How to know Uptime of a SQL Server (Solved!)

How to know uptime of a SQL Server (Solved!).


USE master;
SET NOCOUNT ON
DECLARE @crdate DATETIME, @hr VARCHAR(50), @min VARCHAR(5)
SELECT @crdate=crdate FROM sysdatabases WHERE NAME='tempdb'
SELECT @hr=(DATEDIFF ( mi, @crdate,GETDATE()))/60
IF ((DATEDIFF ( mi, @crdate,GETDATE()))/60)=0
SELECT @min=(DATEDIFF ( mi, @crdate,GETDATE()))
ELSE
SELECT @min=(DATEDIFF ( mi, @crdate,GETDATE()))-((DATEDIFF( mi, @crdate,GETDATE()))/60)*60

PRINT 'SQL Server "' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(20),SERVERPROPERTY('SERVERNAME'))+'" is Online for the past '+@hr+' hours & '+@min+' minutes'

IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM master.dbo.sysprocesses WHERE program_name = N'SQLAgent - Generic Refresher')
BEGIN
PRINT 'SQL Server is running but SQL Server Agent <<NOT>> running'
END
ELSE BEGIN
PRINT 'SQL Server and SQL Server Agent both are running'
END

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Leading Projects - Control of Changes to Requirements - ACTION PLAN

"They say the only constant is change projects...

...so We must get used to them and accept them as normal.

Changes are requested by users because they understand best what they need, or because business needs change, because it identifies a better way of doing things, or for any other reason. The problem is not changes to the requirements, but the fact that you add to the list of project requirements without considering the impact they will have on the plan. Failure to do so means that when the project is completed at a later date than originally agreed, or with a larger budget that considered, you could blame the leader of the project as a failure.

Change control is the process by which it is ensured that no changes are made ​​to affect the project's success, and that those who implemented are analyzed, negotiated and planned in a proper way.

1. Being inside the Elaboration phase or after having negotiated the scope and work plan, if the user were to request a change to the requirements established, the administrator or other person should fill out a change request with the description of the change. 
3. The change is analyzed and evaluated the impact on cost and time, and if it's acceptable to available resources and time that can be assigned to this project, as well as being accepted by the user and approved by management, then the request is accepted. Otherwise must register as a rejected application. 
4. The impact of the change should be estimated by the resources involved in activities related to the change and then negotiated with the client. Such impact can mean additional time or costs, thus requiring appropriate approval and customer manager. 
5. Whether the application is accepted or rejected must register in controlling project changes with a unique ID and some basic data according to the format set for it, or according to the change control tool being used. "

I am very grateful that there are people who take the time to educate others with information like this for free. However, we can further enrich our change management in projects. How? easy and yet complex. Due to the simplicity of things, these things often go unnoticed by us.

Something very basic in change control is an ACTION PLAN , why?, first an action plan will define the change, then will register and document it in case of rollback or repetition. But most importantly, we will guide the resources to run know exactly what to do. Since operational resources are not soothsayers or may incur.




Dear Computer Manager can you believe that you will meet people who do not want to work with a document so elementary?. Right or wrong, does not matter, what matters is that those jobs were not well documented, so you can not see or repeated. And most of the time were poorly made, ie work but "half" and always have "pitfalls" or outstanding details. (The typical is poor performance under conditions of stress).

As Computer Manager need to worry about the impact of not working neatly, or mechanically and repetitive. You'll have a million times the same incident,  fell this or that system, etc.. You must have spent a fortune on operating costs and hiring specialists (worth it) but still not know what it takes to make a great computer management and have a quality service.

So to help ensure you will have a change documented, registered, repetitive as both a guide to action, then be sure to instruct your staff to be an obligation to use and / or make this document. While manage with  others colleagues and users to commit resources and to provide information and respect the document as a single interface to control the effect of change.




Obviously there are a million other forms and documents and methods, but my experience of over a decade has shown me that the most basic is the best in these cases.

Below you can download an example format to do a very basic Action Plan.

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The Configuration Management Value

Hello, this time I will try to show or remember you how important is the activity of keeping a complete registry of  a department's configurations.

First, what do we mean for "Configuration"?. There are at least two definitions for "Configuration":

1. Arrangement of parts of a thing, and its peculiar form and attached properties.
2. Assembly of devices and programs that make up a computer system.

Following the second definition, the "Settings" or "Configuration" of a computer system are all elements of the solution or system. Even more, I would add, all components which enable the computer service is available for use.

We will not stay only with intrinsic components of the service, but we also worry about the components "satellites" that let you use the service. Consider an example. Imagine your mail. A first approach of mail service configuration would be:

The Mail Service Setup Configuration is: The server or machine that hosts the mail program. 

This phrase could write it down mathematically as follows:

 MAIL SERVICE = MAIL SERVER + MAIL PROGRAM

But this formula but is good for a first approximation, we will leave some important gaps for decision making. Then you need to increase the scope of the definition, but we will do it later in this article. Let's continue detailing this definition.

Configuration Management, in short, is the dynamic registration of all data or useful information that enables us to keep track of or Computer services .

Given that premise, we must ask now, what information is useful to me for this service? (In this example "Mail Service").

Viewing the above formula, then we must answer: What interests me, or helps me, know about Mail Server and its programs? The answers or basic questions should be these:

1) WHO or WHAT

2) HOW or WHY

3) WHERE or WHEN

Let see each one for our example:

1) Who are the stakeholders in this service? There will always be at least 3 teams who are involved in each service:

• The team of  "End Users", who "use" the service to perform some business work. They are the "exploiters" system. In short they are responsible for using the system information for a given business.

• The "Functional" team: who "feed" and configure the system to adapt the system to the needs of business end users. In most companies they are in charge to keep the "logic" and business rules, define users, roles, reporting, etc.. In summary we can say they are responsible for the consistent and useful information.

• The "Technical Support" team or IT (Information Technology), they are  in charge of keeping "alive" (accedible) the system. In short they are responsible system information is available.

Given the above, the Configuration Manager must make a proper survey to register who are responsible for every level of user.

 2) How is carried out the service?

Here are the answers related to procedures, diagrams, use cases, documentation. Every Company must safeguard updated documentation of its procedures, you should instruct your Configuration Manager to make a survey of procedures for each service. The team of Functional users certainly are called to compose this survey because they are the most "experts" in each service, without prejudice to some interviews with end users to corroborate points in doubt.

3) Where or When is carried out the service?

These responses are related to the detail in itself, should register at least:

• The name and version of the program used in both server side and client side (the "client" refers to the end user's PC). Users may also receive mail on their mobile devices smartphones, it would also have to register.
• Data about the server hosting the service program. As the name of Network, IP number, characteristics of capacity or resources such as CPUs, amount of disk space, amount of RAM, etc..
• Software installation settings, such as users and their roles; both in the end-user PC and in the central server.

So, our example formula would be at least something like this:

EMAIL = SERVER + PC + END USERS + FUNCTIONAL USERS + SUPPORT USERS + PROCEDURES + CONFIGURATIONS + SCHEDULES

Now imagine you did all this survey with Configuration Manager with each of the IT services that you. operates or provides. It is now the question, what for serves me keep all this information?

There will be many, but many, times you'll appreciate having done this work, and always keep it updated (I mentioned that this is a dynamic work that needs to be updated?). Let's review some cases that for sure you will face:

1) Projects: You have a new need for computer services. How Configuration Manager can assist you in this?. First of all we must remember that every project start with a phase called "Taking Requirements" which leads to a "Technical Practicability" phase. These two phases must create a "capacity study" of the project (or the "Capacity Planning"). With the project's data from study of capacity you must pass to the Configuration Manager and he should answer whether or not there is currently capacity within systems to accommodate the project's business function. How? good. Querying the Log looking for services capabilities. Thus, Configuration Management will be helping you in making decisions on the viability of the projects.

2) Incidents: A contingent problem, fairly urgent, and need to know who is affected? How does it affect you? What business processes are being impacted? Does the support team know what machines are those that have to attend? What are the settings that need to be reviewed? (eg.: If users do not have access, it will be because they lost permissions?, have those permissions properly documented for re-apply?.You see, without the useful information provided by the Configuration Managers, your SLA or  response time, will be harmed because they lose a lot of time trying to "guess" that information. When instead, you could have everything centralized in one control panel that shows to support team exactly the data they need. But without Configuration Management will not matter if you use a tool such as NASA panel, because you  wont have the updated data nor previously recorded. (This is like Batman's belt, what could achieve Batman without his tools? But these tools should be previously "fueled" with data, with useful information.)

3) Changes: Whether technological renovation, or because they have decided to make a full BPO services, You are in the dilemma of the steps necessary to conduct a massive and important change in service. Here, once again the Configuration Manager will be your ally, answering questions as who does this change affects?, To coordinate with them. What are the machines must "touch" for change? What settings should be respected to keep or change? What are the criteria for success?. Once again your decision making will rest securely on reliable data by Configuration Management.

As you will see dear friend, the importance and utility of having a function of configuration management is crucial to help you better manage IT. And not only the Computer, it is the same examples to one area of medicine. For example do we have remedies?, For cars, do we have stock to sell? etc. This is known under the old name, Inventories. Just take into account  that today inventories should be centralized in technology platforms, and with sufficient staff to keep current, controlled and reliable information.

Why so much? Can you imagine that your configuration manager tells you that you have a server with 2 terabytes of disk, and if IT staff going to use, they realize it have much less disk space? ... What happened? .. well that's another topic, but surely the responsibility of the accuracy and control of information rests on a configuration manager, who has power to be able to avoid these situations, ie that role should have sufficient resources and control mechanisms "keys" configuration, and not allow changes without their permission. (examples are many: cameras, biometric access control, signatures, authorizations, procedures, etc.). Failure to do so will have a weak configuration management, poor, reactive, outdated, unable to control changes, no reliable data. All of which the short to medium term will directly affect their decision making.

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Identify Projects so that they to be Cheaper and Easier.

Hello!, nice to be able to bring back another post of the best tips to Manage Computers. Today's topic is the identification of projects.

What for? Well, first let's see what is "identify" a project. Whenever you hear the word project, immediately our brain has two ideas:

"project = spend a lot of money"

"project = complexity"

 Which of the two ideas is false? ... Think about it a bit, do not cheat, do not read the answer... Although you may not believe both ideas are absolutely false. Like it or not.

So, how were implanted these gods, these key ideas in our subconscious that make everyone kneel and bow our necks to the projects?!!. Well I do not know, I have no idea of ​​the origin and how in the 21st century an entire planetary network of professionals we are still blind before projects. Is it because this business works? so be it!!, but that does not remove they are false ideas.

What good is it to know the truth?. Well, clearly to make our projects not be expensive or complex. Projects are not more than what they are: a set of simple tasks, bonded in some way. and coordinated, orderly, by someone to get a "Great" ultimate goal.

But if they are simple tasks why my project is expensive and complex? Then, necessarily, what's missing your project is identification. Even if you have absolute clarity of the name and what does each project task, that does not make you understand the usefulness of the project itself.

Although an individual task can be expensive and complex, Project identification shows us the flexible Synergy, allows modeling the project so that the project itself not be expensive nor complex.

The identification of a project allows us to know the "usefulness" of a project, its essence, and how it curdles in other parts of our business systems.  

To put it another way: when you focus your attention on individual tasks one by one, each task by itself, appear expensive and complex. By abstracting your attention a layer above your attention will shape the project as a black box, making shape the project for its "usefulness" to other systems rather than what does each internal component of the project.

When viewing the project "from above", we will see many features that were hidden, but that must be met for the project to succeed.

Thus, we could detect that each project needs to collect data, feed forms, creating templates, etc.. Everything endless pre-project tasks that are required to meet before considering the project successful. But how much time could be saved in the creation and implementation of projects if the project management area have a central repository of data that could be shared between projects?. Great?, No?

Well, here we have detected just ONE key feature of the project, which is the Data Communication, or what is known as "INTERFACING and REPOSITORIES". This often overlooked when we see the projects from the point of view of tasks.This and many other features can be identified. But we must take the time to document them to make the project a success.

If you buy the guide will have already identified 32 characteristics, saving that part of the work, only thing you should do is fill the data with your own project. For example, the document will see the subsection "INTERFACING and REPOSITORIES". That is, we document << ... the details of the file directories that deal to store data, or share data between systems, either via interfaces, xml, ftp, netbios, shared folders, etc.. Report files, directories, permissions, accounts, users, and processes associated frequencies, sizes, etc.. >>

That is one of several points that we must identify our project. Then these documents must be completed, reviewed and discussed by the project team before considering closed or delivered the project.

This document is vitally importance  and must be the "DELIVERABLE" of the project.

For your pleasure, here you can download a full complement of 32 points to identify and document each project.

buy

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