Technically a cross db query shouldn't be that much different to a single db query ( on the same server ). Make sure your indexing and query is spot on...

actually secondary indexes are even more selective, typically 95% or better. You can improve matters with a covered index ( we'll agree to disagree about column order !! ). It's...

No experience with this SAN - but - it is important to remember that the performance of a disk is not altered by a SAN, each spindle can still only...

sadly you really have to do this yourself. I make use of various data modelling tools ( if available to me ) otherwise Visio will do.

I usually work in word,...

In a "proper" controlled environment you would have to have documentation before release to production. The thought of having undocumented dts/sis packages in a production environment is quite scary. I...

I haven't really spent any time examinaing the system tables within sql 2005, ms has made a pretty good job of hiding much of the system data. Views and stuff...

in your restored database try the table 

sysusermsgs

I can't get data out of it in master ( yet )

to be blunt the optimiser is probably picking the correct index, you probably don't provide the most efficient indexe for your query. Have you changed any settings in QA away...

32bit sql server std will only use 2gb ram no matter what. 900mb of free ram shows that you have 900mb of wasted memory - I fail to understand why...

You might want to consider partitioning if the table is large.

I'd either sack the lead developer or find a new job! ( probably both )

the single user will have little impact one way or another ( it may indicate poor...

Take a read through Ken Henderson's Guru guide to architecture. The xp_prepare stuff runs in memory out of sql process and has a limited memory pool - I assume, but...

I don't have a 6.5 server to test this but it could be the 6.5 on your 2k has a 6.5 collation - this might be the problem.

In 2000 under...

have you tried using the 32bit driver from sql 2005?

mdac is really client so how do you normally get your isam data into 2000 , I assume dts ?

If it's...

raid 5 has a 25% write efficiency on equal available spindles vs raid 10. It also has poor rebuild efficiency, trying to rebuild a disk within a raid 5 array...