SQL Server 2005 T-SQL Enhancements

SQL Server 2005 or "Yukon" is going to be a major SQL Server update containing updates to nearly every facet of the program, including T-SQL. In this article I am going to explore some of the new T-SQL features, commands, and capabilities in SQL Server 2005. Because covering everything new in T-SQL would require an entire chapter in a book, I am going to cover some of the more useful and mainstream enhancements.

Freeware: SQL Digger 1.0

Ever been in the situation where you know that you used a function in a stored procedure and couldn't remember how to use it? SQL Server is a great database platform, but it's easy to lose track of all your code as an application grows. A new freeware utility is available to help you search your databases for code.

Generating a Bar Code

SQL Server is asked to do many tasks, including scheduling processes, transferring data using DTS in an ETL process, sending mail, updating other systems, generating reports and more. However this one might a bit unsual: using SQL Server and T-SQL to generate a bar code. Ivaca Masar brings us this unique look at how you can stretch the limits of T-SQL.

Full Text Search on SQL 2000 Part 1

Full Text Searching is a free, optional component of MS SQL 2000. When installed, it offers a vast array of additional string querying abilities. Full Text Searching allows for string comparisons similar to internet search engines, returning both results and a matching score or weight. With regular TSQL, string matching is usually limited to an exact match, or a wildcard match with the keyword "LIKE." Full Text Searching exceeds this by searching for phrases, groups of words, words near one another, or different tenses of words, such as run, running, and ran. In addition, if Microsoft Office Word or Excel documents are saved in the database, their contents can be searched like a typical varchar field. Full Text Searching is accomplished by installing a new service (Microsoft Search), and using key words in TSQL designed specifically for text searching. This article will demonstrate installing, configuring and using the Full Text Search engine.

XML Options in Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Three options for handling XML data in the Visual Studio 2005/SQL Server 2005 environment are discussed, including usage scenarios and guidelines to help you choose between them. (34 printed pages)

Partitioned Tables and Indexes in SQL Server 2005

Table-based partitioning features in SQL Server 2005 provide flexibility and performance to simplify the creation and maintenance of partitioned tables. Trace the progression of capabilities from logically and manually partitioning tables to the latest partitioning features, and find out why, when, and how to design, implement, and maintain partitioned tables using SQL Server 2005. (41 printed pages)

SQL Server 2005 - Interface Overview

In this article, we will be giving you an overview of what the new interface looks like in SQL Server 2005.

Detecting and Reporting Errors in Stored Procedures - Part 2: SQL Serv

TRY-CATCH blocks in T-SQL allow error detection and reporting in a construct similar to that used in VB .NET, C#, and C++. The specific focus here is how TRY-CATCH blocks are used in stored procedures and where there might be some surprises.

Exchanging XML with SQL Server 2000 and Reporting Services through the

Venkat Prasad discusses some programming techniques for saving XML data from Microsoft SQL Servers, Web Servers, XML Web Services, and Microsoft SQL Reporting Servers. Topics include a comparison of traditional techniques used for saving XML streams, using ASP/ASPX and COM, with newer ones using .NET Framework Classes—datasets, XMLTextReaders and XMLTextWriters, XSLTransformation, saving data from SQL Reporting Servers, and uploading XML back to SQL Server. (15 printed pages).

Setting up a reboot cycle for Active/Passive Cluster SQL Server

Every organization has a system of weekly reboots or monthly reboots etc., for all their servers. When it comes to clustered servers, the reboot cycle would be little different. Usually the active node in the cluster will always be active, unless there is a failover initiated manually or when there is a hardware failure etc.

In this article, I am going to explain how to reboot cluster nodes.