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Do you Attend SQL Saturday Events

Colin Smith — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:44:11 +0000

Since we just had our first local SQL Saturday event in Phoenix, I thought I would try a survey and see if you are all attending these great events. Depending on the answers I get I am sure I will do more. So the Question is ‘Have you ever attended a SQL Saturday Event’. I am curious to see the answers as I would love to see involvement in the events grow. So please let me know.

Instant Survey: Have you attended a SQL Saturday Event?

New PS Project

Colin Smith — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 22:00:30 +0000

I have just been informed that I have to come up with a way to create a Dynamic Distribution Group in exchange. I have the criteria but I have no clue what a Dynamic Distribution group in and how it is different then a Distribution Group. So off to the learning I go but I think this will be fun and should be pretty simple. I will let you know how it goes and I will post the code for you as well.

Find Database Files with Powershell

Colin Smith — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:52:46 +0000

I recently had a request to go out and find the logical name and the physical name of mdf and ldf files in sql server. I thought this might be a good place to use powershell and the invoke-sqlcmd cmd-let that is with sqlserver2008 snapin.

Here is an example of what I did to find the files for one specific database:

$files = Invoke-Sqlcmd -ServerInstance “sqlserver” -Database “master” -Query “select name, physical_name from sys.master_files where name like ‘%dbname%’”

$primary = $files[0].name
$primary
$primary_physical = $files[0].physical_name
$primary_physical
$log = $files[1].name
$log
$log_physical = $files[1].physical_name
$log_physical

Pretty simple but this will give you the name and physical location of the files that you need. Hope that will help. I actually plan on using this is my Monitoring scripts.

More of the TV Saga

Colin Smith — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:44:15 +0000

Today is really the point of no return for me in this venture of leaving the dish behind. I recieved my shipping boxes for the LNB and two recievers that I had from the dish provider and I am taking them to the UPS Store today. Now I can not just call and say turn it all back on. So far I have been fairly pleased with the switch and I would still recommend it to anyone at this time.

Thus far I have found the using the computer with Vista Media Center and two external USB Tuners as a DVR is a great solution. Along with the ad on that I found to let me manage my recordings from the web and the DynDns setup I think it is very functional and useful. I have had some problems with the commercial removal tools that MCEBuddy uses and I have disabled that feature for now. That is OK though since I am streaming the files with PlayOn via my PS3 I can skip a minute or two in the file with now issue at all. Really my last thing was that I decided I wanted to get all of my DVD collection on to my computer so that I would be able to watch anything without having to get up to get the disk. Lazy I know, but my DVD collection is all upstairs. To accomidate this I am ripping the DVD to and ISO file using DVD Shrink. I only condone the use of this product to backup movies that you actually own. Do not steal the movies!! I Rip the DVD and remove all the audio tracks and subtititle tracks that I do not want. I then use the PS3 Media Server to open the ISO and stream it to my TV. It works great. Between having all of my DVR shows, and DVD’s available to me anytime I also have all of the internet stuff that PlayOn brings to the table. With the Plugins and what they provide out of the box I do not think I will ever pay for TV again.

Thanks to the guys at Media Mall for all the great work they have done with PlayOn and the new Wii support is great. They did a great job with the interface and well I just can not say enough good things about them. Well worth the $40 and definatly worth the free 14 day trail that you get. Check it out at http://www.themediamall.com/

Thanks again and let me know if oyou have any questions or comments.