Top features you need in a SQL Server transaction log reading solution

Audited DML and DDL operations

Challenge

While a plethora of information on changes made to a database is recorded in transaction log files, SQL Server transaction log reading has always been a big challenge for all SQL Server users since Microsoft never offered a built-in solution which would allow users to immerse themselves and explore the depths of transaction log files. Furthermore, lack of in-house features that would help understand, process, or analyze information within the transaction log files practically made it mandatory for users to turn towards 3rd party solutions.

April 3, 2020

How to get a list of available SQL Server instances on your local network

ApexSQL Discover - Usage Statistics

In this article, we will show how to use the ApexSQL Discover tool to list all available SQL Server Engine, SQL Server Reporting Service, SQL Server Integration Service, and SQL Server Analysis Service instances that are installed in the current domain, remote domain or a specific IP addresses or TCP ports range.

March 27, 2020

SQL dependency viewer

Dependency viewer pane in ApexSQL Analyze

In the relational SQL Server database systems, objects can have different relationships (SQL dependency) with each other. Objects such as views, stored procedures, functions can depend on other objects and understanding SQL dependency between objects can be very important in situations when there is a need to update or delete objects that depend upon other objects.

March 25, 2020

How to easily pass SQL Server audits

Report preview

Internal and external audits are becoming a mandatory requirement in companies world-wide, SQL Server audits included. There are many global auditing compliance standards like HIPAA, GDPR, PCI, which require companies to audit numerous events, including data changes, access and more. Furthermore, internal management and auditors often come up with additional auditing requirements, of which, the following are the most frequently represented requirements when performing SQL Server audits:

March 4, 2020

SQL Server extended properties

Modify SQL Server extended properties

SQL Server extended properties feature can be very handy in SQL Server because it allows us to store additional information about SQL objects. Developers often need to store information about each SQL Server objects, like information about stored procedures, what those procedures do, etc. which is also a way to create a self-documenting database.

February 21, 2020

Top features you need in a SQL Server auditing solution

SQL Server auditing - Configuration screen in ApexSQL Audit

There are many SQL Server auditing solutions available on the market since the audit requirements are building more and more. Over time, we can see the increased number of both internal and external compliance standards which impose numerous auditing requirements for different business areas and models. More often than before, companies have to ensure they comply with two, three or even more SQL Server auditing standards at once, making it paramount to equip themselves with powerful and versatile auditing solutions that will allow many different features and ensure compliance with present requirements.

February 4, 2020

How to clone a SQL Server database from Prod to Dev safely

ApexSQL Mask - Manual mask 1

When working as a SQL Server database administrator, one of the common tasks that will be requested from you is to clone the SQL Server database from the production and restore it to the development environment. This process can be performed easily by taking a backup from the production database, copy it to the development server and restore it to the development SQL Server instance there. But this happy scenario is not valid in all situations. This is due to the fact that the production database contains important and critical information about the customers or the employees that should be kept securely and away from the non-authorized user’s hands.

October 25, 2019

Regulatory SQL Server compliance using data masking

ApexSQL Mask - Script File

Compliance and regulatory

In general, the SQL Server Compliance concept is used to describe the ability to conforming to the ordered instructions, policies or the rules that are internally or externally drawn.

October 16, 2019

Recommended methods for SQL database scripting

ApexSQL Script - database scripting execution

There are numerous reasons why exists the need for SQL database scripting, i.e. transform objects to their T-SQL form. One can say that it comes natural from a need to recreate some objects on another database, some objects are needed to be sent to developers for editing, or at least to keep the scripts as one form of database backup.

July 4, 2019

How to set email notifications for SQL Server Index defragmentation jobs

ApexSQl Defrag_Configure schedule for SQL server Index defrag policy

SQL Server index is used mainly to retrieve data from the database tables quickly, by seeking the requested records in the table index directly, rather than scanning the overall table records. The database transactional tables are changing very frequently, and these changes will be reflected in the related table indexes. Due to these changes, the index becomes fragmented over time, with its pages stored in an unordered manner.

June 13, 2019