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[Focus]

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Revving the SQL Server Engine
In an exclusive interview with SQL Server Magazine, Distinguished Architect Peter Spiro shares what's in the future for the SQL Server engine.
 — Brian Moran

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[Features]

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Comparative Lab Report: Client Tools for Analysis Services
Analysis Services doesn’t include a client tool for querying, reporting, or analyzing data, so unless you write a custom client browser, you have to find a commercial application. But which one? This review will help you choose the right tool.
 — Aspirity's OLAP Team


Put the Hammer Down
The Database Hammer, a SQL Server 2000 Resource Kit tool, gives you the power to stress-test your database under the most grueling conditions. Couple it with some performance monitor counters for even better performance data.
 — Joseph Isaac Sack

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[SQL Server Savvy]

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Avoiding Direct System Table Access
Learn how to write a script that checks for the existence of an index on a particular table without directly accessing the system tables.
 — Brian Moran


Choosing the Right Performance Monitor Counters
Learn which two Performance Monitor counters let you specifically track the amount of work that SQL Server performs.
 — Brian Moran


Finding Operations Best Practices
If you're wondering what maintenance tasks you should schedule regularly, check out the SQL Server 2000 Operations Guide.
 — Brian Moran

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[Editorial]

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Two Backup Windows
How do you deal with a backup time window that’s closing—whether you want it to or not—and a backup security window that you need to keep closed at all times?
 — Michael Otey

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[Reader to Reader]

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Avoiding Pop-Up Window Error Messages
A reader shares a tip for avoiding pop-up error messages when you alter the syntax of code that includes a cscript command.
 — Readers

Changing the Default Location of New Files
Learn how to set a new default directory for data and transaction log files in SQL Server 2000.
 — Readers

Using LIKE to Search for Columns
A reader shares a stored procedure that he used to search for columns in his database.
 — Readers

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[SQL Seven]

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Limited-Function Server Roles
Here's a quick introduction to fixed server roles in SQL Server 2000 and 7.0.
 — Michael Otey

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[Inside SQL Server]

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9 Burning Questions
To design indexes for your tables, you need to know your queries intimately. The answers to these 9 questions will show you the pattern to follow.
 — Kalen Delaney

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[Mastering Analysis]

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Cross-Join Performance
When you're analyzing terabytes of data, the performance of your CROSSJOIN() functions can make--or break--your application's overall performance.
 — Russ Whitney

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[Solutions by Design]

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A Business Metadata Repository
You can use extended properties in SQL Server 2000 to make a business metadata repository that will benefit everyone in your organization.
 — Michelle A. Poolet

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[T-SQL Black Belt]

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Changing Times
With many calendars in use and varying ways of expressing times and dates around the world, keeping everything straight in your calculations could be a nightmare—but it doesn't have to be.
 — Itzik Ben-Gan

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[Answers from Microsoft]

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Replicating Stored-Procedure Changes and Permissions
Microsoft’s SQL Server development team explains how to ensure that routine and custom changes to a stored procedure are made at the subscriber during replications in SQL Server 2000 and 7.0.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Too Many Cooks Spoiling the Soup?
Do multiple developers have access to your database? Corrupted and missing data can be the result. Microsoft’s SQL Server development team describes three scenarios for controlling database access that will satisfy all database users.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team

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[Exploring XML]

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Updategrams and Diffgrams
Current technologies still lack adequate support for building Web applications, so your best bet is to use the best tool for the job.
 — Rich Rollman

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[Letters]

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Letters, October 2002
Readers ask about using ownership chains with NT logins and how to recreate a fact table from Analysis Services cube data.
 — Various Authors

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[New Products]

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New Products, October 2002
Check out the latest SQL Server-related new and improved products.
 — Carolyn Mader