks, “Is SQL Server having issues?” What’s your first move? For me, it starts with the SQL Server Error log. I zero in on the timeframe the requester mentioned and begin my investigation. Quick Review via SSMS For a fast, no frills check: Connect to the server Read More …

How to: Regain SysAdmin Access to a SQL Server Instance Without the SA Password

Hello, reader! Today, I’m going to walk you through a scenario that many DBAs encounter: accessing a SQL Server instance when you don’t have the SA password, and no login has SysAdmin privileges. Problem Have you ever inherited a SQL Server instance or been called in to troubleshoot, only to discover that no one has Read More …