As has already been stated, there are places where you have to use it, but, no, I don't put it around the code in my stored procedures since it does...

Great!

I use that query technique all the time. Verify that I'm getting what I want, then make it into an UPDATE statement. Glad it worked out.

Yeah, I was just going to say the same thing about the three indexes. That's what I get for doing work instead of posting to the boards.

No, it shouldn't matter that there is already data there. That's the point of the UPDATE. Did you run the query as a select? Does it return the 17k rows...

There was a session at PASS last year that showed how to make low level manipulations to the system to simulate data corruption, etc. It was pretty scary stuff, but...

If you're unsure that you're getting the results you expect from the UPDATE, then just comment out the UPDATE part of the clause and run SELECT * with the rest...

It would still help to see an execution plan.

First, you don't have a where clause, so you're returing all the data from all the tables (not counting the DISTINCT statement, which, we'll get to). This will pretty much...

It's probably doing a table scan, which will certainly cause a lot of reads. Are there any triggers on the table? Is that field a part of a primary or...

The Books Onliine are usually part of the client install, although you can choose to not install them.

They're also available online at Microsoft:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

OK. That was more helpful.

Well, for a select from the key and the key only, A would probably be faster than B. However, as soon as you decide you want...

I would guess that I've seen data corruption about twice a year for... quite a while. That includes development and QA systems where silly and crazy stuff occurs just a...

I agree with Jack. You're just not going to be able to learn things in a detailed way that you don't work with daily.

That said, you should have a good...

Execution plans so we can understand which indexes are used, not used, etc., would be very helpful.

The only thing I'd add to the "must have" list is:

a method for monitoring performance

a process for updating structures/code/procedures based on...