Clean up SQL code from variables you don’t use

Writing and maintaining simple code for stored procedures and functions has never been a problem. However, maintaining complex code, with dozens of parameters and variables, and thousands of rows of SQL statements is. One of the things that the life make easier is to have clean code – without unnecessary and unused parameters and values.

Removing a parameter or variable from code in a production database can cause some problems. They can be easily solved by applying the original object code from a database backup, assuming it can afford the luxury of downtime.

April 4, 2013

How can I make my custom applications self auditing?

SQL developers are increasingly required to include tracking data changes into their custom applications. The information about what change was made – insert, update or delete – who made it, when, and also which computer and application was used, is very useful and can be essential for troubleshooting.

April 4, 2013

Restore only specific data from SQL backups

If there is a need to quickly revert an inadvertent change such as an Update without a Where clause, to recover missing or corrupt data, to move data across development, test, integration and production environments or even just to avoid generating a report using a busy production SQL Server database as a data source, it brings the question if there is a way just to restore specific rows instead of restoring the whole database backup.

April 4, 2013

How to change an object name without breaking your SQL database

Very often, initial database design does not fit the current criteria and requirements anymore. It is therefore necessary to periodically align to what our current needs and standards are. When working with a large database, any idea of changing the name of one or more SQL objects can be a real challenge.

Changing an object name is a simple operation and it could be done easily using the sp_rename system stored procedure or by utilizing the rename and alter … rename statements for indexes and triggers.

April 4, 2013

How to safely delete SQL database objects

When trying to delete a database object, which has an object that depends on it, no problems can be caused, since it will not allow to be deleted:

Drop failed for Table ‘HumanResources.Employee’. (Microsoft.SqlServer.Smo)
Could not drop object ‘HumanResources.Employee’ because it is referenced by a FOREIGN KEY constraint.

April 4, 2013

How to document SQL databases automatically

Many DBAs think of database documentation as “grunt work”. It’s one of those tasks that you never have enough time for, as you’re always busy with other higher priority tasks.

But what if it could be made automatic?

April 4, 2013

How to recover only objects from SQL Server database backups

Every production database requires maintenance and improvements in order to meet the ever-changing demands. The easiest way to test the new requirements, such as new functionalities and improvements, is to try them on a test database.

So, creating the test base from the backup of the production database would be the easiest way… at least that’s what it looks like. But, is this really the case?

April 4, 2013

How to recover objects that are missing as a result of a SQL injection attack

All of a sudden, you realize that something’s wrong with your database objects. Some stored procedures are missing, functions are there but they don’t work as expected since their code seems to be altered, and some triggers are created and fired which enhances the chaos you’re in.
After the initial shock, you start investigating. Don’t rule out a SQL injection attack, as it’s one of the most common web application security issues.

April 4, 2013