Skip to main content

Monitoring SQL Server on the cheap

Use WMI with Python. Thanks to Tim Golden, Python on Win32 (I use ActiveState Python) can use COM to talk to WMI. WMI allows you to run SQL-like queries to determine available memory, free disk space, database size, transaction log size, transaction log space available, when a database was last backed up, ... all of the good stuff.

Any DBA knows that databases need free disk space and frequent backups. I don't want to imply that this is the only work a DBA would perform, but I have worked at shops where there really wasn't a DBA in our department. My programs occasionally failed because there was no disk space, and the transaction logs had not been backed up for a few weeks (sure, the database was backed up, but not the logs).

If you don't want to use WMI, SqlServerCentral has some great articles for SQL 2000 and 2005. Give them time and they will have 2008 as well. If you want to to check a backup, try this.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Updated ActiveRecord Code Generator

Today, I updated the ActiveRecord Code Generator a bit. I checked in changes to use primary and foreign key details from INFORMATION_SCHEMA. The original code used naming conventions to decide what various fields were used for - ID = Primary Key, Field_ID = Foreign Key to table Fields. If you want to use naming conventions, let me know and I can add a setting in App.Config to allow this (along with any "real" key constraints).
4 comments
Read more

How does Rails scaffolding select HTML input tags?

Recently, a reader saw my fix for SQL Server booleans, and asked me a followup question: why does Rails display a yes/no selection instead of a checkbox? The short answer is look in {RUBY_HOME} /lib/ruby/gems/1.8 /gems/actionpack-1.10.2 /lib/action_view/helpers, but your path may vary depending on whether you are using gem, "edge rails", etc. Anyway, look in the file "active_record_helper.rb" for a method called "all_input_tags", and notice that it calls "default_input_block" if you don't supply an input_block. Now notice that "default_input_block" creates a label and calls "input(record, column.name)" which in turn calls "InstanceTag#to_tag" which finally looks at the datatype and maps boolean to a select tag. Perhaps a wiser Rails explorer can provide us with the rationale for this, but I guess we could add a MixIn for InstanceTag that redefines the to_tag() method, or just do a dirty and unmaintainable hack l...
2 comments
Read more

Destiny 2 - The Corrupted Nightfall

 == Overview == This Dreaming City Nightfall is already considered one of the most irritating strikes, in part because of bugs that sometimes prevent players from proceeding to the next encounter.  Notable bugged areas are the transition from the Elevator to the Knights Steps, and after the passage, the temple sometimes doesn't reveal a way to the shadow realm where you will take your leap. Important Note: After a "de-buff" from Particle Deconstruction, shoot the boss in the head!  It is quite effective, and can melt her with some coordination. Champions: Unstoppable and Overload Shields: Arc, Solar and Void (many shields!) Don't place your well in the open where boss can snipe the sword!  She will break your super. Pass the "Relic" (Orb) twice to maximize damage. == Loadouts == General: * Add Taken spec to every weapon Titans: * Bottom Tree Solar + Path of the Burning Steps or Phoenix Cradle * Sentinal Shield + Ursa, Aeon Gauntlets Warlocks: * Stasis + Blea...
Post a Comment
Read more