SQL Server DB Tools

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SQL Server DB Tools

Eshika

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Points: 2046
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September 19, 2010 at 4:06 pm

#227023

Hi all,

I need your suggestion for a few.. listed

-- Which tools do we need to have to administer SQL SERVER Data Bases extensively.

-- Is is it compulsory to have the SQL Database backup tools or can we manage it by the native backup strategy.

I am confused as I see many external tools available and its hard to nail down to one.

Your response would be valuable.Thank you in advance.

Thanks,

Swetha K

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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george sibbald SSC Guru Points: 104210 More actions · Answer 1

what do you want to do with the tools? MSSQL databases can be administered perfectly well using the tools that come with the product.

As for backups a third party tool is only required if you want to compress or encrypt your backups, otherwise the native tools are by far the best.

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Evil Kraig F SSC Guru Points: 100851 More actions · Answer 2

I agree with George above.

Most of the tools you see out there are for either complex, highly repetitive and annoying tasks you'd do against incredibly large database networks, or to work with 'usually' un-intuitive data.

However, the Sql Server Management Studio (SSMS)/Enterprise Manager, query engine, SQL Agent, and DTS/SSIS, coupled with profiler, can and will do just about everything you need in SQL Server.

The reason I mention the two sides is because you're in the SQL 2k forum. It also sounds like you're just setting up to start using SQL, which means you'll be using 2k5 or 2k8.

- Craig Farrell

Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]
Twitter: @AnyWayDBA

Eshika SSCrazy Points: 2046 More actions · Answer 3

Is there any standard approach in the ways to administer the SQL Server databases. As I am new and have no experience in these I don't know where to start with. Our daily backups are causing the space constraints and transaction log needs to be handled, other tasks as a DBA I should be working on.

Is it a good approach to have our back ups compressed or is it an over head to the small growing company.

I thank you all for helping me out.

Thanks.

Adiga One Orange Chip Points: 27284 More actions · Answer 4

Adiga

One Orange Chip

Points: 27284

September 19, 2010 at 9:17 pm

#1223780

Backups are never an overhead for a DBA! Explore the various options available in SSMS/Maintenance Plans to handle backups and clean up.

Pradeep Adiga
Blog: sqldbadiaries.com
Twitter: @pradeepadiga

Hardy21 SSCrazy Eights Points: 9708 More actions · Answer 5

Hardy21

SSCrazy Eights

Points: 9708

September 19, 2010 at 10:07 pm

#1223785

SQL Server provides lots of tools to administer the database.

SQL Server also provides facility to take backup with "Compress" option. So backup size is small.

You can take backup in compress mode as well as you can enable the option using server properties-> database settings -> compress backup checkbox.

Thanks

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1000539 More actions · Answer 6

swethak13 (9/19/2010)

Is there any standard approach in the ways to administer the SQL Server databases. As I am new and have no experience in these I don't know where to start with. Our daily backups are causing the space constraints and transaction log needs to be handled, other tasks as a DBA I should be working on.

Is it a good approach to have our back ups compressed or is it an over head to the small growing company.

I thank you all for helping me out.

Thanks.

Oh dear... this is not something you're going to be able to learn correctly overnight. My recommendation is to find a good consultant who wants to stay a consultant and hire him/her for a 3 month gig to do this type of work while training you and someone else to do it. It will be worth more than you can ever imagine to your company and to you. You can't buy that kind of training any way else.

Even if you had the absolute best, most intuitive tools money could buy, it's likely you'd still be in the same trouble as you are now because there's just too much to know in a short time. Hire the extra help, like I said. It'll be absolutely worth it.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.
"Change is inevitable... change for the better is not".

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)
Intro to Tally Tables and Functions

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1000539 More actions · Answer 7

As a side bar (and, NO, I'm not a RedGate employee or salesperson), I will tell you that I've used the RedGate Backup software and between its compression abilities and ease of use, it could help you get out of the woods a bit especially if you're in a crunch for space. Remember, it's not what you can backup that counts... it's what you can restore when you need it. 😛 And I've used it for some pretty big and complicated restores in the past. What made a lot of it complicated is that the tapes actually failed on some of the full backups (physical tape problems). The Log backups were fine (for some reason). The RedGate Backup software took that all in stride without even having to think about it much. Other than that, my original suggestion sticks. 🙂

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.
"Change is inevitable... change for the better is not".

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)
Intro to Tally Tables and Functions

Evil Kraig F SSC Guru Points: 100851 More actions · Answer 8

swethak13 (9/19/2010)

Is there any standard approach in the ways to administer the SQL Server databases. As I am new and have no experience in these I don't know where to start with. Our daily backups are causing the space constraints and transaction log needs to be handled, other tasks as a DBA I should be working on.

Is it a good approach to have our back ups compressed or is it an over head to the small growing company.

:ermm::crazy:

Um, see above by Jeff for an idea. There are entire books written on this subject, and obviously you're not going to be able to go out and intern yourself for a year or so. It's a mix of experience, environment, and education. As almost always, with SQL Server, the answer is... "It depends."

Baseline: You need to determine how long you need full backups for due to auditing, you need an offline storage solution, and you need to determine how long restores take on your production server and how long un-compressing adds to that.

- Craig Farrell

Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]
Twitter: @AnyWayDBA

george sibbald SSC Guru Points: 104210 More actions · Answer 9

Hardy21 (9/19/2010)

SQL Server provides lots of tools to administer the database.

SQL Server also provides facility to take backup with "Compress" option. So backup size is small.

You can take backup in compress mode as well as you can enable the option using server properties-> database settings -> compress backup checkbox.

This question was posted in the 2000 forum so we must presume that is not available using the native tools.

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george sibbald SSC Guru Points: 104210 More actions · Answer 10

swethak13 (9/19/2010)

Is there any standard approach in the ways to administer the SQL Server databases. As I am new and have no experience in these I don't know where to start with. Our daily backups are causing the space constraints and transaction log needs to be handled, other tasks as a DBA I should be working on.

Is it a good approach to have our back ups compressed or is it an over head to the small growing company.

If you already have space constraints caused by your backups then perhaps you do need to start compressing them. Unless that space constraint is caused by not archiving to tape\deleting old backups?

Personally I would suggest Hyperbac for backup compression, its a piece of cake to install and set up and won't interfere with your current backup\restore strategy.

If training\contractors are out of the question get yourself a Database administration basics book for whatever version of SQL you are actually on (is it SQL2000?). Anyone out there got a good suggestion?

For now make sure you have maintenance plans set up at least doing full backups, log backups where the databases are in full or bulk logged recovery mode, index rebuilds and integrity checks.

And read Books Online.

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