Sometimes you become the accidental DBA, or you are the DBA by choice. Either way, you can choose to spend time working in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to look at things such as backups or the ...

When I (along with many other people) had a lot of trouble trying to install SQL Server Management Studio in an attempt to switch from the SQL Server 2008 R2 evaluation to the free Express version, I ...

Let's follow up the last column with a step-by-step breakdown shows how the PowerShell script automates SQL Server backups, manages retention, logs activity and verifies data integrity. In my first ...

In a previous article, I talked about getting started with managing SQL server using PowerShell and the Server Management Objects (SMO). While that was mostly spent making the connection and doing ...

In SQL Server 2005, Microsoft introduced the Upgrade Advisor. This was a great idea to be able to analyze your current SQL Server in a safe environment and start the planning process of an important ...

It's not 2008 anymore. Joey details the ins and outs of upgrading these aging Microsoft servers, including licensing changes, support options and potential pitfalls. It was a simpler time. A decade ...

Brien M. Posey is a freelance technical writer who has contributed to dozens of books and is a six-time Microsoft MVP award winner. SQL Server 2005 reaches its end-of-life milestone on April 12, the ...