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7 Salient Aspects about SQLPackage.exe and Key Development Tasks It is Used For

Posted May 13, 2019 By AuthorVS1

This article explains the multiple tasks that can be automated using SQLPackage.exe along with a brief description of those tasks.

Out of the multitude of tasks and operations that you can perform in Microsoft SQL Server, there are a few that can be automated using the SQLpackage.exe. This is one of those command lines utility which can be used for automating the given development tasks in SQL Server. This not only makes performing a given a task easier but also helps you save the precious time that you would otherwise spend performing the actions manually. However, this command line utility cannot be used in isolation of other aspects. When making use of Sqlpackage.exe you also need to use the relevant parameters and properties for each of the given objects.

SQLPackage

1. Extract

Using this one can create a snapshot of the database i.e. the .dacpac file, with the help of a Microsoft Azure Database or live SQL Server.

2. Publish

This command is used for incrementally updating the schema of a database so that it matches the schema of source .dacpac file. If the database that you are using is not present on the server, it will be created by the publish operation or will be updated by an existing database. If you are publishing a deployment package containing the user data for subsets of the table or just one subset of tables, it will update the complete table data along with the schema.

3. Export

This can be used for exporting a live database, including elements like database schema as well as user data. This is used for exporting data from MS SQL or Azure database to a BACPAC package. Data in all the tables are a part of the .bacpac file by default. However, the user has the option of specifying a table subset for which they wish to export data. 

4. Import

This can be used for importing table data and schema from a BACPAC package to a newly created database in SQL Server or MS Azure database instance. When the import process for an existing database is in action, the target database will not be able to contain schema objects which are defined by the user.

5. Drift Report

This helps you include all the changes made in a registered database in an XML report. Changes made since the last registration date of the database are included.

6. Deploy Report

This is used for creating an XML report that would comprise of all the changes which would be incorporated once the publish action is performed.

7. Script

This is used for creating a T – SQL incremental update script which is used for updating the target schema so that it matches the source schema. 

These are the actions that can be specified using SqlPackage.exe, along with the specific properties and parameters for the action. There is a long list of parameter and properties that are associated with each of the above-mentioned actions which can be used along with SqlPackage.exe to make operations across the application easier for the users.

Even with a recovery plan in place, companies need to invest in a tool that can fix SQL Server as a failsafe measure. In case of a contingency such specialized tools can help you avoid data loss.  

Author Introduction:

Victor Simon is a data recovery expert in DataNumen, Inc., which is the world leader in data recovery technologies, including access recovery and sql recovery software products. For more information visit www.datanumen.com

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Understanding Business Continuity Features in Azure SQL Databases

Posted May 6, 2019 By AuthorVS1

In this article we look at business continuity features present in Azure SQL databases ranging from Point in time restore to active geo-replication.

Azure SQL Database is a service provided by Microsoft in the form of cloud database. Azure is a cloud computing platform, which enables organizations to create backups and store their relational data on a large scale on cloud. Azure also helps in scaling the size of business’s database based on their changing storage requirements.

Business Continuity Features in Azure SQL Databases

Azure can help in business continuity by supporting and preserving the database of an organization. It ensures to prevent the database against all damages and disasters by providing backups from its clouds.

SQL Database Features That Promote Business Continuity

SQL Database offers several features for business continuity, like automated backups and the creation optional database replication. Each of these options have different characteristics based on their ERT (estimated recovery time) and also the potential data loss recovery for the recent transactions. Once a user is able to understand these options, he/she can choose amongst them – or like, most scenarios, implement them together to tackle different scenarios. As a user develops his/her business continuity plan, he/she needs to understand the acceptable maximum time required before the application is fully recovered after the disruptive events – this is called the recovery time objective (RTO). The user also needs to understand that the maximum amount or ration of time intervals or recent data updates on the application which can be tolerated to be lost when recovering the data after a disruptive event – this is the users’ RPO (recovery point objective).

Situation criteria in which the user should use the active geo-replication and the auto-failover groups:

  • Depending on how critical the mission is.
  • Has an SLA (service level agreement) which doesn’t follow the downtime of 24 hours or more.
  • Financial liability due to Downtime.
  • When there is a higher chance of data change and it is not acceptable to lose even an hour of data.
  • When potential financial liability and business loss is higher than the price of geo-replication.
  • Preparing for an outage

Regardless of the availability of business continuity feature user must:

  • Identify and prepare a target server, consisting of server-level firewall rules, permissions of master database level and logins.
  • Determining a plan for redirecting clients and their applications in the direction of the new server
  • Document other dependencies, like alerts and auditing settings.
  • If the user does not prepare properly, bringing their applications online after a SQL Server fix can take additional time which would likely also require some troubleshooting which is a bad combination in the time of stress.

Perform a Geo-Restore

If a user is using automated backups along with geo-redundant for storage replication as his/her recovery mechanism, they can initiate database recovery using the geo-restore. It usually takes in about 12 hours for the recovery to initiate – with data loss for around one hour which is determined by the time when the backup will be replicated or created in the last hourly differential. Till the time recovery completes, users will be unable to use any data in the concerned database as it will be unable to record or respond to any transactions or queries. This setting will restore the database to its last available point in time, but restoring the geo-secondary in any point of time is not supported currently by Microsoft Azure.

Author Introduction:

Victor Simon is a data recovery expert in DataNumen, Inc., which is the world leader in data recovery technologies, including access recovery and sql recovery software products. For more information visit www.datanumen.com

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How to Navigate and Search Content with Power BI

Posted April 21, 2019 By AuthorVS1

In this article, we look at using Power BI to Navigate content. We also provide tips for using the tool for searching and even sorting content in workspaces.

Organizations often have to deal with a lot of trouble managing tons of data, which is flooding their systems with thousands of files folders and documents. Accessing required data in the mess of these databases can sound like a nightmare. But thankfully there are features like Power BI with which users can actually access their data without getting entrapped in the database jungle.

Navigate and Search Content with Power BI

Power BI is used for content organization. It is responsible for categorizing and separating user’s content into reports, datasets, workbooks, and dashboards. It also helps in classifying different types of content making it easier for the user to locate it.

Content created by the user for his personal space is stored in My Workspace, while the content which is shared by the user is stored in App Workspace. Content which is used frequently or demands quick access is stored in Favorites. Content which has been shared with the user is saved in Shared with me and last-viewed content can be access through Recent. If all of these Power BI’s are used properly then the user will be able to keep his/her system organized at all times.

Note: One additional and very effective way of organizing your content is by picking up the dashboard that you are likely to use frequently and setting it up as your own featured dashboard. Each time the user will open Power BI service, this dashboard will automatically display first on his/her screen.

Favorite Dashboards and Apps

Users can mark as many as files as their favorite as they like, this helps in ensuring that they have a quick access to their documents. It can also be beneficial for other users who operate through the user system to allocate these files. 

Users often are unable to keep a track of all the files that they access or visit while working on a project. Well, by setting these files as their favorite, user will be able to access them whenever they want. The best part about these features that users can undo these setting and un-favorite these files when they are no longer required on a daily basis.

Tips for Searching and Sorting Content in Workspaces

A workspace consists of four Content Tabs: Dashboard, Workbooks, Reports, and Datasets. And they all comprise of a sort button and a search field. When a user starts off using Power BI service, he/she might not find it beneficial as it will comprise of two or three items in each tab. However, with time users will create a long list of folders with their content, which will make it essential for you to use the sorting and searching tools effectively.  

In order to find a file or folder, from your database, the user just needs to write the name of the file in the search bar given in the dashboard. In order to sort their search results, the user can use the content sorting feature ‘SORT By’ available on the current page. The options will be sorted based on the name of the file or according to the recently used files.  

Irrespective of the version of SQL Server you are running your office; it makes great sense to invest in a SQL Server recovery tool.

Author Introduction:

Victor Simon is a data recovery expert in DataNumen, Inc., which is the world leader in data recovery technologies, including access recovery and sql recovery software products. For more information visit www.datanumen.com

Filed in SQL Server Database Recovery, SQL Server Solutions | Tagged: , , , ,
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