Have a look in SQL Server Books Online (BOL) in the section 'tempdb databases'. This will tell you more about what tempdb is used for.

After you have read this,...

You definitely have a problem with Windows permissions.

Try logging on to the server that runs that package using the account that runs the package. Make sure you check the...

Without doubt the problem is that your application is asking for a column that does not exist in the table being referenced.

You now need...

I think in SQL 2005 and above the OA procs can only be accessed by folks with Sysadmin authority. This means that anything monitoring your server has very high...

Deciding batch size is often partly based on facts and partly on personal preference. The facts give the lower limit on transaction size, preference often governs the upper limit.

Each...

IMHO you should do a planning piece and present this to management before starting work. If your table sizes were trivial this would not be necessary, but with 1bn...

You mention several stages of calculation.

a) Is this several stages, all of which apply to a single record?

b) Or is is several stages where each stage applies to...

'Too many connections' is an issue that could affect 32-bit SQL Server, but is far less likely to affect 64-bit SQL Server.

With 32-bit, SQL Server has to fit a great...

There are limited situations where SQL Browser is needed, and many installations have the SQL Browser service set to Disabled.

If you only have 1 SQL instance on your server you...

The issue of a large quarterly load raises a logical question - can any design changes be made to this load to reduce peak log usage?

A very large use of...

Geographical separation does make it difficult to shadow the DBA team work 🙁

It also probably means that your chances of getting DBA work in your current organisation are...

There are many ways to get the status of the application lock table honoured by processes that access the data.

If your access is via an application where you have authorship...

This is an application problem, not a SQL Server problem.

The traditional answer to this problem is to create another table to act as a application lock table.

You update the application...

GilaMonster has some good advice.

In my career I have often found the only way to get further is to do things in my own time. I have a Technet...

Start SQL Server Books Online (also called BOL). Use the Index to find: databases [SQL Server]. Then click on: about databases.

This should give you the information you need....