I need to encrypt my data within SQL Server and I plan on using the built-in encryption functionality in SQL Server 2005 and 2008. However, I'm looking at symmetric and asymmetric key algorithms and while I see information saying to use symmetric keys, I don't understand why. What's the difference between the two and why is a symmetric key algorithm preferred over the asymmetric key ones?
2009-12-02
3,414 reads
Are your database servers not performing well? Have you discovered two or more virtual servers running on the same node? Shailesh Khanal shows you how to generate a status report for multiple database servers and services, schedule it to run automatically and send it out via email.
2009-12-01
2,555 reads
In the previous tips (SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) - Best Practices - Part 1 and Part 2) of this series I briefly talked about SSIS and a few of the best practices to consider when designing SSIS packages. Continuing on the same rhythm I am going to discuss some more best practices for SSIS package design, how you can design high performing packages with parallelism, troubleshooting performance problems etc.
2009-11-30
3,785 reads
Encryption of data at rest is becoming more and more crucial in today’s world. This tip is aimed to help businesses that do not have the budgets or resources to purchase hardware encryption tools or to upgrade to SQL 2008. It basically illustrates how to achive transparent file encryption with SQL 2005 or SQL 2000.
2009-11-27
4,390 reads
It has never been so important to enhance your employability as it is today. Job security can never be taken for granted. Employability, increasing your professional value, means far more than just collecting qualifications, as Dr Masha Petrova explains: It also involves communicating, writing, and participating in communities.
2009-11-27
2,850 reads
The Query Optimizer gets it right most of the time, but occasionally it chooses a plan that isn't the best possible. You can give the Query Optimiser a better idea by using Table, Join and Query hints. These come with a risk: Any choices you force on the Optimizer by using hints can turn out to be entirely wrong as the database changes with the addition of data over time. Grant Fritchey, in a chapter from his highly acclaimed book, explains further.
2009-11-25
3,275 reads
I have to deploy my SQL Server Analysis Services project to a test server then to a production server after testing is completed. For both of these deployments I need to provide an installation program. I am not allowed to access either of these servers. For my own testing I can deploy my project using Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) and this works great. How can I create an installer that my IT team can use to perform the deployment?
2009-11-25
2,137 reads
The installation process for SQL Server 2008 has many different options. These options allow you more control over your SQL Server Instance configuration. Having this additional control allows you to set up your SQL Server 2008 instances out of the box with the appropriate configuration, like directory structure, accounts, etc. In this article I'll walk you through the SQL Server installation process.
2009-11-24
3,680 reads
I want to institute a high availability solution for SQL Server with no downtime. I am planning on using Microsoft clustering, but I have been told that in the event that the cluster moves the SQL Server from one physical server to another, that there is some downtime. Why is this so?
2009-11-24
4,324 reads
Windows Azure and Azure Storage offers a new scalable and robust architecture that borrows much from the common feel of ASP.NET applications but brings plenty of new features as well. This paradigm shift from what has become traditional client-server architecture will offer new options to developers and headaches alike. While "the cloud" is not intended to be the answer for all applications and situations, it can only be a potential answer (another "tool" in the proverbial "tool belt") if you have at minimum a general understanding.
2009-11-23
1,893 reads
By Brian Kelley
There's a great article from MIT Technology Review about resetting on the hype of...
By Steve Jones
etherness – n. the wistful feeling of looking around a gathering of loved ones,...
By Steve Jones
A customer was asking about tracking logins and logouts in Redgate Monitor. We don’t...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Max PK Length
Comments posted to this topic are about the item My experience using the GitHub...
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Microsoft SQL Year in...
If I create a multiple column Primary Key constraint, what is the most number of bytes I can include in the constraint?
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