Are you looking for some sort of split function to split a comma-delimited list?

Here are a couple of scripts for performing "pivot table" type queries as well.  They may simplify your life a bit, or give you inspiration for automating CASE statement creations...

Sounds like what you want is what Access users refer to as a "Pivot table".  Here's some FREE solutions to achieve the desired result:

http://www.sqlteam.com/item.asp?ItemID=2955

http://www.planet-source-code.com/vb/scripts/ShowCode.asp?txtCodeId=680&lngWId=5

The second example is simpler...

LIKE 'A%' can give you great performance...  If you have an index on the column, as someone else mentioned.

Just wondering, but why put it in a dynamic SQL statement? 

First thing, you're using sp_executesql with VARCHAR values.  You should be using NVARCHAR.  Next, you're using sp_executesql but not using...

Thuan is absolutely correct.  You can't guesstimate at hardware requirements without all the details.  You can start by reviewing the bare minimum software requirements for whichever version of SQL Server...

Here's a sample to help you get started.  Obviously I couldn't test it, since I don't have your tables and sample data, but this is the basic idea.  I also...

Your first issue is a scope issue.  You are telling SQL Server to use @param2 within the dynamic SQL; however, it was declared outside of the dynamic SQL.  The dynamic...

CONGRATS!  And here's looking forward to 5 more years!

Another aspect that is often overlooked (maybe because it's not a requirement for a majority of people...) is auditing SELECT statements.  Not necessarily an easy task, but I have run...

Thanks for the feedback.  You might want to check out:  http://www.schneier.com/blowfish.html.  The key length for Blowfish keys is specified by Bruce Schneier as 32 bits to 448 bits, multiple...

Thanks for all the great feedback via email on the new tools I'm developing, and special thanks to the folks who are helping me test it!  I've just added regular...

Of course when it comes down to it, this has been true since...?  Even if you don't encrypt your data, the malicious DBA or sysadmin is still a threat.  

So even if you...

I haven't done any performance testing, although I have been accessing the CryptoAPI and DPAPI from C++ apps and SQL Server XP's in testing for a while now; the performance...

I'll have to check into that, but I didn't think the KEY-GUID was required; my understanding was that it is just a tag that allows you to determine what data...