One of the tools that I like to have on every server is Port Query. Port Query has been available as a free utility for many years. The purpose of this tool is to query ports using either TCP or UDP protocols. Under the hood it uses a simple command line application that talks to different services listening on different ports. As a DBA I use this tool on a regular basis to test that ports on a database server are listening, and more importantly, that they can be reached from application servers.

I have only started properly using Kanban over the last couple of months. I have used it at work on a large project, a smaller project and I use it to my manage my own tasks. It is this last use that has been most useful to me personally. I have access to a window that I use as a Kanban board with sticky notes of different colours representing different task types.

We are working on a Line of Business project that uses the capabilities of FAST Search Server 2010 to index selected content from a custom database. The size of the project means that we have multiple development environments, all using the same custom database but using separate installations of SharePoint and FAST Server. As part of the development process, we have a deployment guide that we have used whenever we have built a new environment.

I have been working as part of a team on a project to design and deliver a SharePoint 2010 solution to replace many paper-based processes. We have been required to understand in minute detail the day-to-day processes of a client made up of six discrete business areas. Following requirements gathering workshops, conference calls and e-mails we understand the business enough to be able to write documentation, design entity relationship diagrams and determine the best technology to use.

The following related files are samples for use with the Stored Procedure Error Handling Best Practices. Related Files Tables dbo.Error.create.sql dbo.Error.pk.sql Stored Procedures dbo.Erro_SQLTest_trn.sql dbo.Error_RaiseError.sql dbo.Error_SQLCommit.sql dbo.Error_SQLHandler.sql dbp.Error_SQLTest.sql

Over the years I have worked with SQL Server a regular requirement was the ability to log errors in the database in a way that lets them be retrieved by support teams and allows end users to have a reference number. This first part of this series will describe the design of the solution, the second part will describe the database objects, the third part will describe the implementation within stored procedures and the final part will demonstrate the solution.

In the Part 1 of this series, I outlined the design of a solution that I have used to record errors in a manner that allows a unique ID to be returned to the user which in turn can be used to trace the error. In this part of the series, I explain the database objects that are required for this solution. The next part of the series will cover the implementation of the solution within stored procedures.

In Part 1 of this series, I outlined the design of a solution that I have used to record errors in a manner that allows a unique ID to be returned to the user which in turn can be used to trace the error. In Part 2 I described the database objects that are required to implement this solution. In this part of the series I will explain how to implement this solution within stored procedures.

The importance of the sp_ prefix Using the “sp_” prefix for a stored procedure has some interesting effects on SQL Server. Firstly it looks for the stored procedure in the Master database (dbo schema) and then it looks in the current database (default schema for the user, then dbo schema). The reason it is looking in Master first is that it assumes that any stored procedure starting sp_ is a system procedure, provided by Microsoft.

I have been a long time fan of writing scripts for every action that is taken to make any changes in a database. This means that version control tools can be used to track the changes and if necessary repeat them. In previous roles I have worked in environments where it has been essential to have the ability to deploy identical alterations to multiple environments. The types of alteration that have ben required have included: