Mockup data - 70% off this week for SansSQL Readers

What is MockupData

MockupData is a a software designed for Windows that generates a large quantity of realistic data for testing and demonstration purposes. Names will look like names, addresses will look like addresses, and phone numbers will look like phone numbers.

Why MockupData?

First off, large quantities of realistic data make test runs more realistic than just a handful of lines filled with random gibberish. Functional testing catches more bugs, saving you and your company both time and money. Plus filling your databases with a large volume of data allows for stress and performance testing to take place.

Secondly, real looking data makes more sense to anyone inspecting the application. Testing teams and company representatives will love seeing endless lines of real data, rather than a couple lines of random keystrokes. It simply makes everyone’s job easier.

MockupData will always be able to populate your databases when you have no previous information available (such as for a system in development) or privacy restrictions prevent you from using current information.

Finally, if you ever find yourself presenting your software to potential clients, you won’t want to pass up this software. How many clients have passed on your product simply because it had a “raw”, “unfinished” look to it due to fake data?

MockupData will help you make the best impression when selling your software to businesses. They want to see a finished product. They want to see what the software will look like with thousands of their clients inputted into the system. You simply can’t show them realistic results with fake data.

Click here to read more about MockupData
To get the Offer code write to sandeshsegu@sanssql.com. This exclusive Offer is valid till December 8th, 2013.

Upgrade Error - Valid Database compatibility level and successful connection rule

Recently when I was trying to upgrade an SQL Server 2008 R2 instance to SQL Server 2012, I was presented with an error during the upgrade rules validation.
The error message was, "The report server database is not a supported compatibility level or a connection cannot be established."

When I checked the reporting server databases, the databases had the right compatibility level.

Then I found that the SQL Server Name defined in the Reporting services configuration manager was not existing. This caused the validation rule to fail.

After changing the SQL Server Name to right server name, all the validations passed and it let me upgrade the SQL Server Instance. 

Change SSAS Deployment mode from multidimensional to tabular mode without reinstalling Analysis Services

It so happens that sometimes minds change easily and things needs to be done without reinstalling.
One such case is changing the Deployment mode of SSAS from multidimensional to tabular mode in SQL Server 2012.
To change the deployment mode

• Backup the multidimensional Analysis services databases on the instance (if any)
• Detach the multidimensional Analysis services databases from the instance (if any). These databases will not be usable in tabular mode
• Navigate to the path "<Install Location>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSAS11.MSSQLSERVER\OLAP\Config" and backup the file "msmdsrv.ini"
• Open the file "msmdsrv.ini" and change the value of DeploymentMode to 2.
  0 - Multidimensional
  1 - SharePoint
  2 - Tabular
  
• Re-Start the SQL Server Analysis services 

SSAS multidimensional mode - Before Change

SSAS tabular mode - After Change

Error while installing SQL Server 2012 - Access to the path 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\License Terms\SQLServerDenaliCTP_License_EVAL_1033.rtf' is denied.

When installing SQL Server 2012 you might run into an error which says "Access to the path 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\License Terms\SQLServerDenaliCTP_License_EVAL_1033.rtf' is denied."

To workaround this error, browse to the path "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\110\License Terms\" and change the property of file "SQLServerDenaliCTP_License_EVAL_1033.rtf" to remove "Read-Only" and then click "Retry" and the installation will continue.

When was my database last taken Offline or Online

Here is a T-SQL script which tells when and who took the database offline or online recently.
This script utilizes the default trace and if the trace is reset after the database went offline or online then you have change the trace file path and name in the script.

DECLARE  @DBNAME nvarchar(100)
  ,@FileName nvarchar(max)
  ,@spid int
  ,@LogDate Datetime
  ,@Status nvarchar(10)
  
SET @DBNAME = 'AdventureWorks2008R2' -- Change DB Name
SET @Status = 'OFFLINE' --[OFFLINE or ONLINE]
SELECT @FileName=[path] FROM sys.traces WHERE is_default=1

DECLARE @ErrorLogTable table (Logdate datetime, ProcessInfo nvarchar(10), [Text] nvarchar(max))

INSERT INTO @ErrorLogTable
EXEC xp_readerrorlog 0,1, @Status, @DBNAME, NULL, NULL, 'desc'

SELECT TOP 1 @spid=cast(SUBSTRING(ProcessInfo,5,5) AS int)
   ,@LogDate=cast(Logdate AS nvarchar) 
FROM @ErrorLogTable

SELECT DatabaseID, DatabaseName, HostName, ApplicationName, LoginName, StartTime
FROM sys.fn_trace_gettable( @FileName, DEFAULT )
WHERE spid=@spid and DatabaseName=@DBNAME and CAST(StartTime AS nvarchar)=@LogDate