Before you give away a PowerShell script to others, it is a good idea to digitally sign it. A signature acts like a “wrapper” for your...
Code-Signing Mini-Series (Part 4: Code-Signing PowerShell Files)
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database-tools
SQL Performance, Part 3: Multiple Table Access Methods
In part one of our overview of SQL performance we examined relational optimization; part two took a look at query analysis and introduced...
Code-Signing Mini-Series (Part 3: Reading Certificates from Personal Store)
Certificates can be installed permanently by loading them into Windows certificate store. PowerShell can access this store via its cert: drive. The...
Code-Signing Mini-Series (Part 2: Reading Certificates from PFX Files)
In the previous tip we created new code-signing test certificates both as pfx file and located in your certificate store. Today, you’ll see...
Code-Signing Mini-Series (Part 1: Creating Certs)
To play with digital signatures, and discover how you can sign scripts and modules, you first need a code-signing certificate. If you can’t get one...
Six SQL Server performance boosters with your existing hardware
Nearly all successful applications can benefit from the performance-driven strategies outlined in this whitepaper. Many of the categories and items...
Converting SecureString to Clear Text
Secure string content cannot be easily viewed: $password = Read-Host -Prompt 'Your password' -AsSecureString PS C:\> $password...
Using Catalog Files
Catalog file support (.cat) is new in PowerShell 5.1. Cat files basically are file lists with hash values. You can use them to ensure that a given...
Making Error Records More Readable
Whenever PowerShell encounters an error, it emits an Error Record with detailed information about the problem. Unfortunately, these objects are a...
Creating Write-Protected Functions
PowerShell functions by default can be overridden anytime, and you can also remove them using Remove-Item: function Test-Lifespan {...
Why your Always On solution is not always on
Microsoft markets a variety of SQL Server availability technologies under the umbrella term Always On. Always On is a broad term covers many...
$FormatEnumerationLimit Scoping Issues
As shown in the previous tip, the secret $FormatEnumerationLimit variable determines how many array elements are shown in output before the output...
Displaying Array Members in Output
When you output objects that have arrays in their properties, only 4 array elements are displayed, then an ellipsis truncates the rest: PS C:\>...
Find All Files Two Levels Deep
Yet another file system task: list all *.log files in a folder structure, but only to a maximum depth of 2 folder structures: Get-ChildItem -Path...
SQL Performance, Part 2: Query Analysis and Access Path Formulation
In part one of our overview of SQL performance we examined relational optimization and the things that impact it. In today’s blog post, we...
Deleting All Subfolders Below A Given Level
Here is another file system task that sounds worse than it actually is. Let’s say you need to remove all folders below a given level in a...
Deleting All Files from a Folder Structure
Sometimes tasks sound worse than they actually are. Let’s say you need to clear a folder structure and remove all files, leaving empty...
Key Considerations for Selecting a Database Tool
Database professionals must handle many different tasks during the work day, ranging from creating queries and scripts to comparing and editing...
Five database administration mistakes that can cost you your job
Everyone makes mistakes. Database administrators are no exception to that rule. When database administrators make mistakes, they are often the ones...
Announcing SQL Admin Toolset 1.9.2 General Availability
We are pleased to announce the general availability of SQL Admin Toolset 1.9.2. Existing users may upgrade to this version through the IDERA...
Adding RSS Ticker to PowerShell Title Bar
A new PowerShell background thread can do things for you in the background, for example updating your PowerShell window title bar with new news...
Invoke-WebRequest vs. Invoke-RestMethod
Invoke-WebRequest simply downloads the content from any web site. It is then your job to read the content and make sense of it. In the previous tip...
SQL Performance, Part 1: Relational Optimization
Application developers must code efficient SQL and understand how to optimize SQL in order to develop efficient applications. But it is not just the...
Downloading PowerShell Code
In the previous tip we explained how Invoke-WebRequest can be used to download the raw HTML content for any web page. This can also be used to...