Author: SQL Padre

Optimize SQL Server Deployment with PowerShell and DBA Checks

SQL Padre Powershell, SQL, SQL Toolbox , , , ,

In my current role I inherited a very long and complex PowerShell script that actually installed SQL Server. This script was almost 1500 lines of code and it scared me. But to my surprise there was a way to install SQL without clicking check boxes! You would set a few parameters in a config script like name of server, service accounts and volume information to name a few. Then of course execute the 1500 hundred lines of code, one script block at a time. Nice thing about this script is you could setup multiple block sets of parameters and actually perform multiple installations at the same time. I could actually build a 3 node cluster in time it took to do just one server! Believe it or not, in my 20 years of managing SQL Server I have only used the instalation wizard to install SQL Server. So, unlike most of my readers this was brand new to me.

In trying to learn more about this “wizardary” known as Desired State Configuration, I like many before me decided to read. And I read to only get more confused. DSC is a very complicated and SQL DSC is even more complicated at least to me. The more I read about DSC and the more I used the script the more I realized there has to be a better way. As time passed, requirements changed, specs of servers changed, the DSC script had to be changed. It got to the point that it would fail move often than succeeding. I understood the concept; but apparently I was not a DSC PowerShell developer.

So I took it upon myself to develop a new method of remotely installing SQL Server using PowerShell, DBA Tools, DBA Checks and a few little home grown functions.

First I laid out the steps that would need to be done in any SQL Installation. These really are straight forward.

  1. Pre-Check — way to verify server OS, volumes, and patching
  2. Install SQL SQL Server — perform this task per our companies policy
  3. Post-Check — configuration, installation of tools needed by DBA Team and adding monitoring
  4. Validation — determine a method to validate SQL is running per CIS standards.

Each Step will be elaborated on in future blog posts with.

SQL Padre…..???

SQL Padre Career

What’s the story behind your nickname?

I am a father, but my children do not call me “Padre”. I received my nick name back in 1991 while staffing the Boy Scouts of America national high adventure base, Philmont Scout Ranch.

I was a Wrangler on staff at Philmont and Rod Taylor, Philmont’s full-time Cowboy gave me the nickname when he learned I was aspiring to be an Episcopal priest.

I have kept the name through the years, as my pledge name for Kappa Kappa Psi and some of my friends do call me Padre. When I began blogging it only made sense to become “SQL Padre”.

Know you now….

Reading more…

SQL Padre Family Time, Helping ,

This is not a pity post!!!

Being dyslexic, reading is hard and frustrating especially for someone whow actually enjoys absorbing knowledge and learning.

I have actually read very little in my life time but now I hope to change that. I am starting to read again, and to help me keep focused I hope to write about the things I read. These will be work related, but mostly pleasure reading. Warning: I love Star Wars.

I won’t abondan technology based posts, in fact my next read is DBATools in a month of lunches. I am still very interested in learning about my craft.

First up, MASH by Richard Hooker. As a fan of the movie and TV series, I knew I had to read this. I am not sure what I was expecting but it was a little bit of a let down. The movie (for once) was actually a little better than the book. The story lines were more fleshed out in the movie. And the movie had a few additional story lines that were not in the book. But all in all, a good read.

To-do lists

SQL Padre SQL

Something on your “to-do list” that never gets done.

Well, this WordPress prompt is really quite easy to answer: writing blog posts!! Ha ha

I always have great intentions of writing, but I always fall short. I truly thought being a new “empty nester” I would have more time on my hands. Well, that didn’t go as planned.

And the embarrassing thing is I absolutely love training, learning new things and imparting that knowledge. For the past 15+ years, I have been an adult volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America. In that time, I have participated in local, regional and national training courses. I was instrumental in beginning out council’s University of Scouting. I have staffed multiple local, regional, and national training courses for both youth and adults. I have presented multiple times at various SQL Saturdays. I saw all that not to brag, but to show I truly do love training and imparting knowledge. I guess I am more of an in person trainer, not a writer.

One of the hardest part of writing is determining the subject matter. I believe if given a topic, I could figure it all out. Another issue with flogging is the fear that I am writing about things that have been done to death. No one wants to read duplicate topics. It is hard to be original.

I hope to do better. I will set new goals and task myself with doing one blog post a month to start. If I can accomplish that, maybe increase frequency of blog posts. Maybe, haha!