Not many people enjoy using Globally Unique Identifiers (GUIDs), partly because they are cumbersome to type and work with for humans. However they fill a need and can provide some interesting benefits. SQL Server expert Andy Warren takes us through what a GUID is and how you can use it easily in your code.   Read more...

ne of the issues you face when building Web applications is handling the errors you encounter when interacting with a back-end database. I was recently working with someone to create a new Web site with SQL Server™, ActiveX® Data Objects (ADO), and ASP. Lots of little things came up that I thought were worth sharing with MIND readers, so I'll focus this column on what I learned from this experience and the solutions to many of the problems I faced.   Read more...

Running a Web farm means managing session state across servers. Since session state can't be shared across a Web farm with Internet Information Services 5.0, a custom solution is required. One such solution using a tool called the session manager is described here.   Read more...