289 files? Do you mean 289 ndf files?

I'd tend to trust Robert on the thread issue here. The more databases you add, the more threads you use.

How large are these dbs and how much activity per day?...

The other explanation is that you might just need 30+GB of temp space. Shrinking tempdb constantly isn't helping if the application needs that space.

Likely there are other issues, but if...

You don't need the same account. Whether on the same server or different, the instances talk to each other through the endpoint. So the security is on the endpoint, not...

There is definitely a balance, but it's something that you need to work out over time, and pay attention to. Don't always send an IM (email can be better, causes...

Wouldn't the table be a connection to the server and database and then a query? Or do you mean sending it programatically?

That's strange. Have you checked sys.files or checked from another SSMS instance?

I like what homebrew01 has done. You need to document, but also automate a check on changes. It's not usually someone trying to sneak things in (though they do), it's...

Be aware that you'll need to change the SQL Server name (sp_dropserver, sp_addserver) if this is a different Windows host.

If paths are different for databases, you'll also have errors you...

I tried to work in rebar somehow, Mike, but couldn't. That helps with sheer forces, but not with expansions.

Yes, once the first db has been marked for TDE, tempdb will as well since it is used by queries into the encrypted database.

A few ideas:

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/scripts/Log+Shipping/67173/

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/scripts/Backup+%2f+Restore/31932/

I would ask Ed's question as well. If you have a server, fine, but I believe that IA64 support ends with SQL 2008 R2.

On plagiarism, my alma mater has some free software:http://digg.com/u1UU6a. I could host something using this if someone wants to help code.

Do we have a sharepoint site? I can see this thread fragmenting into multiple ones quickly.