Regular expression to enforce password complexity in your applications:
^.*(?=.{10,})(?=.*\d)(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])(?=.*[@#$%^&+=]).*$
The regular expression enforces the following rules:
Originally from Anil John's post
In Windows 2003, the security was tight on MSDTC service. you will get the following error if you start a distributed transaction agaist a linked server:
Server: Msg 7391, Level 16, State 1, Line 2
The operation could not be performed because the OLE DB provider 'SQLOLEDB' was unable to begin a distributed transaction.
[OLE/DB provider returned message: New transaction cannot enlist in the specified transaction coordinator. ]
OLE DB error trace [OLE/DB Provider 'SQLOLEDB' ITransactionJoin::JoinTransaction returned 0x8004d00a].
To enable distributed transactions against linked SQL server or in ad-hoc queries, please follow these steps:
1) Enable network DTC access:
Goto control panel-->Add or Remove Programs, click Add/Remove Windows Components. In the popup window, highlight Application servers, click "Details..." button. In popup window, check "Enable network DTC access" check box if it's not selected.
You need to reboot your computer for this change to take effect.
2) Set up MSDTC security
Goto Administrator Tools-->Componet Services, expand Component Services-->Computers, right click "My Computer"-->Properties-->MSDTC tab-->"Security Configuration...", in the popup window,
Check Network DTC Access;
Check Allow IUnBound and Allow Outbound
make sure DTC Logon Account is NT Authority\NetWorkService
Save the change, MSDTC will restart
3) If firewall exists between the involved servers.
DTC uses Remote Procedure Call (RPC) dynamic port allocation. By default, RPC dynamic port allocation randomly selects port numbers above 1024. By modifying the registry, you can control which ports RPC dynamically allocates for incoming communication. You can then configure your firewall to confine incoming external communication to only those ports and port 135 (the RPC Endpoint Mapper port).
Reference MS article http://support.microsoft.com/?id=250367 to configure the ports RPC uses and firewall.
4) If your servers are running on different domain, or if you can run queries against the linked server, but get the same error messages when transaction is used, you need to change Authentication Mode of MSDTC security.
In the same UI in step 2), select "No Authentication Required" option. This is equivalent to turn off the RPC security. You can achieve the same effect by changing the registry key avlue:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSDTC\TurnOffRpcSecurity to 1. If the key not exists, you need to manually add it.
The option in the UI "Incoming Caller Authentication Required" only athenticate incoming RPC. It can be acheieved by the regisgy key value: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSDTC\FallbackToUnsecureRPCIfNecessary to 1.
If you manually change registry, you need to restart MSDTC service.
Reference MS article: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=899191
BEGIN TRAN
SELECT * FROM LinkedServername.msdb.dbo.sysjobs
COMMIT TRAN
GO
The above query should be succeeded.
When you use Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Configuration Manager, SQL Server 2005 Configuration Manager, SQL Server
2000 Enterprise Manager, or SQL Server 2000 Setup to change SQL Server parameters in a clustered environment, you have to make changes on the active node while the SQL Server cluster resource is online. If SQL Server is not online, you have to bring SQL Server online first. However, in some circumstances, you may be unable to bring SQL Server online.
This article describes how to change SQL Server parameters in a clustered environment when SQL Server is not online or when you cannot bring SQL Server online.
Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756Â (http://kbalertz.com/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=322756/ ) How to back up and restore the registry in Windows
To change SQL Server parameters in a clustered environment when SQL Server is not online, use one of the following methods.
Note We recommend that you try to use this method first.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Cluster\Quorum
<QuorumDrive>:\MSCS
. Locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Cluster\Resources
a. Examine the Name column of the registry entries.
Note Several registry entries include "GUID" in the name of the entry.
. Locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Cluster\Resources\{GUID}\RegSync
a. In the details pane, view the checkpoint registry hives and the corresponding numbers that resemble the following:
For the default instance
00000004 SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQLSERVER
For a named instance
00000004 SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.X\MSSQLSERVER
Note For a named instance, X corresponds to the instance ID.
The number is the checkpoint file name. In this example, the checkpoint file name is 00000004.cpt.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\1\<YourRegistryKey>
Note The following examples correct the MSSQLSERVER checkpoint registry key:
a. Locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\1\Parameters
b. Correct the SQLArg0 key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\1\SuperSocketNetLib\Via
a. Change the value of the Enabled entry from 1 to 0.
Note After you follow these steps, this checkpoint is fixed and is replicated to the specific node automatically during failover. You can bring the instance of SQL Server online.
Note Do not perform SQL cluster group failover between step 1 and step 3.
cluster . resource "SQL Server (<InstanceName>)" /removecheckpoints:"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.x\MSSQLSERVER"
Note In this command, MSSQL.x is a placeholder for the instance ID of the instance of SQL Server. You can determine the corresponding value for the system from the value of the MSSQLSERVER registry entry in the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\<Instance Names>\SQL\
cluster res "SQL Server (<InstanceName>)" /removecheck: "Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\ MSSQL.x \MSSQLSERVER"
cluster res "SQL Server" /removecheck: "Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLSERVER"
cluster res "SQL Server" /removecheck: "Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Cluster"
Note You have to run the second command only when you add or remove one or more IP addresses on which SQL Server 2000 listens.
cluster res "SQL Server (<InstanceName>)" /removecheck: "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\Instance_Name\MSSQLSERVER"
cluster res "SQL Server (<InstanceName>)" /removecheck: "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\Instance_Name\Cluster"
Note In these commands, Instance_Name is a placeholder for the name of the instance of SQL Server 2000. Additionally, you have to run the second command only when you add or remove one or more IP addresses on which SQL Server 2000 listens.
cluster . resource "SQL Server (<InstanceName>)" /addcheckpoints:"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.x\MSSQLSERVER"
cluster res "SQL Server (<InstanceName>)" /addcheck: "Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.x\MSSQLSERVER"
cluster res "SQL Server" /addcheck: "Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLSERVER"
cluster res "SQL Server" /addcheck: "Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\Cluster"
cluster res "SQL Server (<InstanceName>)" /addcheck: "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\Instance_Name\MSSQLSERVER"
cluster res "SQL Server (<InstanceName>)" /addcheck: "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\Instance_Name\Cluster"
For more information about how to configure server startup options in SQL Server Configuration Manager, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345416.aspx (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345416.aspx)
For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
912397Â (http://kbalertz.com/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=912397/ ) The SQL Server service cannot start when you change a startup parameter for a clustered instance of SQL Server 2000 or of SQL Server 2005 to a value that is not valid
244980Â (http://kbalertz.com/Feedback.aspx?kbNumber=244980/ ) How to change the network IP addresses of SQL Server failover cluster instances
It's OK to make mistakes. It's also OK to admit it.
There are two types of people in this world: those who make mistakes and fess up, and those that make mistakes and try to cover it up. Everyone - everyone - makes mistakes in their jobs, and in life in general. While there are some high-profile mistakes that are notoriously noteworthy (airline disasters, medical errors), the vast majority of us are permitted, and even expected, to make a few errors here an there. As long as you can learn from your errors and not continue to make the same mistakes, it can be filed under the "Valuable Lessons Learned" heading. Further, those whom you work with and for will have more respect for you if you admit your errors up front, especially when you deliver a plan for resolution.
Technical skills are not enough
When I started out, I had my mind set on simply learning a craft, fine-tuning my skills to become one of the best in the field, and keeping my head down and working hard for the next 40 years. While it is important to grow and learn hard skills, today's economy is not friendly to the stereotypical technical geek working in a dark basement and slinging code (or monitoring logs, or building desktops, or whatever). To be successful, you've got to break out of your technical world every now and again and interface with nontechnical people. Spend half a day shadowing one of your end users to see how the systems you build/support help them to do their jobs. Spend time with senior management and executives to find out what big-picture goals they have, and how you help get the organization there. Have coffee with someone unfamiliar with technology and learn how you can ease them into the digital age. Most importantly, get to know the overall goals of your organization/clients/customers - you'll be far more successful in the long run.
You are responsible for your own career development
Technical careers require constant learning. Training, college, and conferences/trade shows are great ways to learn and network, but many companies can't or won't fork over the cash for these career development events. The bottom line is, it's up to you to take charge of your career. A few thousand dollars for conference fees can be painful, but it could be argued that you'll easily recoup that investment over the course of your career. For those who truly are budget strapped, there are tons of free career resources; user group events, online references (even videos!), libraries, and volunteer opportunities are all cost conscious ways to build your network and skillset.
Don't try to be an expert in everything
There are generalists, and there are specialists; nobody can be an expert in all things technical. Find something that you enjoy doing (that statement alone should be a bullet point), and become an expert in that thing. You don't have to specialize to the point that you're a niche player, but you can limit your scope such that you can be known as an authority in your chosen area.
Don't take things too seriously
I almost didn't type this last one for fear that I would portray myself as having a lackadaisical attitude toward my career; nothing could be further from the truth. We're all human (see #1 above) and are limited by a number of factors, including emotions, limited energy, family commitments, and natural abilities. Don't be a stickler for absolute perfection; accept that some things are part of live and unchangeable. When obstacles block your path, don't freak out or become the voice of negativity; take a breath, smile, and know that, if it was easy, everybody would be doing it and our skills would be far less valuable. Address problems or deadlines with a sense of urgency, but don't let your commitments consume you to the point that you spend all of your time working.
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In a previous exploration , I delved into creating a Retrieval-Augmented-Generation (RAG) demo, utilising Google’s gemma model, Hugging ...
