Optimize SQL Server hardware performance

Tuning SQL Server for performance is in many ways like constructing a house. You must find a suitable location with rich soil, build a solid foundation to support two or three levels, install the electrical and plumbing, finish the walls for painting and decorating, and finally conduct ongoing maintenance.

Data Portion and Used threshold

When Database Administrators manage multiple databases on multiple servers, it is difficult to keep track of and monitor the used percentage of data portion on every database. Though SQL Server has the capability of auto growth whenever the data portion reaches 100%, it is always advisable to increase the database size manually when it comes to VLDB. This article examines monitoring the percentage used on the data portion of every database and alerting the DBA using threshold settings. This article has been written for SQL Server 2000 server.

A New Way of Thinking

Every organization both maintains and uses reference data sets within its enterprise. And in many of these organizations, there are standards about the definition and use of that reference data, although sometimes those standards are at best silently understood instead of specifically documented. Yet even in the best governed environment, that reference data is bound to eventually be abused, either through value set perturbation or extended usage expectations.

Business Intelligence with Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services - P

Microsoft provides the most comprehensive integrated business intelligence, data mining, analysis and reporting solution with its state of the art Microsoft SQL Server Analysis services and Microsoft SQL Server reporting services. With the modern architecture design based on XML web services, SQL Server Reporting Services provides highly flexible, scalable, customizable and high performance reporting solution in a cost effective way. This article is a developer's introduction to SQL server reporting services, its functionality and how it can be used to provide state of the art reporting solutions.

A First Look at Express Manager

Microsoft describes its new, free SQL Server 2005 Express Manager (XM) as a "lightweight" database management tool built on top of the .NET Framework 2.0. Better yet, not only can you use XM to manage SQL Server 2005 Developer and Express Edition databases on local and remote computers, you can also use it with SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE 2000) databases. In this article, Rick Dobson shows you what XM offers DBAs.

SQL backup encryption

Judging by mainstream news coverage over the past few weeks, the issue of data theft, particularly loss of backup tapes, has reached the tipping point. It might mean that your relatively anonymous existence within your company could come to a screeching halt.
A look at how encrpytion might be if importance to your company.

SQL Server Integration Services - Loop Containers

As we briefly mentioned in the previous installment of this series, among features introduced in the SQL Server 2005 Integration Services there are For and ForEach loops, implemented in the form of containers that can be incorporated into the Control Flow part of a package design.

.NET 2.0 transaction model

The Microsoft .NET 2.0 platform introduces a new namespace called System.Transactions that brings in a lightweight, simplified transaction model. This article discusses the shortcomings of current transaction models and introduces System.Transactions for .NET Framework 2.0 beta 2.

Currently there are two transaction models available in the .NET world, both of which are suited for certain situations. The first is part of the rich ADO.NET data providers. The second is the enterprise services transaction. Before we examine System.Transactions, let’s have a look at the current models.

Meta-Data Trends & Technologies

The term “Enterprise Metadata Management” has been in use since the late 1980’s when many of us worked in classic “mainframe environments” using “corporate data dictionaries” to manage our COBOL programs, Job Control Language (JCL), screens, reports, copybooks, and database schema definitions. Fast-forward to 2005 ~ has anything changed? What does “enterprise metadata management” mean today ? I recently surveyed a number of leading metadata management vendors, Global 5000 companies, and industry thought-leaders seeking their input.

A tale of preventable loss

In the race to secure data, one basic measure – encryption – is often overlooked. Philip Basham takes a look at the ramifications of data loss and how it can be prevented.