If you don't like the idea of an extra DNS entry, then you're going to be dealing with renaming the new server after it has been setup.  
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/install-windows/rename-a-computer-that-hosts-a-stand-alone-instance-of-sql-server

maybe sys.dm_sql_referenced_entities or sys.dm_sql_referencing_entities can help?
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-sql-referenced-entities-transact-sql
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-sql-referencing-entities-transact-sql
here's an example for using referenced entities:
SELECT v.name AS view_name, referenced_database_name, referenced_schema_name, referenced_entity_name, referenced_minor_name
FROM sys.views...

I'm a big Kimball fan as well.  Some of the former members of the Kimball Group (Ralph Kimball retired) have a new website at:
https://decisionworks.com/category/articles-design-tips/

There are a number of good articles here on SQL Server Central (and elsewhere too) about Tally tables, (sometimes called numbers table), their advantages, and how to use them.  I've...

Maybe some combination of determining the month dates first, then using the "cross tab" method as described here:
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
I've found the cross tab method to be more flexible...

Are the changes only happening on one side or are changes happening in both databases and they need to be synchronized?  If changes are happening on both sides then this...

the problem with doing an INNER JOIN instead of CROSS APPLY, is if there are multiple history records.  you'd probably want to include a ROW_NUMBER() evaluation in a subquery, maybe...

SQL Server Developer is such a broad title, that it's really impossible to tell, as that role will vary from company to company.  I'd suggest it's important to understand how...

It's not entirely clear what your primary key and foreign keys are.  Assuming  PRCompany, PREmployee and HRCompany, HREmployee are paired together, one way to do this is:
SELECT...

Do you know the RAID level of the "drives"?  Since you are using a SAN, there's also the possibility that the log drive you see is really carved out of...

If you're backing up then restoring to a different server, there was a conversation about what all you need to consider when migrating like that:
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Editorial/154033/

Lets try to clarify what's going on.  Can you run the following queries in your database?
show file sizes and used space:
SELECT DB_NAME() AS database_name,
  f.file_id,...

Maybe an analogy to think about is have you ever been at the store when the register is out of receipt paper?  The whole line stands there and waits while...