Shoutouts
209 and counting
Peter Whyte
1 October 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Is Slow: What to Check First, in Order→“The database is slow” is four different incidents wearing the same coat. Find the one being reported and start at that step.
Peter Whyte
30 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Backup Failed or the Restore Is Stuck→Backup and restore messages sit in the same numeric range and look alike, which is why so many of these tickets start in the wrong place.
Peter Whyte
29 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Disk Is Full or the Log Will Not Truncate→These incidents look identical from the application side and have nothing in common underneath. Find your line and start there.
Peter Whyte
28 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogmsdb Is Growing: Purge Backup, Job and Mail History Safely→Four completely different things make msdb grow, and the fix for one does nothing for the others.
Peter Whyte
27 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Agent Job Failed: Finding the Step That Actually Broke→Finding the step that actually broke, starting from the line you are looking at in the job history.
Peter Whyte
26 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogLogin Failed or Permission Denied in SQL Server→18456 means SQL Server did not accept who you are. 916 and 4060 mean it did, and a database refused you. Which is which, and where to go next.
Peter Whyte
24 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogExecution Timeout Expired: Whose Timeout It Is, and What the Server Was Doing→“It timed out.” Whose timeout it was, and what the server was doing while the client gave up.
Peter Whyte
23 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogLocked Out of SQL Server: Regain Sysadmin When Nobody Has It→Everybody who had sysadmin has left and sa is disabled. How to get back in when nobody holds the keys.
Peter Whyte
20 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogThe Query Is Fast in SSMS but Slow From the Application→Why the same query takes four minutes for the application and under a second for you: two plans, cached under different SET options.
Peter Whyte
18 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogLogin Failed: Server Is in Script Upgrade Mode (Error 18401), and How Long to Wait Before You Worry→The update installed, the service came back, and every application login is refused with 18401. Nothing is broken yet.
Peter Whyte
13 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTempDB Is Full or Still Growing: Find What Is Using It, Right Now→Inserts fail, the drive alert goes off, and the file that grew is tempdb. Find what is using it, right now.
Peter Whyte
11 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Agent Will Not Start, or “Agent XPs Component Is Turned Off” (Error 15281)→Jobs stopped running or the Agent node is greyed out. Three different faults sit behind those symptoms, and they need different fixes.
Peter Whyte
10 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDatabase Marked SUSPECT (Error 926): EMERGENCY, CHECKDB, or the Backup→A database came back from a restart marked SUSPECT and nobody can connect. The order a DBA works in: EMERGENCY, CHECKDB, or the backup.
Peter Whyte
8 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCannot Connect to SQL Server: The Checks in the Order That Finds It→Every “cannot connect” message ends in a number, and the number says which checks to run. The route through all of them.
Peter Whyte
8 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server High CPU: What to Check First, in Order→“SQL Server is at 100 percent CPU” describes one of four different problems, and the first two minutes decide which.
Peter Whyte
2 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogLinked Server: Login Failed for User NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON, and Error 7391 Distributed Transactions→The linked server works when you run it on the server and fails from your own desktop. That one sentence is the whole diagnosis.
Peter Whyte
1 September 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Service Will Not Start: Error 17113, 17058, 1067 and Where the Real Reason Is→The service starts and then stops, and 1067 tells you almost nothing. The real reason is in a text file on the server.
Peter Whyte
31 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCumulative Wait Stats Lie: Measuring Waits Over an Interval→On an instance that has been up for months, the totals in sys.dm_os_wait_stats bury today under old history. Measure an interval instead.
Peter Whyte
30 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Differential vs Log Backup: Which One Restores What, and How the Chain Breaks→Which one restores what. Mid restore is the wrong moment to work out how these two differ, so the short version comes first.
Peter Whyte
27 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server MAXDOP and Cost Threshold: What To Set, and Why 5 Is Not a Recommendation→The two settings that decide when a query goes parallel, what to set them to, and why the default of 5 is not a recommendation.
Peter Whyte
23 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSilent Failures: The SQL Server Problems That Never Raise an Error→The SQL Server problems that never raise an error: not in the log, not as a failed job, not as an exception. They are found by looking.
Peter Whyte
22 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Login Migration: What Gets Silently Left Behind→Every migration guide says move the logins. What sp_help_revlogin, good as it is, quietly leaves behind.
Peter Whyte
21 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogThe sqldba MCP Server: Give Your AI Assistant a Verified SQL Server Reference→The same verified SQL Server reference, handed to your AI assistant as something it can look up rather than something it has to remember.
Peter Whyte
20 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogLogical Consistency-Based I/O Error in SQL Server (Errors 823 and 824)→Severity 24. SQL Server is telling you a read it depended on did not come back correctly, and it cannot vouch for what is on disk.
Peter Whyte
16 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Migration and Deployment→A migration fails in two places: before it starts, when nobody checked the workload fits, and after, when the logins do not match.
Peter Whyte
15 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogWindows Server OS Upgrade Runbook for SQL Server→Upgrading the operating system under SQL Server: three approaches, and the right one depends mostly on whether the instance is clustered.
Peter Whyte
14 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Version Upgrade Runbook: Side-by-Side and In-Place→Side-by-side or in-place: the choice is really a choice about what your rollback looks like.
Peter Whyte
13 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogKerberos vs NTLM in SQL Server: Best Practices→Every Windows-authenticated connection uses one of two schemes, and most teams could not say which until a double-hop fails.
Peter Whyte
13 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Migration Runbook: Standalone Instance→Moving a standalone instance to new hardware. The databases are the easy part, and what catches people is everything around them.
Peter Whyte
12 August 2026 · 21:30
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Errors: The Complete Guide→A searchable index of SQL Server errors, what each one actually means, and full write-ups for the common ones.
Peter Whyte
11 August 2026 · 20:00
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: The Script Finder→SQL Server scripts you can search by the symptom rather than the file name.
Peter Whyte
11 August 2026 · 19:30
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Wait Types Library→Hundreds of wait types, searchable, grouped by what the server is actually short of.
Peter Whyte
11 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCould Not Open a Connection to SQL Server: Error 53 and Named Pipes Error 40→The error that means the conversation never started: no login failed and no handshake broke, because nothing answered at all.
Peter Whyte
5 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCould Not Allocate Space Because the Filegroup Is Full (Error 1105)→This is the data file, not the log. Error 1105 is a different fault from a full transaction log, and a log backup does nothing for it.
Peter Whyte
4 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogLock Request Time Out Period Exceeded (Error 1222)→Error 1222 is not a deadlock, and that is the most useful thing to know about it. The two get treated as the same problem and they are not.
Peter Whyte
4 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogUser, Group or Role Already Exists in the Current Database (Error 15023)→You restored a database from another server, the application cannot log in, and SQL Server says the user already exists. Both are true.
Peter Whyte
3 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCannot Open Backup Device: Operating System Error 5 (Access Is Denied)→Almost everyone meets this the first time they back up to a network share, and spends the first ten minutes checking the wrong account.
Peter Whyte
2 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogA Connection Was Successfully Established, But Then an Error Occurred During Login→It looks like a login problem and the password was never the issue. The clue is in the first half of the sentence.
Peter Whyte
1 August 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Management Studio (SSMS): The Complete Guide→Installing, configuring and fixing SSMS, organised by what you are trying to do, with the settings and shortcuts that never earned their own post.
Peter Whyte
28 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Run a Full SQL Server Health Check→Collect, review, assess: a full picture of an unfamiliar server, with an AI reading the same evidence a senior DBA would.
Peter Whyte
28 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBCC CHECKDB Found Corruption: What to Actually Do Next→CHECKDB reporting consistency errors is one of the few moments in this job that deserves to feel urgent. What to actually do next.
Peter Whyte
28 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogParameter Sniffing in SQL Server: A Measured Example, Not Just the Theory→SQL Server compiles a plan for the first parameter value it sees and reuses it for the rest. A measured example, not just the theory.
Peter Whyte
27 July 2026
Step back and this month looks a little wild. My DBA Scripts library is live: https://sqldba.blog/dba-scripts/ 40+ practical SQL Server scripts, each one with the query, what it returns, and when to reach for it. Behind it there’s a wait-type reference, a publishing pipeline, a local staging copy of the whole site, and this shoutbox. One person, evenings and weekends, with AI as the force multiplier. This is what I mean when I say build more than you consume.
Peter Whyte
27 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTroubleshoot “Login Failed for User” (Error 18456) in SQL Server→The client message is vague on purpose. The real reason is a state number in the error log, and that number is the whole game.
Peter Whyte
27 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogPAGEIOLATCH_SH Wait Type in SQL Server→A query needs a data page that is not in memory, so SQL Server reads it from disk and the query waits until the read completes.
Peter Whyte
26 July 2026
Big shipping day. My SQL Server scripts library went live through a publishing pipeline I built with AI. It drafts the post, captures the screenshots, cross-links the related scripts and pushes it out, with me reviewing rather than typing every one by hand. Hit a bug where screenshots weren’t rendering right, fixed it at the source, then swept every post already published so nothing stayed broken. This is the build-more-than-I-consume thing actually happening.
Peter Whyte
26 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Shrink SQL Server Database Files in Chunks→When a data file has grown far past what the database needs and has to come back down, how to shrink it in small, controlled steps.
Peter Whyte
25 July 2026
AI is going to change everything, and most people still don’t believe it. That’s the part I can’t get over. The ability is sitting right here, today, and somehow I feel almost solo in using it like it actually matters. I’m not waiting for anyone’s permission to build with it.
Peter Whyte
24 July 2026
The gap between what AI can already do and what people think it can do is the widest it has ever been. I keep bumping into it in normal conversations. Meanwhile I’m one person shipping things that used to take a whole team.
Peter Whyte
23 July 2026
Built a tool today in one shot that would have cost me a whole weekend a year ago. The limit isn’t the model anymore, it’s how clearly you can say what you actually want. Get the words right and it just appears.
Peter Whyte
22 July 2026
Something else I couldn’t have built a year ago: a full copy of my site running locally, so every change gets staged and checked before it ever goes public. AI didn’t just write the code, it walked me through the whole setup as we went.
Peter Whyte
21 July 2026
Two things I’m trying to hold at once: build like mad with these new tools, and still get out to the hills and put the miles in. The balance is the whole game.
Peter Whyte
21 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Server Inventory→The step everything else is read against: none of the rest means what it appears to mean until you know what the server actually is.
Peter Whyte
20 July 2026
Started a series I actually care about: the shift happening right now because of AI, written from the inside as someone using these tools every single day, not from the outside guessing. If I’m early to this, I want a record of what it felt like.
Peter Whyte
20 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTroubleshoot SQL Server Blocking, Step by Step→For blocking that is still going on right now: why one session is holding a lock far longer than it should, worked through step by step.
Peter Whyte
19 July 2026
Been building out the hiking side too, quietly. The West Highland Way write-ups, honest gear reviews, the practical stuff I would have wanted to read before my first big trail. Scotland is the best classroom for it.
Peter Whyte
19 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Maintenance and Automation→A SQL Agent job that silently stopped running is one of the quietest failures there is. The scripts that catch it.
Peter Whyte
19 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogReading and Fixing a SQL Server Deadlock→A deadlock is SQL Server refusing to let two sessions wait on each other forever. How to read one and fix the cause.
Peter Whyte
18 July 2026
Small thing that matters more than it sounds: wired up IndexNow so the moment I publish, the search engines get pinged. sqldba.blog runs almost entirely on Bing traffic, so getting indexed fast is half the game.
Peter Whyte
18 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Performance and Troubleshooting→Turning “it feels slow” into a named, evidenced cause before you change anything, starting with wait statistics.
Peter Whyte
18 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Server and Configuration→Before performance, before security: what is this SQL Server instance, and how did it come to be configured the way it is?
Peter Whyte
17 July 2026 · 13:37
It’s my Birthday! I’m 38 years young. Life is strange, and the next years are going to be so awesome. Maybe
Peter Whyte
16 July 2026 · 09:30
I love AI. I can’t get enough of this. I look forward to spending time building with it, the limitation is AI Credits, but it’s so cool learning as you go, optimise and become more efficient with usage is the reminder along the way. One-shotting is the objective a lot of the time!
Peter Whyte
16 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Get VLF Counts→Script: how many VLFs each transaction log holds, why high counts slow recovery, and the T-SQL to find and fix them.
Peter Whyte
14 July 2026 · 15:10
Posted my SQL Server Wait Statistics Series: https://sqldba.blog/sql-server-wait-statistics/ 200+ posts all describing the internal things that a SQL engine is waiting on.
Peter Whyte
14 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTHREADPOOL Wait Type in SQL Server→One of the most serious waits in SQL Server: every worker thread is busy, and new requests do not run slowly, they do not run at all.
Peter Whyte
14 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogWRITELOG Wait Type in SQL Server→Every commit waits for its log records to reach disk. WRITELOG is present on every transactional system, and the question is whether it is a problem.
Peter Whyte
13 July 2026
Spent days on something slightly mad: documenting every wait type SQL Server has. Hundreds of them. Most people never look past the top five, but I wanted the full reference to exist in one place, in plain English, for the times you hit the obscure one at 3am.
Peter Whyte
12 July 2026 · 14:20
This page didn’t exist this morning. Built it today with AI. Designed it, staged it on a local copy of my site, pushed it live from the command line. I always wanted a shoutbox like this and never had the capability to build one. With Claude and these new models it’s just prime time to build.
Peter Whyte
12 July 2026 · 13:37
Inside Anthropic, the AI Juggernaut:
It shows the buzz in the industry, the people who are definitely ahead of the curve.
Peter Whyte
12 July 2026 · 12:30
This page exists because I want somewhere to keep the things worth remembering. Not another social network, just a running log of ideas, tools, projects and interesting discoveries.
Peter Whyte
11 July 2026 · 15:10
Discovered something good building my DBA tools: the healthcheck collects all the diagnostic data, then generates an AI prompt to review it. No API keys, no external services. You run it through whatever AI your business already allows. Plug your IDE or code environment into AI and the review does itself.
Peter Whyte
11 July 2026 · 18:00
Future projects:
- Better DBA tools
- Scotland hiking resources
- More technical writing
- More automation
Peter Whyte
11 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Backups and Recovery→Nine scripts for the whole backup lifecycle: recovery models, whether backups are really running on schedule, and recovering when you need to.
Peter Whyte
9 July 2026 · 20:30
SQL Server lesson: good troubleshooting starts with understanding the workload. Not guessing. Not changing random settings.
Peter Whyte
9 July 2026 · 19:45
Started building my DBA scripts into something genuinely useful, a collection of practical SQL Server scripts for real operational problems.
Peter Whyte
8 July 2026 · 18:30
Future idea: a proper Scotland hiking database. Routes, photos, information, planning.
Peter Whyte
3 July 2026 · 20:00
Current training mix: running, yoga, circuits, gym, sauna, steam room. The goal is long-term health and being in the best shape possible.
Peter Whyte
2 July 2026 · 21:00
Technical writing goal: write the things I would have wanted to find when I was learning.
Peter Whyte
1 July 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCXPACKET and CXCONSUMER Wait Types in SQL Server→These appear whenever SQL Server runs a query in parallel. They are coordination overhead between worker threads, not waits on a resource.
Peter Whyte
28 June 2026 · 09:15
Standing goal: a sub-50 10K. I’ve been holding 50:20 a month since race day, still running, still trying. It’ll come.
Peter Whyte
18 June 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Extended Events Tracing→What is actually connecting to this server, and is this database still in use? SQL Server does not track that for you by default.
Peter Whyte
5 June 2026
New blog post · peterwhyte.comTwenty Seconds→My first ever organised race, the Edinburgh Marathon Festival 10K. I chased sub-50 and finished on 50:20, the twenty seconds I’ve been chasing ever since.
Peter Whyte
29 May 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogWhat’s New in SSMS 22 for DBAs→SSMS 22 sits on the Visual Studio 2026 shell and ships updates roughly monthly. A DBA’s view of what actually changed.
Peter Whyte
28 May 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet SQL Server CPU Topology and Core Counts→Script: CPU layout as SQL Server interprets it, with MAXDOP and cost threshold alongside sockets, cores, and NUMA.
Peter Whyte
27 May 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGenerate Test Databases in SQL Server→Script: create batches of small randomized databases to stress-test backups, restores, and automation at scale.
Peter Whyte
24 May 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDatabase in Recovery Pending: Cannot Be Opened (SQL Server Error 945)→Error 945 is a symptom, not the disease: something stopped SQL Server opening one of the database’s files at startup. The causes, in order.
Peter Whyte
7 May 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: High Availability→Eleven scripts across availability groups, mirroring, failover clusters and replication, grouped by what they check.
Peter Whyte
1 May 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Storage and Capacity→Full data file, full log, full disk, or a file size limit nobody noticed: the capacity scripts grouped by the question each one answers.
Peter Whyte
23 April 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: The Complete Guide→The map above the maps: eight areas of the DBA job, organised around the moments you actually reach for a script.
Peter Whyte
18 April 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDBA Scripts: Security→The four questions of a SQL Server security review, from who holds privileged access to the login layer and encryption, and the script for each.
Peter Whyte
15 April 2026 · 16:40
Completed the Rob Roy Way, trail number three. One big trail a year seems to be a thing now: West Highland Way, Great Glen Way, now this.
Peter Whyte
10 April 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Transaction Log Full→The bit in quotes is the diagnosis: SQL Server has already told you which of about a dozen causes you have, before anyone reaches for shrink.
Peter Whyte
8 April 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Recovery Models Explained→Recovery models decide what you can restore and how the log behaves. Get it wrong and you lose restore precision or end up chasing log growth.
Peter Whyte
7 April 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Builds: Complete Version List and Support Lifecycle→The latest build for every SQL Server version from 2012 to 2025, what each build number means, and when each version falls out of support.
Peter Whyte
17 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTroubleshooting Database Mirroring Issues in SQL Server→Mirroring has been deprecated since 2012 and is still everywhere. Practical troubleshooting for the environments that run it.
Peter Whyte
16 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet Current Date and Time in SQL Server→GETDATE, SYSDATETIME and friends: which date and time function fits your workload and the precision each returns.
Peter Whyte
15 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCreating SQL Logins on an Availability Group Environment→Why SQL logins orphan after an AG failover, and the clean way to create them with matching SIDs on every replica.
Peter Whyte
14 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGrant VIEW SERVER STATE in SQL Server→The permission behind most server-level DMVs: what VIEW SERVER STATE unlocks and how to grant it properly.
Peter Whyte
13 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Get the SQL Server IP Address→Production-safe ways to confirm which IP address and port your session actually connected to.
Peter Whyte
12 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Error Severities Explained→What severity levels 0 to 24 actually mean, and how to read them during incidents.
Peter Whyte
11 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Right-Size SQL Server Database Files→Auto-growth is not the problem, unplanned growth is. How to size database files for predictable, controlled growth.
Peter Whyte
10 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server ALTER DATABASE SET ENABLE_BROKER Hanging→Why ENABLE_BROKER hangs, found after a failover broke Database Mail, and how to apply it without waiting forever.
Peter Whyte
9 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Ad-Hoc Update of System Catalogs Not Supported→Fixing Msg 5808 when RECONFIGURE refuses to apply: where the stale setting comes from and the safe reset.
Peter Whyte
8 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Kill a SPID in SQL Server→How to identify the right SPID, terminate it safely, and what really happens during rollback when you do.
Peter Whyte
7 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Check Blocking SPIDs in SQL Server→Two scripts for live blocking: see what is blocked right now, then identify the lead blocker.
Peter Whyte
6 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogOpen SSMS as a Different Domain User→Connecting to SQL Server as another AD account without logging out of Windows.
Peter Whyte
5 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogWorking with SQL Server Database Master Keys→The database master key anchors the encryption hierarchy. How to check, create, back up, and restore it.
Peter Whyte
4 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck SQL Server Connection Encryption and Protocol→How to verify what protocol and encryption a SQL Server connection is actually using right now.
Peter Whyte
3 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Check SQL Server Version→The reliable ways to confirm exactly which SQL Server version, build, and edition is running.
Peter Whyte
2 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogsqlcmd Examples for SQL Server→sqlcmd from a DBA perspective: where to get it, everyday examples, and an important change in newer versions.
Peter Whyte
1 February 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogInstall and Update SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)→How SSMS installs and updates now: the Visual Studio Installer, frequent releases, and the new connection defaults.
Peter Whyte
31 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSSMS Certificate Chain Not Trusted Error — Fix→The certificate chain error after an SSMS upgrade: what changed in the encryption defaults and the proper fix.
Peter Whyte
30 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server Default Ports→Port 1433 is only the default. How to verify which ports your instances actually listen on.
Peter Whyte
29 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck When SQL Server Was Last Restarted→The most reliable way to check SQL Server uptime, and why confirming it should come before assuming anything else.
Peter Whyte
28 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogUsing PowerShell to Get Last SQL Failover Time→Query cluster event logs with PowerShell to confirm when a SQL Server role last moved nodes.
Peter Whyte
27 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogEnabling TCP Connections in SQL Server→Two reliable ways to enable TCP/IP for SQL Server, Configuration Manager or PowerShell, plus the restart that makes it stick.
Peter Whyte
26 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTrack Database Growth Events Over Time in SQL Server→The default trace forgets growth events. How to persist them and understand growth patterns over time.
Peter Whyte
25 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Show Line Numbers in SSMS→Line numbers in SSMS: on by default in SSMS 21 and newer, and how to enable them on older versions.
Peter Whyte
24 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Add Columns to Tables in SQL Server→Adding columns with ALTER TABLE safely, and what to watch on large, replicated, or write-heavy tables.
Peter Whyte
23 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Restore a Database in SQL Server→Restoring a database with T-SQL or SSMS, plus the checks that matter before and after the restore completes.
Peter Whyte
23 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogList Sysadmin Role Members in SQL Server→Script: every sysadmin login with type, disabled state, and default database, for privileged access reviews.
Peter Whyte
22 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck xp_cmdshell, CLR, and Database Mail Configuration→Script: check whether xp_cmdshell, CLR, and Database Mail are enabled, for security reviews and inherited servers.
Peter Whyte
22 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogWhy Is the Database in Recovery Mode→What Recovery mode actually means, how to tell whether progress is being made, and what is safe to do when it is not.
Peter Whyte
21 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDatabase Cannot Be Opened — It Is in the Middle of a Restore→What this restore error actually means, why it is not corruption, and how to bring the database online.
Peter Whyte
21 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck AG Replica Role and Synchronization State→Script: one row per AG replica with role, synchronization state, health, and failover configuration.
Peter Whyte
20 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogKill All User Sessions on a Database in SQL Server→A review-first way to clear every session on a database before a drop, restore, or settings change.
Peter Whyte
20 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck Always On Availability Group Latency→Script: how far each secondary is behind the primary, with redo queue size, redo rate, and estimated recovery time.
Peter Whyte
19 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogEstimate Backup and Restore Completion Time in SQL Server→Query the progress of a running backup or restore directly: percent complete, elapsed time, and an approximate finish.
Peter Whyte
19 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTransaction Log Size and Usage by Database→Script: log size, used space, percent used, and recovery model for every database.
Peter Whyte
18 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet Last Database Backup Times in SQL Server→A fast check of the most recent full, differential, and log backups across an instance, before you change anything.
Peter Whyte
18 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck Disk Space on SQL Server→Script: size, free space, and percent free for every volume hosting SQL Server data or log files.
Peter Whyte
17 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogIdentify Long-Running Queries in SQL Server→Script: currently executing queries ordered by elapsed time, for live incident triage.
Peter Whyte
17 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTesting Remote Server Port Connectivity with PowerShell→Two reliable PowerShell ways to answer one question fast: can this server reach that server on this port?
Peter Whyte
16 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Check Listening Ports on Windows→Find what is actually listening on a port locally and which process owns it, the other half of connectivity troubleshooting.
Peter Whyte
16 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogScript: Identify Missing Indexes→Script: the highest-impact missing index recommendations from workload statistics.
Peter Whyte
15 January 2026 · 19:20
Channels I keep coming back to:
- Anthropic — https://www.youtube.com/@anthropic-ai
- Computerphile — https://www.youtube.com/@Computerphile
- Fireship — https://www.youtube.com/@Fireship
- Jeff Geerling — https://www.youtube.com/@JeffGeerling
- Outdoor Boys — https://www.youtube.com/@OutdoorBoys
Peter Whyte
15 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet Last Database Restore Date and Time in SQL Server→A simple historical check that answers one question: when was this database last restored?
Peter Whyte
15 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck Index Fragmentation Across All Databases→Script: fragmentation and page counts for indexes across every online database on the instance.
Peter Whyte
14 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDeleting Rows in Batches in SQL Server→Why one big DELETE can blow out the log and block everything, and the batched pattern that keeps cleanups safe.
Peter Whyte
14 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogSQL Server User Permissions Audit→Script: logins, users, groups, and role memberships consolidated across all databases in one result set.
Peter Whyte
13 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet Database Sizes and Free Space in SQL Server→Check database sizes and free space across the instance, the starting point for capacity reviews.
Peter Whyte
13 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogI/O Usage by Database in SQL Server→Script: total reads, writes, and I/O stall per database, to find what is driving disk activity.
Peter Whyte
12 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogRAND vs NEWID in SQL Server→RAND and NEWID solve different problems. When to use each for test data and random row ordering.
Peter Whyte
12 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogTop Wait Statistics in SQL Server→Script: top wait types since restart, idle waits excluded. The first thing to run in a performance investigation.
Peter Whyte
12 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogShow Database Growth Events in SQL Server→A read-only view of recent autogrowth events from the default trace, and which databases they hit.
Peter Whyte
11 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Check Transaction Log Space Usage in SQL Server→Two practical ways to check log space usage before a full log file stops your transactions.
Peter Whyte
11 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck Worker Threads and Active Sessions→Script: live worker thread usage plus all active sessions, waits, blocking, and running commands.
Peter Whyte
10 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet Database File Names and Paths in SQL Server→Query the physical file names and paths for every database, essential before moves, restores, and audits.
Peter Whyte
10 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet SQL Server Agent Job Overview→Script: every Agent job with owner, enabled state, last run, duration, and next scheduled run.
Peter Whyte
9 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet SQL Server Services Information→Script: SQL Server and Agent service details, service accounts, startup type, and instant file initialisation status.
Peter Whyte
8 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Increase Maximum Characters Displayed in SSMS→Why Results to Text silently truncates at 256 characters, and how to fix it properly.
Peter Whyte
8 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet Database Sizes and Free Space→Script: allocated, used, and free space for every data and log file on the instance.
Peter Whyte
7 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogApplying Data Retention Safely in SQL Server→Deleting old data in a controlled, repeatable way: the approach matters more than the delete itself.
Peter Whyte
7 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogEstimate Backup and Restore Completion Time→Script: progress and estimated completion time for running backup and restore operations.
Peter Whyte
6 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogChecking Table Sizes in SQL Server→The reliable ways to check table sizes, and when each fits: automation, reporting, or quick SSMS checks.
Peter Whyte
6 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck Backup Coverage Across All Databases→Script: last full, differential, and log backup per database, a quick sanity check for coverage gaps.
Peter Whyte
5 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet SQL Server Instance Configuration Snapshot→Script: a focused snapshot of the instance settings that hurt when misconfigured, across memory, security, and performance.
Peter Whyte
5 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogUnderstanding WHERE 1=1 and WHERE 1=2 in SQL→Why WHERE 1=1 and WHERE 1=2 show up in real code: deliberate patterns for query construction, not filtering.
Peter Whyte
4 January 2026
New blog post · peterwhyte.comA Day in the Life of a Remote SRE / DBA (Working from Edinburgh)→A typical day working fully remote from Edinburgh as a senior SQL Server DBA and SRE: mornings, monitoring, on-call, and the tools.
Peter Whyte
4 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck MAXDOP Configuration in SQL Server→Script: the current MAXDOP value alongside CPU and scheduler visibility, to judge whether it is sensible.
Peter Whyte
3 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogHow to Open PowerShell as Administrator on Windows→The most reliable ways to open an elevated PowerShell session, and how to check you are actually elevated.
Peter Whyte
3 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet Memory Configuration and Usage in SQL Server→Script: how memory is configured and how much SQL Server is actually using, with pressure signals.
Peter Whyte
2 January 2026
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWhen Automation Stops Helping→Automation is usually presented as progress. After years running systems with consequences, here’s where it starts getting in the way.
Peter Whyte
2 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogDisk Usage by Top Tables in SQL Server→The quickest built-in SSMS report for seeing which tables are eating space when a database grows unexpectedly.
Peter Whyte
2 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogGet SQL Server CPU Topology and Core Counts→Script: NUMA nodes, CPU counts, and scheduler distribution as SQL Server sees them.
Peter Whyte
1 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogCheck SQL Server Version and Edition→Script: exact version, build, edition, and servicing level in one row.
Peter Whyte
1 January 2026
New blog post · sqldba.blogWhat the USE Command Does in SQL Server→What USE actually changes, and the day-to-day confusion that one behaviour explains.
Peter Whyte
30 December 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comThings That Quietly Improved My Life→The changes that actually improved my life were small and quiet: less noise, more margin, easier days.
Peter Whyte
8 October 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWest Highland Way – Day 4: Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven→Day 4, Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven: across Rannoch Moor and over the Devil’s Staircase with the finish nearly in reach.
Peter Whyte
25 September 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWest Highland Way – Day 3: Beyond Inverarnan to Bridge of Orchy→Day 3, Inverarnan to Bridge of Orchy: a reset morning after a noisy camp by the A82, and the trail rhythm finally clicking.
Peter Whyte
8 September 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWest Highland Way – Day 2: Rowchoish to Beyond Inverarnan→Day 2 of the West Highland Way: a steadier day from Rowchoish past Inverarnan, after a 28-mile, 75,000-step opener.
Peter Whyte
18 August 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWest Highland Way – Day 1: Milngavie to Rowardennan→The start of a five-day West Highland Way: 96 miles ahead, longer days, fewer stops, and a big first leg from Milngavie.
Peter Whyte
15 August 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comScottish Wild Camping Laws & Access: What You Need to Know→What Scotland’s access laws actually allow, and the responsibilities that come with the right to camp almost anywhere.
Peter Whyte
14 August 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comOLPRO Beckford 2-Person Tent: A Practical Field Review→Field review of the OLPRO Beckford 2-person tent after months of Scottish wild camping: storm-tested, dry inside, around £130.
Peter Whyte
13 August 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comHow to Defend Against Midges While Hiking→What actually works against Scotland’s midges: repellent, head nets, and picking your camp spot and timing well.
Peter Whyte
12 August 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comBest Lightweight Camp Slippers? IBlueLover Down-Filled Review→Down-filled camp slippers reviewed: instant comfort after a day in boots, tiny pack size, and worth it for the midnight pee break alone.
Peter Whyte
1 August 2025 · 15:30
Completed the Great Glen Way. Scotland is best explored slowly.
Peter Whyte
21 July 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comOEX Traverse 2.5 Sleeping Mat: Reliable Budget Option→The OEX Traverse 2.5 after a season of wild camps around Edinburgh: a genuinely good sleeping mat for around £20.
Peter Whyte
19 July 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comRichard Feynman’s Letter to His Wife→The love letter Richard Feynman wrote to his wife after her death, read aloud by Chris Williamson. I’ve listened a dozen times.
Peter Whyte
12 July 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comOleksandr Usyk on His Ultimate Dream: “This is life. Life is great.”→Usyk asked what he dreams about, before the second Dubois fight. His answer is the best thing you’ll read today.
Peter Whyte
1 June 2025 · 12:45
Completed the EMF 10K, my first proper organised running event. Goal was sub-50; chip time 50:20. Twenty seconds short, and I haven’t stopped chasing it since.
Peter Whyte
3 April 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWebsites Updates & Traffic Update: Q1 2025→Q1 2025 traffic for both blogs, and the wave of consistent content updates behind the numbers.
Peter Whyte
21 February 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comNorthern Lights in Scotland – Twice in One Year→Catching the aurora twice in 2024 from a solo camp in the Pentlands, fire going, clear view north over Edinburgh.
Peter Whyte
4 February 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWebsites Updates & Traffic Update: January 2025→January’s blog housekeeping in numbers: content fixes across about 175 tech posts, Bing and Ahrefs cleanup, and the traffic so far.
Peter Whyte
8 January 2025
New blog post · peterwhyte.comAverage Rate of Daylight Change for UK→How fast the days actually lengthen in Edinburgh after New Year: about 3.6 minutes of extra daylight a day, and why the rate varies.
Peter Whyte
30 December 2024
New blog post · peterwhyte.comEnd-of-Year Reflections & 2025 Goals→Reflecting on 2024 over the Christmas break and setting the goals for 2025, to be revisited through the year.
Peter Whyte
11 December 2024
New blog post · peterwhyte.comMy Websites Updates and Future Plans→A deep update on both of my blogs: what’s been improved on the personal blog and the SQL DBA blog, and the plans from here.
Peter Whyte
2 August 2024 · 17:05
Completed the West Highland Way. 96 miles, five days, Milngavie to Fort William. The best experiences usually require effort.
Peter Whyte
16 July 2024 · 10:01
I Love the Smell of Napalm in the Morning’ | Apocalypse Now :
Peter Whyte
25 June 2024 · 16:10
Another amazing dubstep track – Flight Facilities – Crave You (Adventure Club Dubstep Remix) :
Peter Whyte
24 June 2024 · 16:07
SUCH a good song, I love it and it’s a classic imo – Foxes – Youth (Adventure Club Remix):
Peter Whyte
23 June 2024 · 13:07
New blog post · peterwhyte.comReview of the Chimera EV 500 Down Sleeping Bag→Switching from a 2kg four-season bag to the 1.1kg Chimera EV 500: an ultralight camper’s verdict after two months of use.
Peter Whyte
15 June 2024
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWild Camping Around Edinburgh→Why Edinburgh is a brilliant base for wild camping, and how easy it is to trade the tourist crowds for a quiet hill.
Peter Whyte
9 June 2024
New blog post · peterwhyte.comCastell de Bellver, Palma, Mallorca→Visiting Castell de Bellver on a six-day Palma trip: a circular hilltop castle and the best value entry in Mallorca at 4 euros.
Peter Whyte
21 January 2024
New blog post · peterwhyte.comThe Future Landscape: AI’s Role in Personal and Professional Growth→On AI’s evolving role in personal and professional growth, and why its impact will reach far beyond task efficiency.
Peter Whyte
21 January 2024
WW2 Camping with Canvas Officers Tent:
amazing YouTuber to follow if into camping and all that, this is the vibe!!
Peter Whyte
10 January 2024
New blog post · peterwhyte.comAI Tools: Create AI Images with Nightcafe Studio→A year of making AI images with Nightcafe Studio: daily free credits, text-to-image templates, and why it keeps me coming back.
Peter Whyte
7 January 2024
New blog post · peterwhyte.comTips for Staying Inspired in 2024→Tried-and-true ways to stay motivated every day, starting with a growth mindset and small daily habits.
Peter Whyte
2 January 2024
New blog post · peterwhyte.comHere we go 2024!→Closing out 2023 and lining up the year ahead: health wins, lifestyle changes, and aspirations for 2024.
Peter Whyte
14 December 2023
New blog post · peterwhyte.comWhat AI Will Be Like in 2026, a Future Projection→A December 2023 projection of how AI would reshape daily life and work by 2026.
Peter Whyte
14 September 2022 · 21:00
Old school track, Nintendo 64 Perfect Dark. This is the best one from this game.
Peter Whyte
29 June 2022
New blog post · peterwhyte.com5 Benefits of AI Content Writing, by AI→An experiment from 2022: a post about AI content writing, written entirely by an AI generator, feature image included.
Peter Whyte
18 April 2022
New blog post · peterwhyte.comVirtual Reality, First Opinions 2022→First impressions of the Oculus Quest 2 after a lockdown impulse buy, and what the Metaverse actually feels like from inside a headset.