Want to Talk SQL Server? Check out the Sqlmag.com Forums

Maybe it’s the change in seasons, or building excitement before SQL Server Magazine Connections and the other DevConnections conferences—but something’s gotten into SQL Server forum members to make them even livelier than usual. At the time of this writing, the SQL Server General Discussion forum (sqlforums.windowsitpro.com/web/forum/categories.aspx?catid= 74&entercat=y), the second most popular forum behind SQL Server 2005 Administration, has had 19 posts with 69 replies in the past week—and that’s just one of 30 forums. Here are a couple of forum areas you’ll want to take a look at.

Database Backup and Recovery Worldviews

If you’re looking for a thought-provoking online conversation, head over to the ongoing discussion about database backup, restore, and disaster recovery in the SQL Server General Discussion forum at sqlforums.windowsitpro.com/web/forum/messageview.aspx?catid=74&threadid=87792&enterthread=y. There, you’ll find forum member dbbyleo’s well–thought-out explanation of his approach to database backup and recovery.

Here’s an excerpt from the post: “First, I approach recovery from the instance level, not the individual databases. While a SQL Server instance is made up of systemand user-databases, I make no distinctions between them in terms of recovery—the instance is the whole ‘database.’ Second, I approach it so that it will ultimately allow me to do a ‘displace’ recovery... not just an ‘in-place’ restore. In other words, be able to restore the database on the current host (‘in-place’), such as in a case of a media or other failure where the host is intact—which is usually the common, easy case. But above that, be able to recover the database onto another host, such as in a case of a catastrophic failure of the original host.... In the world of SQL Server, there seems to be a disconnect between how user databases should be backed up (and restored) from the way system databases should be backed up (and restored). Most people make distinctions between these databases when it comes to backup and recovery.”

As you might expect, Leo’s post generated some energetic debate, like these sample comments. “The trouble with your thinking is that system databases have some server-dependent information. So restoring them on a different server is a guarantee for the creation of a DBA’s nightmare,” countered SQLUSA. And Pro Pete responded, “I’m not sure really why there is all this fuss regarding the restore/recovery process. We are all agreed that whatever recovery/restore approach is used, the key to a viable strategy is to ensure that you have appropriately up-to-date backups of everything....” Discussions like this one show that there’s no shortage of good ideas and strong opinions in the SQL Server Magazine community!

Feedback Wanted

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