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Exploring Table and Index Partitioning in SQL Server 2005
Table partitioning is a powerful new feature in SQL Server 2005. It is primarily a manageability feature, but my interest here is in the performance and scalability of table and index partitioning for use with very large tables.
Triggers in SQL Server 7.0 and 2000 - The Common Ground
This is a two part series on how triggers work in the two latest versions of MS SQL Server. Because there are some pretty significant additions in trigger functionality from 7.0 to 2000, we'll first need to look at what the two versions have in common. The second part to this series will look at the differences between the two MS SQL Server versions.
DATA PIRACY: THE THREAT FROM WITHIN
Databases are being stolen. Customer data, credit card data, taxpayer data - they're all vulnerable. Scary? Yes - but wait, there's more. It's not just "their" data that's vulnerable - it's ours too!
On the Trail of the ISO Week
Chris Hedgate, one of our regular SQL Server columnists, recently became intrigued by the way that SQL Server implements the week number. His concern was why SQL Server treats week 53 as week 1, which is not that way that ISO6801 sees it. Read about his investigation into the methods of implementing an algorithm to solve this problem.
Setting Matters Straight
Fabian Pascal, famed database author and writer takes his shots at a recent thread on another SQL site. He makes some good points about normalization.
SQL Server 2005 Recursive Functions
SQL Server 2005 has added a new format for queries called a Common Table Expression or CTE. CTE’s are part of the SQL:1999 Specification and represent further compliance with this specification by SQL Server. This article will cover using one of the many capabilities of CTE’s, implementing recursive functions. A recursive function is a one that iteratively executes itself. Understanding how CTE’s implement recursive functions is the first step to understanding the full capabilities of CTE’s.
Analysis Services 2005, the Year of BI
Robert Pearl of Pearl Knowledge Solutions, Inc., recently attended a meeting of the NY Database Professionals Council where SQL Server Analysis Services 2005 was a large part of the topic of conversation. Read his report on the push to move business intelligence into the mainstream.
SQL Server Database Index Performance
When it comes to auditing index use in SQL Server databases, I sometimes get overwhelmed. For example, how to do you go about auditing indexes in a database with over 1,500 tables? While auditing a single index is relatively straight-forward, auditing thousands of them in multiple databases is not an easy task. Whether the task is easy or not, it is an important task if you want to optimize the performance of your SQL Server databases.
Enforcing Referential integrity in Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Referential Ingegrity is a critical part of any well designed RDBMS application, not just a part of Oracle, DB2, or some other platform. SQL Server has tools to make it easy, but a developer has to take the time to ensure that it is setup correctly, and ignorance is no excuse. New author Nick Duckstein brings us a look at basic RI and how you can set this up in your database.
Blogs
A New Word: los vidados
By Steve Jones
los vidados – n. the half-remembered acquaintances you knew years ago, who you might...
In-Person CISA Training – April 13-16, 2026
By Brian Kelley
I will be leading an in-person Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) exam prep class...
EightKB 2026
EightKB is back again for 2026! The biggest online SQL Server internals conference is...
Forums
query to track time spent on individual tasks in SSIS
Hi everyone I am looking at building a query to determine how much time...
SQL Server Transactional Replication from Always On Availability Groups to Azure SQL Database
Comments posted to this topic are about the item SQL Server Transactional Replication from...
Hidden Heroes
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Hidden Heroes
Question of the Day
Identities and Sequences I
When thinking of the Identity property for auto incrementing columns and sequences for the same action, which are explicitly linked to increment a number in a table when a new row is added?
See possible answers