09Sep 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Developers Rate Azure One of Their Favorite Tools

Azure
Yeah, Azure. How we program, what we program and where we program is changing. All the time. This excellent article lays out a bunch of the trends that are going on within software these days. And one of the single biggest parts of this trend is the fact that more and more things are online. In the cloud, if you insist. Clearly, despite unusual (and I would argue, unreasoning) resistance from my fellow DBAs, Azure is absolutely becoming "a thing." If you're like me, as you sit around carefully weaving your buggy whips, you're also keeping an eye on the road, just in case you start to see more automobiles than horses. Maybe I'm located in a bad spot, but it's starting to look like a sixteen lane mega-highway outside…
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04Sep 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Azure Capabilities Expand

Azure
But then, the capabilities in Azure are always expanding. Here's the new stuff that was just released in a blog post on Scott Guthrie's blog. I'm interested in seeing how that automatic scaling on VMs works with SQL Server (if it works with SQL Server). Good times. And yeah, the cache is really the big news, but I'm still a relational storage monster. Can't help it. Remember, if you want to learn Azure, you can link your MSDN subscription with an Azure account. Go here for the details.
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29Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Windows Azure SQL Database and Throttling

Azure
When I present on Windows Azure SQL Database, one of the biggest concerns comes up around throttling. Just the concept that your queries might be shut down because they use too many resources tends to freak people out. I'm not sure why. I think we ought to have the same facility in the on-premises product. But, Microsoft recognizes that this is a concern and that people need better information. A new set of documentation around this topic was recently posted. Read Resource Management in Windows Azure SQL Database to get a great overview of how the throttling works and how to detect it. There is more and more information coming out on this all the time. I learned quite a few things from this documentation. Remember, the most important thing…
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27Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey 1 Comment

Check Your Azure Account Usage

Azure
It is absolutely not cool or fun to pay money to learn new technology. One of the main complaints people had for learning Azure (and AWS for that matter) is that they had to register with a credit card and actually put their own money on the line to try stuff out. One could argue that maybe a cost to learning isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, there were a number of horror stories of people inadvertently being charged hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars because they didn't track their usage. If you register your Azure account through MSDN, that problem is completely eliminated.  No credit card at all, and a free account that can never cost you money. But, there is a budget, a cost limit, that you have…
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22Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey 2 Comments

Get Started with Windows Azure SQL Database

Azure
Learning new things can be daunting. First, you have to come up with the spare time. Then you have track down resources. For computers, computing and programming, this is both extremely easy and extremely difficult. That difficulty is especially true when it comes to gathering resources for learning things that, while you learn, are potentially going to cost you money. It's a difficult decision to make to risk cash on exploring a new technology. Here's the good news, for several reasons, you don't need to sweat this to get going with Windows Azure SQL Database (WASD). A couple of years ago Jamie Thompson (b|t) set up an account on Azure, all on his own, that allowed people to connect up to it and play with a copy of the AdventureWorks…
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19Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Azure Changes, While I’m Working

Azure
My laptop is out for repair. I'm working currently on a Surface Pro instead. It's spurred me to do something I've been meaning to do anyway. I've started setting up a full demo & testing VM on Azure. I already had the VM up and running (it takes 5 minutes for crying out loud), but I hadn't bothered setting up Red Gate software on it and getting it fully prepped to support my work, demos, or whatever else I might need. But, I finally did. It's working out surprisingly well. I just have to remember to shut the silly thing down when I'm done with it or it does start to bite into my MSDN credit. Anyway... I was working on the VM for a big chunk of the day…
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15Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey 3 Comments

Azure and Your MSDN Account

Azure
I've heard over and over again that the reason people don't want to learn Azure, to explore it, to understand where it's applicable to them and their business (and where it's not, because, it does have well-defined limitations) is because they don't want to pay for it. Fine. Don't. Do you have an MSDN account? What? You do? Then you have access to a credit in Azure and an account with a spending limit. Your credit level is dependent on what level of MSDN you currently subscribe to, but who cares. You not only will NOT pay anything to play in Azure, you will NEVER pay anything. You can't go beyond your limit. Want some more incentive (not that you should need any now)? Cool. Set up your Azure account…
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07Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

24 Hours of PASS Streaming Available

Azure, PASS
If you missed the 24 Hours of PASS Summit 2013 Preview, you missed some excellent sessions. I watched a few, but not all. But now, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I can go back and catch the ones I missed. You can too. I'd like to call out my session, Be a Successful DBA in the World of Cloud and On-Premises Data. I know that my fellow DBAs and database developers are largely dismissive of Azure. I get it. But I really think you're missing out on this. It's another excellent tool in your toolbox that you need to start taking advantage of. Little things like getting a quick and easy installation of SQL Server 2014 or Windows Server 2012 R2 up and running. Helpful things like the…
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05Aug 2013 by Grant Fritchey 19 Comments

Be Cautious Offering Guidance

Azure, SQL Server, T-SQL
Guidance is hard. Seriously, you'd think it would be easy. You'd think you say things like, don't shrink your database, most tables should have a clustered index, never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line, don't mix sharks and tornados, and that would be it. You'd be done. But it's not that easy. Even worse, it's SHOCKINGLY easy to get stuff wrong. An example. I was looking at information over at Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN) in the SQL Server Books Online. I was reading through information about wait types when I found this little beauty: Occurs when trying to synchronize the query processor exchange iterator. Know what that is? Yeah, OK, a few of you who memorize wait stats do (shut up Tom), but most of us…
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29Jul 2013 by Grant Fritchey 1 Comment

Azure for Prototyping and Development

Azure
Psssttt! Developers. Man, have I got something good for you. Are your DBAs slowing down your development processes? Are they keeping you from flying down the track? Bypass them. Let's assume you're working in the Microsoft stack. Let's further assume you have an MSDN license. Guess what? That gives you access to Azure... hang on, come here. You want to hear this. Let me tell you a quick story. See, I'm not a developer (not anymore). I'm a DBA. Wait, wait, wait. I'm on your side. It's cool. I'm just like you guys, but in a different direction. See, I had a database designed and already up as a Windows Azure SQL Database. I'm working with a number of Boy Scouts on their Eagle projects. They're going around to all…
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