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[Focus]

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7 Steps to Database Change Control
Change control isn't just for developers; you can use it to manage your database schema as well. Just follow these 7 steps to get a handle on your database changes.
 — Michelle A. Poolet


ADO.NET Checklist
Use this checklist to ensure that your ADO.NET applications are the best they can be.
 — Michael Otey


CLR Checklist
Before you start using CLR extensions in SQL Server, you need to consider "why" and "how" in addition to "what" you need to do.
 — Gert Drapers


Help for the Harried
You’re overworked already. You know you could use some best practices to optimize your system, but who has the time to search them out? Answer: we do. Check out these tips from SQL Server experts and let them simplify your life.
 — Editors


Log Backup Checklist
Everything you need to know about log backups in one handy checklist. What could be easier?
 — Kalen Delaney


Reporting Services Security
For better security on your reporting system, make sure to follow these steps.
 — Peter Blackburn


T-SQL Checklist
Check out these best practices that can help your T-SQL code run smoothly and efficiently.
 — Itzik Ben-Gan

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[Features]

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Editing a Package with SQL Server 2005 Integration Services Designer
SQL Server 2005 Integration Services has new features that simplify package creation and editing. Walk through the package-modification process and see how you can effectively create new packages without reinventing the wheel.
 — Kirk Haselden


Meet sp_who1
Sp_who and its cousin sp_who2 give DBAs crucial information about SQL Server user connections and processes, but they have limited filtering and block-finding capabilities. Welcome sp_who1, a new member of the sp_who family that tackles those limitations.
 — Richard Ding

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[SQL Server Savvy]

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Performance Metrics in SQL Server Stop Working When You Stop SQL Server
A bug in SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3) causes you to lose Performance Monitor counters if System Monitor is running from the performance console when you stop SQL Server.
 — Brian Moran


Tempdb Affects Query Performance During Autogrow
People often forget tempdb's effect on query performance. People also neglect to manually set tempdb to an adequate size.
 — Brian Moran


Two Common Mistakes to Avoid When Handling Large Amounts of SQL Server Memory
Don't assume that AWE is working in SQL Server unless you verify that it's enabled and using the amount of memory you expect. Also, make sure that you set the max server memory option by using sp_configure.
 — Brian Moran


Using SQL Server with Large Amounts of Memory
What's the best way to configure SQL Server to handle large amounts of memory, and how do I know when to use the /3GB switch?
 — Brian Moran

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[Editorial]

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Those &@#$%^ Passwords!
Passwords are essential to security, but are they always safe? Maybe it's time to consider pass phrases for your system security plan.
 — Michael Otey

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[Inside SQL Server]

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Shrinking Data Files
Shrinking a data file may seem straightforward compared with the intricacies of shrinking the log, but some of DBCC SHRINKFILE's hidden nuances can give you a serious performance hit.
 — Kalen Delaney

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[T-SQL Black Belt]

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Sorting IP Addresses
You can find all sorts of solutions to this T-SQL problem, but the most intuitive might not be the best. You may have to step outside the box to see the pattern.
 — Itzik Ben-Gan

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[New Products]

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New Products, March 2005
Check out new and improved SQL Server-related products.
 — Dawn Cyr

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[SELECT TOP(X)]

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Web Resources
Michael Otey's ten favorite SQL Server Web sites.
 — Michael Otey

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[Ask Microsoft]

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Executing Queries on Remote Servers
Microsoft's Patrick Conlan explores two options for using object aliases in database applications to execute queries on remote servers.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team


Sp_helparticle Lists Publication Articles
Microsoft's Vaqar Pirzada explains how to use sp_helparticle to list all a publication's articles in transactional or snapshot replication setups.
 — Microsoft's SQL Server Development Team