A discussion on Database Administration As A Service™ (remote dba) & other news items that catch my attention
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Posted by Michael Corey on Tue, Jun 30, 2009 @ 10:12 AM
The latest tip in SQL Server Magazine on OS-Level fragmentation. This really caught my attention. Brian Moran wrote the tip that is someone who knows a lot about how a SQL Server database works it.
One of the points Brian made really caught my attention. To quote the write-up:
Remember that SQL Server can report 0 percent fragmentation even when the on-disk files are horribly fragmented. SQL Server doesn't know or need to know how the OS physically lays out the bits on disk; it's the OS's job to manage physical bits on disk. However, because SQL Server doesn't know how the bits are laid out on disk, SQL Server has no direct way to report about file fragmentation.
This really caught my attention. You think everything is ok because the database is reporting back o percent fragmentation, when in reality the disk you are relaying on is heavily fragmented.
Anyone who has ever taken the time to defragment the hard drive on their PC knows first hand what an impact disk fragmentation can have on overall performance. A good rule of thumb to use would be 20% overall performance impact. IE: a heavily fragmented disk was causing your overall performance to degrade by 20%.
So Brian’s tip in SQL Server magazine takes you past the typical look at fragmentation using the DBCC SHOWCONTIG command. Which will looks at fragmentation within the SQL Server database to how to look at fragmentation beyond the database and within the OS. Which is also impacting your database performace.
Here is a link to Brians Article
Tip: Fighting OS-Level Fragmentation
by Brian MoranFounder & CEO, Ntirety www.ntirety.com My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey
Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety
Posted by Michael Corey on Mon, May 25, 2009 @ 07:20 PM
It’s been a very crazy month. For those who follow my blog regularly you know I try to post at least once a week. When its been close to a month since my last posting. A lot has happened. I recently had a birthday; I was lucky enough to attend the Collaborate 09 conference in Orlando. Like all of you I am dealing with the impact this economy has on my company and my life. A lot has happened. My next blog has to do with Job Advice for IT Professionals looking for work. I had hoped to write a blog on this topic, but Craig Mullins beat me to the punch. I am a big of Craig’s work. Like all of Craig’s writing it offers practical advice you can use. Here is a link to Craig’s latest article in Database Trends and Applications. Here is the link..... Advice for Job-Seeking Data Professionals My two favorite lines in the article... 
| |
The
economy is a wreck and things will likely get worse before they
improve. Unemployment is even worse; almost 600,000 jobs were lost in
January 2009, sending the unemployment rate to 7.6%, the highest it has
been in 16 years. So many data professionals are out there looking for
their next challenge … and more probably will be job hunting before the
year is out.
With
these dire statistics in mind, I thought it might be worthwhile to
offer some advice and guidance to job seeking DBAs, data architects,
and database programmers. The first bit of advice is this: If you have
a job, keep it. Now is not the time to voluntarily become unemployed |
Very sound advice.If you have a job keep it. The other item that I really liked.... What about getting a
professional certification? Well, even though I’m not a huge fan of
certification, taking some time to study and pass a certification in
your area of expertise can be a worthwhile pursuit if you are
unemployed. And sometimes it can be a difference-maker if you are up
for the same job as someone who is not certified. I agree with Craig. I am not a fan of many certifications. I have seen two many DBA's who had passed the certification exam but were not very good DBA's. I feel Criag article offers a lot of good advice and is a very good read.
Founder & CEO, Ntirety www.ntirety.com My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey
Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety
Posted by Michael Corey on Wed, Apr 29, 2009 @ 12:01 PM
Someone sent me a Youtube Video Cip in the office that caught my attention. It featured a real-life crime fighter. A man who walks the street in a mask and cape trying to help others....
Cincinnati's Masked Super Hero With the recent release of the X-Men Origins: Wolverine Movie launch the timing of this was just too good to pass up.  As I did some more research the story kept getting better and better. I always knew if there were real superheros they would come in many shapes and sizes. Well this is a registry on the Internet where they can register themself. Its also a place were you can request help from a real superhero. World Superhero Registry Next time your database is down I would suggest you call the Hero's at Ntirety. Next Time you need a man/woman who walks the street in a mask and cape trying to help others put your request in at the World Superhero Registry 
Founder & CEO, Ntirety www.ntirety.com My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey
Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety
Posted by Michael Corey on Tue, Apr 28, 2009 @ 10:08 AM
In February 08 I saw an article on Yahoo News Titled “Bird Flu Continues March 4 Years Later” by Margie Mason. The Article started like this….
HANOI, VIETNAM -
Fears of a global bird flu pandemic that once dominated headlines have largely vanished in the West, but four years after the virus began ravaging Asian poultry, it continues to quietly spread.
 Most global health officials continue to warn that the virus could morph into a disease as threatening to people as it is to chickens. Although a few are now calling the risk "overestimated," recent developments raise new concerns:
_Four people died this week in Indonesia - where the virus was first reported in humans in 2005 - bringing the country's toll beyond the 100 mark.
_India is battling its worst-ever poultry outbreak. No human cases have been reported, but experts are scrambling to keep the disease from reaching crowded Calcutta and its 14 million people.
_Pakistan and Myanmar both reported their first human infections in December. That brings to 14 the number of countries where the virus has jumped from poultry to people.
To Read More Of This Article....
What Concerns me most as I read…
“Most global health officials continue to warn that the virus could morph into a disease as threatening to people as it is to chickens.”
This thought get even scarier when you think that there are man made viruses out there also. What is clear is this is a risk factor that companies should be thinking about.
Is your Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server database ready if a Pandemic Flu hits. My last blog January 31, 2008 Titled “Internet Outage That Hit India, Middle East” drives the point home that In this global world we live in, events around the world will effect us is ways they never have before.
People in the health care profession feels it’s just a matter of time before a Pandemic Flu hits us. We have a number of clients that use Ntirety remote DBA service as part of an overall plan to help them support their databases in the event of a Pandemic Virus outbreak.
It’s a risk factor that companies should be thinking about. The fact this bird flu could morph into a disease as threatening to people as it is to chickens just brings this point home again.
Well it's April 2009 and the Swine Flu has hit the United States. Its Airborne. The Worst Case for something like this.
For more information about seasonal
flu, pandemic flu, avian flu and swine flu, please visit the websites
listed below or contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health,
Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at 617-983-6800.
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health website on influenza
http://www.mass.gov/dph/flu
• Center for Disease Control (CDC) websites on swine flu
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu
Posted by Michael Corey on Mon, Apr 27, 2009 @ 09:18 PM
I have posted a copy of the Massachusetts Public Health Sheet on Swine Flu. Also at the end of this posting will be a link to web sites where you can get the latest most accurate information. PUBLIC HEALTH FACT SHEET
Swine Flu
Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108
What is swine influenza?
Swine influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by a type of influenza virus. Outbreaks of swine flu happen regularly in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Most commonly, human cases of swine flu happen in people who are around pigs but it’s possible for swine flu viruses to spread from one person to another. In the United States there were 12 cases of swine flu in people from 2006 through 2008. In March and April 2009 there have been many more cases of swine flu than usual in both Mexico and the U.S. and the infections have spread from one person to another.
What are the symptoms of swine flu in people?
Swine flu causes symptoms very similar to seasonal (or human) flu. The most common symptoms of swine flu, like seasonal flu, are fever, cough, and sore throat and can include body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also have diarrhea and vomiting. There have been some people with swine flu who have been sicker and have even died.
Is swine flu treatable in people?
People sick with any type of flu should make sure to drink enough fluids, get plenty of rest, eat healthy foods, wash hands frequently and stay home to avoid spreading the flu to other people. The kinds of drugs used to treat seasonal flu, called antivirals, can also be used to treat swine flu. There have been a few influenza viruses, including the most recent swine flu, that are resistant to some, but not all, of these drugs. Healthcare providers may recommend that people who are sick or appear to be sick with swine flu receive an antiviral medication.
How would I know if I have swine flu?
If you have symptoms of influenza as described above, and especially if you have recently traveled to an area where there have been human cases of swine flu, contact your healthcare provider who will decide what type of testing and treatment is right for you. To diagnose any kind of flu virus, a swab of the inside of your nose needs to be collected by a doctor. Identification of a swine flu virus requires special laboratory testing.
If you think you might have swine flu and you need to see your health care provider, you should call ahead and let them know you might have the flu. That way, precautions can be taken to avoid the spread of flu to others.
What if I recently traveled to a region where swine flu in humans has been found?
If you have recently traveled to an area affected by swine flu, be watchful for any flu-like symptoms. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, stay home to avoid exposing others and contact your healthcare provider; your healthcare provider will decide what type of testing and treatment is right for you. To diagnose any kind of flu virus, a swab of the inside of your nose needs to be collected by a doctor. Identification of a swine flu virus requires special laboratory testing.
How can I protect myself and others from swine flu?
You can protect yourself and others from swine flu the same way that you can protect yourself from seasonal flu. Avoid holding, hugging, kissing, or shaking hands with anyone who has a cold or the flu. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes. Clean things that are touched often like door handles, telephones, etc. If you get sick with a flu-like illness say home from work and school and avoid contact with others so the virus does not spread.
All people with swine flu who are not hospitalized, and their household and other close contacts, will need to stay at home to prevent spread of illness to other people. If I have swine flu, can I stay at home? People with mild or moderate illness can and should be cared for at home to prevent spread. Things people who have swine flu who are cared for at home should do include:
• check with their health care provider about any special care they might need if they are pregnant or have a health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or emphysema
• check with their health care provider about whether they should take antiviral medications
• stay home for at least 7 days after onset of illness; or until free of symptoms (including fever) for 24 hours, which ever is longer
• get plenty of rest
• drink clear fluids (such as water, broth, sports drinks, electrolyte beverages for infants) to keep from being dehydrated
• cover coughs and sneezes. Clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub often and especially after using tissues and after coughing or sneezing into hands.
• Never cough in the direction of someone else.
• avoid close contact with others – do not go to work or school while ill
• be watchful for emergency warning signs (see below) that might indicate you need to seek medical attention
Get medical care right away if the sick person at home:
• has difficulty breathing or chest pain
• has purple or blue discoloration of the lips
• is vomiting and unable to keep liquids down
• has signs of dehydration such as dizziness when standing, absence of urination, or in infants, a lack of tears when they cry
• has seizures (for example, uncontrolled convulsions) is less responsive than normal or becomes confused
Is there a vaccine for swine flu? No. Right now there is no vaccine for swine flu. According to CDC, it is unlikely that the vaccine for seasonal flu will prevent swine flu. Is it safe to cook and eat pork and pork products?
Yes. It is safe to eat properly handled and cooked pork and pork products. Swine flu viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Why is swine flu important? Approximately every 20-40 years, a new strain of the flu virus appears which is very different from the ordinary seasonal flu virus. When this happens most people do not have immunity to this new strain of flu virus and it can spread to many people, across the world, over a short period of time. This is called an influenza pandemic. Some people think that swine flu viruses might play a role in the start of the next pandemic.
For more information about seasonal flu, pandemic flu, avian flu and swine flu, please visit the websites listed below or contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at 617-983-6800.
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health website on influenza
http://www.mass.gov/dph/flu
• Center for Disease Control (CDC) websites on swine flu
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu
Posted by Michael Corey on Thu, Apr 23, 2009 @ 05:42 PM
I was using my twitter account Michael_Corey when I saw a post from Jerell that really caught my attention. Nearly 25% of companies may not be going concerns. Being a graduate of Bentley University (Bentley College when I attended) you came out of there with a strong understanding of accounting even if you were not an accounting major. This twitter post immediately caught my attention. In accounting "going concern" refers to a company's ability to continue functioning as a business entity To think that 25% of companies auditors were concerned really caught my attention. To quote the article in CFO.com... The auditors of nearly one-quarter of publicly traded companies feel that the companies may not live out the year.
Here is a link to the article... Auditors: Nearly 25% of Companies May Not Be Going ConcernsA research firm predicts 3,589 public companies will report that their auditors doubt they will continue as going concerns. Sarah Johnson
- CFO.com | USApril 22, 2009 Here is a link to the article... Auditors: Nearly 25% of Companies May Not Be Going Concerns
Founder & CEO, Ntirety www.ntirety.com My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey
Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety
Posted by Michael Corey on Wed, Apr 22, 2009 @ 09:34 PM
I found a great article on The Register website from the UK. It had some great quotes from Steve Ballmer concerning the Oracle Sun deal. Here is a small portion of the article. Microsoft's DNA won't permit Oracle-Sun deal
Ballmer knows his knitting
By Gavin Clarke in San Francisco Posted in Software, 22nd April 2009 21:53 GMT
Comment When Steve Ballmer tackled
the inevitable question on a Microsoft hardware acquisition, in the
wake or Oracle's planned purchase of Sun Microsystems, he was "sticking to the knitting."
"I have no idea why a software company would buy a hardware company," Microsoft's chief executive is reported to have said. That's not to say Microsoft is
impervious to one big trend working its way through the market for
storing, serving, and understanding information that Oracle occupies:
the trend for getting fast access to huge quantities of data on massive
networks and making sense of it. Far from it.
Increasingly, a hardware and software stack tuned to the needs of a
combined database, storage system, and processing unit - an appliance -
is seen as the way to tackle this.
Oracle last year announced
the HP Oracle Exadata Storage Server and HP Oracle Database Machine, a
box from Hewlett-Packard featuring a stack of pre-configured Exadata
Storage Servers all running Oracle's database and its Enterprise Linux.
It's possible that Oracle's purchase of Sun could help it turn out
more such boxes. The only question is why Oracle would want to bother
taking on the burden of running a global, hardware design and
manufacturing operation when its core competence is software. To read the entire article...
Microsoft's DNA won't permit Oracle-Sun deal
I think this has a lot to do with Larry Ellison. He has tried on a number of occasions to get into the Hardware Business. I wonder what will happen with the HP relationship now that Oracle does not need them ? I think Oracle getting access to MySql was a very smart move. They will very quicky develope a migration path from MySql to Oracle if they are smart. There is good reason Microsoft SQL Server is the fastest growing database in the Market. When you look at the total suite of develppment tools all built by one vendor, the Buisness Intelligence Capabilities, the tight integration, the price points. There is good reason people are choosing SQL Server now. Also getting there hands on JAVA was very good for Oracle. I think Microsoft is smart to stick to there knitting. 
Founder & CEO, Ntirety www.ntirety.com My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey
Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety www.ntirety.com
Posted by Michael Corey on Tue, Apr 21, 2009 @ 10:23 PM
The more I work with Microsoft the I am in awe of the many resources that are available if you just know where to look. My company Ntirety is very lucky to have a wonderful relationship with the Northeast Microsoft office. When we are not sure what is availble to us, we have a team of people who can help us. Not everyone is so lucky. This latest white paper is a great example. Here is a white paper on how to troubleshoot Performance problems in SQL Server 2008. Its a great database and this paper will go a long way to help you better understand how to make it perform toits full capabilites. Say good bye to performance issues in SQL Server 2008 with the aid of this whitepaper…
A
new white paper on SQL Server 2008 performance troubleshooting is now
available and linked from our Technical Articles node in the MSDN
Library. This paper is about 100 pages and covers the following in
depth: - CPU Bottlenecks
- Memory Bottlenecks
- I/O Bottlenecks
- Slow-Running Queries
- Extended Events
- Data Collector and the MDW
You can find the paper at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd672789.aspx
Posted by Michael Corey on Tue, Apr 21, 2009 @ 09:58 PM
Well I just got back in the country yesterday. I was in search for the perfect margarita and took cruise that stopped in Key West and Cozumel Mexico. Even thought the ship I was on had WI-Fi, I decided not to check in. As I was catching up on my many emails and twitters I saw a twitter on Craig Mullins latest article.
I am a big fan of Craig’s. He is a hands-on DBA that has that ability to see the bigger picture. He has written numerous articles that provide excellent insight into the world of DBA’s. He specializes on what I call the Dark Side, Ie: DB2. Even though he works for the dark side, his many writings carry through the other world of databases. Here is a sample of his latest article:
News, views, and issues involved in managing data as a valuable corporate asset.
If
you are currently a DBA, the title of this entry probably made you
scoff. But not everyone knows what a DBA is, does, or why they are
needed. Wouldn't it be in your best interest as a DBA if your job were
better understood and appreciated? I've written before about the qualities that a good DBA should possess, but not about all of the things that a DBA must be able to do.
Every
organization that manages data using a database management system
(DBMS) requires a database administration group to oversee and assure
the proper usage and deployment of the company’s data and databases.
With the growing mountain of data and the need to organize that data
effectively to deliver value to the business, most modern organizations
use a DBMS for their most critical data. So, the need for database
administrators (DBAs) is greater today than ever before. However, the
discipline of database administration is not well understood or
universally practiced in a coherent and easily replicated manner. Implementing
a DBA function in your organization requires careful thought and
planning. A successful DBA must acquire a large number of skills --
both technological and interpersonal. Let’s examine the skills required
of an effective DBA. General database management.
The DBA is the central source of database knowledge in the
organization. As such he must understand the basic rules of relational
database technology and be able to accurately communicate them to
others. Data modeling and database design. The
DBA must be skilled at collecting and analyzing user requirements to
derive conceptual and logical data models. This is more difficult than
it sounds. A conceptual data model outlines data requirements at a very
high level; a logical data model provides in-depth details of data
types, lengths, relationships, and cardinality. The DBA uses
normalization techniques to deliver sound data models that accurately
depict the data requirements of the business. (Of course, if your
organization is large enough a completely separate group of data
administrators may exist to handle logical database design and data
modeling.) Metadata management and repository usage. The DBA
must understand the technical data requirements of the organization.
But this is not a complete description of his duties. Metadata, or data
about data, also must be maintained. The DBA must collect, store,
manage, and provide the ability to query the organization's metadata.
Without metadata, the data stored in databases lacks true meaning.
(Once again, if your company has a data administration group then this
task will be handled by that group. Of course, that does not mean the
DBA can ignore meta data management.) Database schema creation and management.
A DBA must be able to translate a data model or logical database design
into an actual physical database implementation and to manage that
database once it has been implemented. The physical database may not
conform to the logical model 100 percent due to physical DBMS features,
implementation factors, or performance requirements. The DBA must
understand all of the physical nuances of each DBMS used by his
organization in order to create efficient physical databases. To read the remainder of the article.....
Data Management Today by Craig Mullins
Craig is also on my blogroll. Another great article by Craig Mullins Blog. Founder & CEO, Ntirety www.ntirety.com My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey
Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety
Posted by Michael Corey on Mon, Apr 20, 2009 @ 09:28 AM
I just saw this on Computerworld.... Oracle buying Sun in $7.4B deal
The move follows efforts by IBM to buy the company last month
By Patrick Thibodeau, Elizabeth Montalbano Here are my quick thoughts.... How does HP feel about that ? What is the Future of MySQL ? Given that MySQL Sales might canabolize Oracle Database sales ? Founder & CEO, Ntirety www.ntirety.com My Personal Twitter Account: Michael_Corey
Ntirety Corporate Twitter Account: Ntirety
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