I recently received a great question through email. It was whether or not it is a good idea to have multiple SQL Server instances on a single VM. This is a fun question and I thought I’d answer it here. The answer is the ubiquitous DBA answer – “It Depends“. Both pros and cons exist…
Category: Professional Development
You Have One Job
I’m sure most if not all of you are familiar with the meme “You had one job”. I was reminded of this meme this past Friday when I headed out to run an errand at lunch time. There were 3 guys standing in the middle lane of a busy intersection, 2 were road workers and…
On Community and Recognition
Even though way early in my career I had a SQL Server MVP as a mentor (by pure chance), it wasn’t until 2008-2009 that I sort of researched a bit more about the program, and what it really meant. I was beginning to understand how powerful networking in our community really is, and how…
When DMVs Cost Me My Job
Back in early 2006, I was still working at my first ever DBA job. I had only been a DBA for a little less than 3 years, but I felt like I knew a lot. I spent every night on the forums helping people with issues as a way of learning new things myself. But…
Best Advice Ever: Learn By Helping Others
I remember when back in 2001 my friend and former SQL Server MVP Carlos Eduardo Rojas was busy earning his MVP street-cred in the NNTP forums, aka Newsgroups. I always thought he was playing the Sheriff trying to put some order in a Wild Wild West town by trying to understand what these people were…
Is Technical Writing Important?
Many Colleges and Universities now offer certificates in technical writing. As a DBA the idea of technical writing important to me (and after all I do have a blog to maintain). Technical writing can have quite a lot of scope though. It can encompass: Writing instruction manuals Building reports Creating graphs and charts Web layout…
I Survived!
Well my first SQL Saturday presentation has been completed. No one was injured, I didn’t respond to my flight (as in fight or flight) instincts, and no one heckled me. It didn’t go as well as I imagined but it was a learning experience. I will get better, so if you attended my session today,…
Presentation Ponderings
After my first presentation at SQL Saturday Pensacola, I am ready to do another and need to submit for SQL Saturday Orlando later this month. All of that is not a problem, I just don’t know if I should do what I did in Pensacola and expand on it because the audience seemed to enjoy…
T-SQL Tuesday #028 – Jack of All Trades, Master of None?
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard that phrase. Are you specialized? On something? Or anything at all? Has that been a good or a bad thing? Why? Are you the SQL guy at work? Or the one who does everything? Do you code? And
The Loneliness of the On Call DBA
There are lots of great things about being a SQL Server DBA. You get to play with lots of cool software; get the chance to spend someone else’s money on hardware; constantly be in a position to learn new things; and be a member of an awesome community. With the good always has to come…