Database Patch Management with SQL Server 2000
I haven’t blogged in a while because I was busy upgrading my MCSE and MCSA certifications. I took the tests and passed on Tuesday. I got my MCSE on Windows 2000 almost 3 years ago. I have worked with Server 2003 quite a bit but I never wanted to upgrade because you cannot upgrade if you obtained the certification more than 3 years past. I want to be able to upgrade my MCSE again when the LonghornVista certifications come out. My 2000 cert would have expired in August so it was about time for the upgrade.
It was a tough week preparing for the exams but I do feel better now because I am back in the hardcore study mode. I had been sort of taking a break over the last few months but now I am back in the study mode. If you do not study much for a while, it is harder to study.
I was studying SQL Server months ago but I set that aside in favor of the Cisco Security Agent and then for the MCSE upgrade. I picked the book up again Tuesday afternoon and it is my new goal. I have to be totally committed to it and I can say that I am. I am going to order a few more books from Amazon tonight and my next goal will be to obtain the MCDBA (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator).
I attempted to gain the OCP (Oracle Certified Professional) a few years ago and I am a little sad that I never finished it. Now I have a chance to get back into databases again. I installed SQL Server on my Server 2003 R2 machine a while back and yesterday I opened the Enterprise Manager and found that one of the services would not start. I researched the problem and found out that there is a service pack out that I must download. My network is completely disconnected from the Internet and I had not been keeping up with the SQL patches so I was unaware of it.
I downloaded the service pack and a few other files and then transferred them to my network. Everything is now updated fully. I have been relying on SUS and automatic updates too much for my patch management and there is the result; a server that is not updated.
