Sizing a database can be one of the most arduous tasks a DBA, analyst or developer must attend to. It?s time consuming and more hours go into analyzing the database than actually sizing it. This article focuses on how to monitor the database?s growth after its deployed and contains some tips on how to size it before deployment. We will also dive a little into how to benchmark your database against a robust data load.   Read more...

Have you ever misconfigured your SQL Server's memory and been unable to start it? That happened to new author Jay Dave, who has the Data Center edition of SQL Server 2000 with a whopping 36GB of RAM. Here's how to get your instance back up and running.   Read more...

This article discusses why VBScript should be one of the tools you use to manage your server. Sample scripts show how to remove files over x days old and how to FTP files.   Read more...

Keeping track of your DDL is something that is critical and some sort of VCS system should be used. However pulling out your scripts from SQL Server sometimes entails a bit more than the standard scripting. New author Richard Sutherland brings us an open source project that can help you get this done. Complete with code.   Read more...

This article by Chris Kempster shows you how to quickly move a database by detaching or taking a database offline.   Read more...

In this next article of the SQL Server in the Enterprise Series, we'll explore how to cluster Windows 2000 and SQL Server 2000 in a step-by-step manner. After this article, you should be able to cluster a SQL Server 2000 machine for failover availability in an Active/Active cluster.   Read more...

As a SQL Server DBA you should know that your code is stored in syscomments by default. While most DBAs use version control systems, there are times you might want to look through the code on the server for comparison purposes. Robert Cary brings us an article on how you can do this in 2000 and 2005.   Read more...

Monitoring your servers for issues and alerts is something every DBA should be doing on a regular basis. However even with a small number of servers, a DBA can easily be overwhelmed if some level of automation is not implemented. Thomas LaRock brings us a method of scanning your error logs automatically and notifying the DBA of problems.   Read more...

The scheduling system in SQL Server is quite flexible and powerful, but can be confusing at times. Peter He looks at some of the advanced options you have in automating the various jobs on your server.   Read more...

One day, you may need to change those service credentials under which your SQL Server services normally run. If you have a number of servers, then you'll really want to read about Rodney's solution.   Read more...

Haidong discusses the importance of monitoring disk usage over a period of time and has some great TSQL code to help you do the monitoring!   Read more...

Building on his first article examining management of a large server farm, Mark Tierney brings us part 2 in which he examines the data gathering process.   Read more...

Greg Larsen examines setting up SQL Server to listen on a different port number than 1433.   Read more...

Part 3 of Steve Jones' series on beginning SQL Server from the perspective of a system administrator or someone not used to working with SQL Server. If you've been designated the new administrator, take a look at this series for some help in coming up to speed on this product. This article looks at logins and basic security.   Read more...

When your database transaction log is out of control, there is only one man who can tame it.   Read more...

SQL Server 2000 trace flags can dramatically alter the behavior and functionality of the server. There are a number of ways that they can be enabled and Chris Hedgate brings us a tutorial on their use and benefits.   Read more...

Have you ever misconfigured your SQL Server's memory and been unable to start it? That happened to new author Jay Dave, who has the Data Center edition of SQL Server 2000 with a whopping 36GB of RAM. Here's how to get your instance back up and running.   Read more...

SQL Server includes a great auditing tool: Profiler. It's not the easiest tool to use, however, and it's one that takes some getting used to. Our resident security export, Brian Kelley looks at a simple example of using this tool to audit logins.   Read more...

What's the best way to change the default backup directory for a server, using SSMS or Enterprise Manager, without changing all the default directories at the same time? What is the TSQL to do it? A prize for the best correct solution.  Read more...

Keeping track of your DDL is something that is critical and some sort of VCS system should be used. However pulling out your scripts from SQL Server sometimes entails a bit more than the standard scripting. New author Richard Sutherland brings us an open source project that can help you get this done. Complete with code.   Read more...

Keeping track of your DDL is something that is critical and some sort of VCS system should be used. However pulling out your scripts from SQL Server sometimes entails a bit more than the standard scripting. New author Richard Sutherland brings us an open source project that can help you get this done. Complete with code.   Read more...

Longtime author Leo Peysakhovich answers one of the most common questions seen in discussion areas around the world: how do you identify unused objects?   Read more...

Monitoring the file sizes and free space on your SQL Server can be done in a number of ways, but it needs to be done or you will get a phone call when you least expect it. In an interesting read, Roy Carlson brings us a great way with code and reporting to setup your own monitoring system.   Read more...