Since you installed SQL 2K5, have you looked into the "OVER" clause (BOL reference: ms-help://MS.SQLCC.v9/MS.SQLSVR.v9.en/tsqlref9/html/ddcef3a6-0341-43e0-ae73-630484b7b398.htm) and the Ranking Functions (BOL reference: ms-help://MS.SQLCC.v9/MS.SQLSVR.v9.en/tsqlref9/html/e7f917ba-bf4a-4fe0-b342-a91bcf88a71b.htm)?

I am curious how they perform against your test. I have used the Ranking Functions, but only on result sets of a few thousand rows and it has performed well for me.

Darrin