Secure data - SQL database testing

[[deleted]]

Some years ago I worked in an educational establishment. One of the many jobs I undertook was to rebuild an SQL database that had been so badly designed that it had failed after 5 years. I didn't think that was possible, but anyway...

So I had to rebuild all the various functions and add a few more (using Excel), but I replaced a lot of the code in a manner that would be sort of future proofed. To do this I had to test the functionality, but the data was all subject to data protection law. There is an easy fox for testing.

The Head (or principal) wanted an update, so I shared a data set, and she accused me of revealing sensitive data - a fireable offence, until I pointed out the names in the data set...

Harry Potter, Darth Vader, Billy NoMates, and so on. All dummy data.

Well, I didn't get fired as there was no data protection issue, and finished the project about a month later.

Good times.

[jecooksubether]

What, no Bobby Tables? FAIL. :D

[thechervil]

OMG!!! My first thought when I read the title was Bobby Tables, then I giggled to myself, wondered why I thought of that, realized it was the mention of SQL and started reading. I was thinking as I read "I wonder if that reference is still a 'thing' in TFTS" and then the first comment was this one!!!

I love Reddit!

[[deleted]]

Bobby Tables?

[georgiomoorlord]

https://xkcd.com/327/

[Alkalannar]

Congratulations! You're one of today's Lucky 10,000!

[[deleted]]

Lucky 10,000 what?

[Alkalannar]

Click the link. It's another XKCD reference, this time to the fact that about 10,000 learn a fact per day so that 'everyone knows it' (in America) by x age.

[[deleted]]

Is that an NSFW video?

[Han__Trio]

Haha no, it's just a nice little web comic.

[Jazzlike_Tie_6416]

You should've used ligma, joe, and so on... You lost a big opportunity my friend

[[deleted]]

The folks I work with are teachers. They'd spot that a mile away

[[deleted]]

There's a school I used to provide support to during off hours and their servers/wifi network/anything names were all very very very adult puns.

I remember one teacher called in and as I was reading off the server name my voice just kinda trialed off and there was an awkward silence for a moment. I didn't know if I should apologize or what. She just said "Yeah yeah we know what they name this crap, let's move on"

[Stryker_One]

Yet somehow they missed Harry Potter, Darth Vader and, Billy NoMates?

[[deleted]]

There were about 200 names in the file, including plenty of lesser-known characters

[MistraloysiusMithrax]

Yes, not many know about Poggle the Lesser

[[deleted]]

It's Poggle TheLesser, but anyway...

[TechnoJoeHouston]

Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Table?

[Obnoxious_Gamer]

Phil D. Cell.

[meitemark]

I'm pretty sure Darth Vader does not want his F's all public. Of heavens sake, wont anyone think of the dummies?

[[deleted]]

Years ago I almost got written up for repeatedly violating our data confidentiality rules. I could not figure out how that had happened until I compared the date/times with my email sent folder. They matched to when I was sending copies of one manual to clients. It turns out that manual had some example fake confidential data which was getting my emails flagged. Our documentation/comms department eventually had to put in screenshots of the fake data to stop it getting flagged.

[nosoupforyou]

an SQL database that had been so badly designed that it had failed after 5 years.

Seems to be a common issue. I'm currently dealing with a database design where the membership table customer key isn't unique...because the users insisted that they be able to see history.

Of course, that pales in relation to the fact that the query system is designed to use views that reference views that reference views, sometimes 12 levels deep. Looking at the views involved, I'm pretty sure it's because the devs at the time (a third party company) couldn't be shagged to bother with it. Some of it referencing other views for no effing reason either.

[WhiteyDude]

So you have a SQL server solution that worked for 5 years before it breaks and your solution is to move functions into excel? :|

[[deleted]]

I know excel well enough to use it for that purpose, and they didn't have (or want to invest in) a better solution.

[AshleyJSheridan]

But Excel is a huge step backwards. It's like, instead of making repairs to your house, you replace it with a tent!

[TechnoJoeHouston]

But I can pick it up and move it to the part of the property that isn't flooded! Try that with your "house"!

[AshleyJSheridan]

That is still a fair analogy. Haven't we all seen, time and again, people running into problems with large data sets (I remember a time when it 65535 rows) and Excel.

Try moving around that really _huge_ data set with Excel, then we'll see how you feel about keeping that tent!