SQL Server, PASS, and other data mishaps
Archive for March, 2010
Whose got my DAC?
Mar 4th
What is the DAC?
The Dedicated Admin Connection, Commonly called the DAC is used to manage SQL Server when a regular connection wont succeed. Here’s what SQL Books Online (BOL) has to say about the DAC “This diagnostic connection allows an administrator to access SQL Server to execute diagnostic queries and troubleshoot problems even when SQL Server is not responding to standard connection requests.”
DAC Errors
Occasionally, while troubleshooting SQL servers in a large environment, especially one thats managed from many different geographic locations you could come up with this error, if more than 1 person is using the DAC. It should also be noted this only happens if you have remote DAC enabled in your environment
Error 17810
Could not connect because the maximum number of ’1′ dedicated administrator connections already exists. Before a new connection can be made, the existing dedicated administrator connection must be dropped, either by logging off or ending the process. [CLIENT: 127.0.0.1]
Since I could still connect with a regular connection currently, I set out looking for a query to determine who was using the DAC connection. I whipped this up, and since I couldnt find anything in search, I thought id blog it
select conn.session_id, sess.login_name, sess.nt_domain, sess.nt_user_name, conn.connect_time, conn.last_read, conn.last_write, sess.host_name, conn.client_net_address
from sys.dm_exec_connections conn
join sys.endpoints edp
on conn.endpoint_id = edp.endpoint_id
join sys.dm_exec_sessions sess
on sess.session_id = conn.session_id
where edp.is_admin_endpoint = 1
This should return everything you need to know about who is using your DAC connection so you can ask them to disconnect, or KILL their connection.
Convincing your boss to pay for your training
Mar 1st
Things are tight
It seems like budgets are being cut everywhere, and IT training seems to be one of the first places cut. In an earlier post I outlined where you could get a lot of valuable training for relatively little cost. In this post I will explore a few methods that have worked for me over the years to get your boss to say YES to paying for you to refresh your fountain of knowledge.
The direct approach
It may seem obvious but, if you don’t ask your employer, they cant agree to send you to a SQLSaturday, or to the annual SQLPASS Summit. So sometimes its just as simple as broaching the subject with your boss. But before you try that continue reading!
Explain the ROI
Many times the people who make the final decisions about training forget what a struggle it can be to not only stay current on technology but to actually excel with it. Last year PASS put together a very good list of ROI points This could be used for any SQL event, make it work for you.
Volunteer
If you volunteer for SQLPASS (at the local or national level) you may be eligible for a discount admission to the annual summit. This discount can range anywhere from 100$ all the way up to a full comp (free) admission. Armed with the discount, and your ROI documentation it can be quite a bit easier to convince your boss to send you to a weeks worth of invaluable training that they perceive to be discounted.
Offer to partner
A few years back this might have been unheard of but, I’ve recently decided to start trying this method to get approval for some training. Try to combine the ROI documentation with an offer to pick up 1/2 the tab for the training. For instance, split the cost, ask them to pay the airfare to a SQL Saturday, while you pick up the hotel, food and ground transportation. Another idea, offer to pay the airfare/conference registration(Free if you volunteer enough) and let them pick up the rest to send you to the SQLPASS Summit. Either way its a win-win for both parties, you get to make a small investment in your career, and it shows your employer your serious about that career.
Mix and Match
Hopefully you can take a few of these ideas and mix-n-match them to reach the ultimate goal of getting your desired education.
PASS Value Allocation
Mar 11th
Posted by Allen Kinsel in SQLPASS
1 comment
Listening to the SQL community over the years, I thought Id take a second to put a quick thought out about why I believe PASS makes almost every decision it makes as an organization.
As a non-profit, Its all about money value, and its use to support the community. Almost every decision that is made within the organization has a value cost, whether that value is actual dollars that need to be spent, or if its a volunteers time, nothing is free or limitless. Just because Microsoft decided that the top tier SQL engine will now cost 58k per processor, doesn’t mean they are giving that money away freely to user group organizations.
If you’re unhappy with where the organization is allocating its resources, Contact them directly, or probably even better contact all of the board of directors (protip: email format ) let them know you want things to have a different priority, if that fails, they have elections every year, VOTE!