Why the SQL Server Optimizer Uses a Nonclustered Index Instead of a Cl

Interesting info about why the optimizer might choose to use a nonclustered index over a clustered index. Links to two other articles that cover each type of index in more detail.

Email and Yukon - What Changes Would You Like?

Microsoft is soliciting input on email functionality in Yukon. Follow the link to complete the survey. You can also discuss it here on the site:

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17739&FORUM_ID=9&CAT_ID=1&Topic_Title=SQL+Mail+and+Yukon%2C+what+do+you+want+to+see%2E%2E%2E&Forum_Title=General

Updated Yukon Info from MS

This page has some newer information on Yukon. Worth looking at!

How to use the new function fn_get_sql() ?

This article shows you how to use the new function fn_get_sql() and the 3 new columns of master.dbo.sysprocesses. These changes were introduced in SQL Server 2000 SP3/SP3A. In this article, you will find a general purpose stored procedure called ShowCodeLine. It makes use of these new features, to inspect a given spid, and display the currently executing line/query

An Interesting Article on Unicode and Character Sets

This may well be more than you want to know about Unicode (and no, it's not a SQL article), but it's a pretty useful discussion to have.

xSQL Object Public Beta

xSQL Object for Microsoft SQL Server has been designed with the DataBase Administrator in mind. Scripting, Comparing and even Synchronizing different objects like tables, views, stored procedures etc. is fast and easy.

SQL DMO Poster in PDF!

Last year we did a project with Lumigent to create a DMO poster. Part of the agreement allows us to now distribute the PDF version to our readers. It's about a 400k file, print size is 24x36. We hope you DMO users will find it useful.

Database Workbench 2.3.1 released

Database Workbench is a powerfull developer tool that includes support for Microsoft SQL Server, version 7, 2000, MSDE 1 & 2. It let's you create schema objects from a convenient interface, transfer data or profile your database by displaying query plans or creating thousands of rows of test-data.

New Table Structure Compare Tool in Beta

Aladdin is an "alter table" script generation tool for SQL Server 7/2000.
Aladdin is currently in BETA. They are currently looking for for 25 people willing to use the beta product and report their experiences. Users who fully participate in the beta will get a free, single user license when the product is released. To participate in the Aladdin BETA program, please download the software and send an email to Ken Otto: ottosoft@hotmail.com - Subject: Aladdin Beta Test.

Storage Performance Council

The Storage Performance Council (SPC) is a non-profit corporation founded to define, standardize, and promote storage subsystem benchmarks as well as to disseminate objective, verifiable performance data to the computer industry and its customers.