What I did for the week ending 2018/02/16

Before I get into the mundane things for this week, I'd like to point out that all support for SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 is ending on July 9, 2018. Microsoft's page covering this is here.

Some things to consider:

• If you are subject to data regulations such as HIPAA, PCI and perhaps even SARBOX, running an unsupported version of your relational database manager may put you out of compliance. 
• Even if this is not the case for your organization, migrating to a supported version may provide significant performance benefits. I've never heard anyone say "My database is too fast". 
• With data compression now a feature of the Standard Edition, you may be able to realize savings in storage space, I/O bandwidth and related resources. 

If you have SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2008 R2 databases that you need to migrate to a supported version, I can help. Contact me. I have experience with nearly every obsolete version of SQL Server, going all the way back to SQL Server 6.5.

Here are my online learning experiences for this past week, in no particular order:

• Test-Driven Development with Pester, with June Blender on YouTube
• Running SQL Server Integration Services within a SQL Server Virtual Machine to do More with Less Money with Jimmy Wong at SQL PASS Summit 2016

Other things I've been working on this week:

• I've written some data-import code in PowerShell. SSIS seemed overkill and the client doesn't have any SSIS resources to support a SSIS project. 
• I've been trying out sp_blitz. While I knew about sp_blitz, I had never taken the time to look at before. It's actually found a few curiosities that had never noticed in certain old databases.
• I found one or two "quirks" in dbatools. 
• During my "training time" this week, I have been concentrating on reviewing for the 70-463 test which I intend to take this quarter.