SQL Tip: Change coloring on status bar of SSMS

New SQL Tip - SET XACT_ABORT ON

I have a new SQL Tip about SET XACT_ABORT.  If you're unfamiliar with this setting, you should definitely spend three minutes and watch this tip:



CREATE TABLE t1(
col1 INT PRIMARY KEY)

GO

INSERT INTO t1
VALUES
(1)
,(2)
,(3)
,(4)-- Assuming SET IMPLICIT_TRANSACTIONS is OFF

INSERT INTO t1
VALUES(1)

INSERT INTO t1
VALUES(99)
-- Which rows get inserted?
SELECT * FROM t1-- Which rows get inserted for this explicit transaction?
BEGIN TRANSACTION;
   INSERT INTO t1
   VALUES
   (1)

   INSERT INTO t1
   VALUES
   (100)
COMMIT TRANSACTION;
GO-- Which rows get inserted?  Did 100 get inserted?
SELECT * FROM t1-- With SET XACT_ABORT?
SET XACT_ABORT ON;
BEGIN TRANSACTION;
   INSERT INTO t1
   VALUES
   (1)

   INSERT INTO t1
   VALUES
   (200)
COMMIT TRANSACTION;
GO
DROP TABLE t1



New SQL Tip: The Mouse Middle Button

Proper Dashboard Design

Made a new SQL tip:  Dashboard design - 2 minutes - 

Against the Cloud

I talk to a lot of people about their opinions about the cloud.  I find that most sysadmins, network managers, and IT-Pro staff members are strongly against the cloud.  I repeatedly hear the same reasons why they don't like it:

1)  The company will lose control of their resources and will have to trust a 3rd party.

2)  The 3rd party will not be as responsive to tech support issues as on premise IT guys.

3)  The cloud goes down a lot.

4)  What happens if your cloud vendor goes out of business?  

5)  Once you choose a cloud vendor, you're tied to it.

6)  They won't customize their offerings to fit our special needs.

When I talk to developers about the cloud, they love it.  When I ask them why they don't just stay on premise, they answer with these reasons:

1)  Internal IT is too slow to respond to our needs.

2)  Internal IT is too overworked to do what I ask them to do when I ask them to do it.

3)  It's too expensive.

4)  Internal IT tends to go down a lot, while the cloud stays up more often.

5)  Internal IT knows that I'm a captive customer.  Unless I have executive buy-in they will ignore me.

6)  Internal IT won't customize their offerings to fit my specific needs.

I think the real reason why IT-Pro staff don't like the cloud is that they don't all want to end up working for Amazon, Microsoft, or Google.  I think they realize that once all of the infrastructure is in the cloud, that's where their jobs will go.  I think all of the other reasons are really minor compared to that central one.

I think developers love the cloud because they gain control over the resources where they felt they lose them when it goes on-prem.  I also think C-levels love it because it's cheaper and more predictable.

Good Quote for Business Intelligence

"An ounce of hard data is worth a ton of speculation"

SQL Pass Architecture Slides

SQL Pass Architecture SQL Tips & Tricks from Ike Ellis