February 2012
Configuring authentication in SSRS isn't always a straightforward task because it occurs at multiple points and involves multiple technologies. This guide will show you the basics so that you can get started.
January 2012
New to SQL Server 2012, the AlwaysOn Availability Groups feature is the next evolution of database mirroring. Find out what AlwaysOn Availability Groups is, what you need to use this feature, and how to use it to create and manage availability groups.
December 2011
The annual SQL Server Magazine Editors' Best and Community Choice award programs offer a unique way to recognize the hottest products among the past year's offerings. Our Editors' Best program highlights products that SQL Server Magazine editors and contributors believe are worthy of recognition, whereas our Community Choice program lets our readers decide which products are the best.
November 2011
SQL Server Denali’s new features will help you easily build and secure mission-critical applications, gain greater insight into your data, store data more efficiently, build applications for the cloud, and more.
October 2011
The wide array of tools to back up and restore a SharePoint environment can be quite daunting. A good place to start is to use SQL Server’s backup and restore tools and the SharePoint 2010 Management Shell, in addition to the backup and restore options in SharePoint’s Central Administration site.
September 2011
When designing a SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) package, the choices you make can affect its performance. Learn how to find and fix performance bottlenecks in your SSIS package's design.
August 2011
Just a few years ago installing SQL Server on a virtual machine (VM) was pretty much taboo. Although virtualizing SQL Server is now common, it does present new challenges. This article offers seven tips for achieving optimal performance on a VM, including to check CPU usage regularly, disable memory balloon drivers, deduplicate data, disable the Lock Pages in Memory option, and more.
July 2011
SQL Server is a popular target for hackers, so your data is at risk of being intentionally compromised. To reduce this risk, consider strategies such as reducing the surface area or pathways that SQL Server can be exploited, controlling access through configuration and provisioning, and other techniques.
June 2011
Although most DBAs are familiar with the BACKUP and RESTORE commands, many don't realize that some of the commands' lesser-known options can be really useful. This article discusses ways to verify backup integrity, minimize data loss when a disaster occurs, improve backup performance, minimize downtime, restore to a point in time, and restart an interrupted restore operation.
May 2011
Walk through the report creation process using Report Builder 3.0 with steps to create reports and shared datasets. Also, compare Report Builder 3.0 to BIDS.
April 2011
Learn the 10 things you need to do when designing a database from scratch, including having the right tools, understanding the requirements, using the appropriate data types, standardizing naming conventions, and more.
March 2011
David DeWitt, a Microsoft Technical Fellow who leads the Microsoft Jim Gray Systems Lab in Madison, Wisconsin, talks about the columnar index feature, Parallel Data Warehouse, query optimization, and future enhancements for SQL Server.
February 2011
If your organization currently uses or plans to use both SharePoint Server 2010 and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) 2008 R2 as separate products, you should consider using SSRS in SharePoint integrated mode. Advantages are that you'll only have one security model to manage, users will only have one environment to work in, and you can manage reports using the same systems. Learn how to install and configure the integration.
January 2011
Performance-tuning expert Andrew J. Kelly shows you how to proactively identify issues, locate I/O bottlenecks, root out problem queries, reuse query plans, monitor index usage, and much more.
December 2010
See the top community and editor rated products in categories such as backup and recovery, business intelligence, database management, monitoring and performance, development, security and compliance, storage, and the best free tool.
November 2010
Ted Kummert discusses the future of SQL Server, including BI and the cloud, improvements to PowerPivot, if SQL Server will continue to support 32-bit, Microsoft's plans regarding unstructured data, the future of SQL Server and virtualization, and more.
October 2010
Database mirroring is one of the easier ways to improve availability. This article discusses configuration, security, and the process for initializing database mirroring.
September 2010
Explore the main storage options for your virtual SQL Server machines: using virtual disks, mounting a volume to a VM, and using iSCSI to directly link the Fibre Channel storage array to the VM. Also consider what variations exist whether you use Microsoft's Hyper-V or VMware.
August 2010
Itzik Ben-Gan shows you how to solve T-SQL problems by diving deep into the logical and performance aspects. Learn how to use TOP instead of MIN or MAX, troubleshoot implementation errors from dynamic filters, use distinct-count filters for filtering groups with distinct occurrences of an attribute, and more.
July 2010
DBA Repository 2010, a solution to gather information DBAs can use to assess and report on SQL Server machines, has been enhanced with resiliency for offline servers, SQL Server 2008 support, and performance improvements through parallel processing.
June 2010
Explore a definitive overview of new features in SQL Server 2008 R2, including the new Parallel Data Warehouse Edition, support for 256 cores, PowerPivot for Excel, multiserver management capabilities, and Report Builder 3.0.
May 2010
Learn how new features in Visual Studio 2010, such as IntelliSense, code navigation, and the .NET Framework 4.0, affect database developers, and find out about changes to LINQ-to-SQL.
April 2010
Microsoft's general manager for SQL Server BI discusses PowerPivot, Master Data Services, Azure and more, plus predicts where BI will be in a decade.
March 2010
SQL Server Magazine readers discuss how to deal with SSIS in clusters, move database files without taking the database offline, get and analyze I/O information, and pivot a table without aggregating its data.
February 2010
The second iteration of Report Builder is much easier to use than Microsoft's first version. Learn how to build and manage reports, plus explore specific tasks such as modifying a cataloged report and creating a locally hosted report.
January 2010
See why MySpace, one of the largest websites in the world, chose SQL Server for its database platform. Three leaders of the company’s IT department discuss how they planned, implemented, extended, and maintain a massive deployment of SQL Server.
December 2009
Explore the top products voted by editors and the community in backup and recovery, business intelligence, database management, database monitoring, development, server hardware, storage, SharePoint, training and certification, and virtualization.
November 2009
A secure database environment is the necessary foundation from which a DBA builds everything on. Learn how to secure your database, adapt to network security considerations, and discover best practices for data encryption.
October 2009
SQL Server 2008 R2 unveils Gemini, a technology that Donald Farmer calls "the next generation of business intelligence technology." Gemini offers self-service BI, breaking down the walls between information workers and knowledge workers.
September 2009
Even if you've set up a SQL Server cluster, you need to know how the process differs with SQL Server 2008. Explore the requirements, planning, installation, and configuration of a cluster on SQL Server 2008.
August 2009
Looking for an easier way to do routine tasks or the perfect solution for a gap in SQL Server's functionality? Consult this massive list for free tools related to administration, compliance, BI, change management, performance, security, and much more.
July 2009
Organizations are increasingly using virtualization to cut costs and increase efficiency. Learn why running SQL Server on Hyper-V makes sense, and how to optimize it if you do.
June 2009
Readers share solutions for detecting broken database objects, determining the average number of days between orders, importing and exporting SSIS packages, finding strings, and avoiding referential integrity errors when deleting database records.
May 2009
Although LINQ to SQL has T-SQL under the hood, it provides a higher-level set of query tools for developers to leverage. Use it to realize a new data-access layer and use auto-generated types to exchange data with the business and presentation layers.
April 2009
SQL Server 2008's Resource Governor lets you allocate CPU and memory where it's needed. Learn how to create resource pools, create workload groups, view your configuration, classify applications, and some of the caveats of Resource Governor.
March 2009
Several reporting features got facelifts in SSRS 2008, such as virtual directories, Reporting Services Configuration Manager, the My Reports feature, and the Report Definition Language engine. Learn how these changes improve report management and access.
February 2009
Dave Campbell opines on SQL Server 2008, Madison, Kilimanjaro, Azure, and the future of data storage and delivery.
January 2009
Given that the next version of SQL Server probably won't support a direct upgrade from SQL Server 2000, now is the time to upgrade to SQL Server 2008. We'll show you how.
December 2008
The effort of creating and configuring a database cluster pales in comparison to the hours or days a restore can take. A failover cluster can reduce outages to only a few seconds.
November 2008
Discover real-world solutions for maintaining databases, modifying words in tables, finding the worst-performing T-SQL statements, and determining how much space is being used by tables and their indexes.
October 2008
Handle complex queries and retrieve multi-dimensional data with the new ADOMD.NET. You can quickly integrate these queries into your custom applications.
September 2008
What does it take to get an end-to-end BI solution running? How long do you spend on the data warehouse, and how much does it all cost? Get first-hand answers from a large company’s BI director.
August 2008
Our editors save you the drudgery of evaluating products to find the best fit for your situation at the right price, in our annual Editor’s Best awards issue. Here are the winning products for 2008.
July 2008
Tackle performance issues while you code rather than after the fact and prevent common mistakes.
June 2008
Overwhelmed by all the properties for controlling elements of your reports? Delve into lesser-known properties of BIDS to refresh and paginate onscreen reports, produce multicolumn reports, and design reports for online viewing, with little effort.
May 2008
Are BI improvements in SQL Server 2008 enough to make you want to upgrade? To answer that question, explore enhancements to SQL Server Integration Services, SQL Server Analysis Services, and SQL Server Reporting Services.
April 2008
Learn how you can sync your data and development with this tour of new features and functionality in Visual Studio 2008.
March 2008
Solve your LOB problems with new data types, store keys outside of the database with Extensible Key Management, get the facts about the new data compression feature, and read Ted Kummert thoughts about SQL Server 2008's features and value proposition.
February 2008
Use SSRS and SSIS to add information for ad-hoc queries, an enhanced SQL Server Agent job schedule, support for SQL Server 2005, and more with this revised DBA Repository solution.
January 2008
Solve your business problems with inspirations from the 2007 Innovators award-winning solutions: a T-SQL program for a video poker game, a way to centrally maintain data, a database maintenence tool, and a hospital's high-availability solution.
December 2007
Make sure your technology and infrastructure investments stay relevant in the months to come. Learn which products will have the tools you need to stay on top of SQL Server development, administration, and business intelligence (BI) challenges in 2008.
November 2007
Protect your data access processes from SQL injection attacks. William Sheldon uses best practices and examples based on Windows Forms and ASP.NET to illustrate the concept of data binding.
October 2007
Make the improved information access and report administration from SSRS and MOSS integration work for you. Stacia Misner shows you how to make the combination work, walking you through the environment set up.
September 2007
Migrating to SQL Server is an increasingly difficult task to prepare for and accomplish. SQL Server Migration Assistant can help you outline tasks, convert PL/SQL to T-SQL, migrate datas, test migrated objects, and deploy your migrated database.
August 2007
Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to find a product that does the job and provides great ROI. But how do you find the right product for the job? Our editors examined all the products we've covered in the past year and highlight their picks.
July 2007
Learn how to manage SQL Server and protect your databases with System Center 2007. Your system needs the support of several Windows services to function reliably, and our tour of the new System Center products will help you keep an eye on all of them.
June 2007
Thank you for your loyalty, as we celebrate 100 issues! We're still insanely devoted to providing technically accurate information to help you do your job. In this issue: Tap into repository data, and master ReportViewer controls.
May 2007
Deliver data mining to your desktops by using the power of SQL Server 2007 Data Mining Add-ins and following this comprehensive example.
April 2007
Simply deploying SQL Server 2005 without using its security features puts you at risk. Follow these defense-in-depth steps to secure the database server before, during, and after installation.
March 2007
Get the date/time format you need and a flexible, reliable conversion solution using SQL Server 2000.
February 2007
To build a SQL Server database with reduced response time and that saves and retrieves data more quickly, focus on three factors: indexing, maintenance, and statistics.
January 2007
Adapt these creative ideas to make your own job easier or let these stories trigger you to come up with innovations: self-service development testing, comprehensive server monitoring, automated medical coding, and more.
December 2006
In our third annual salary survey, we highlight how database professionals like you acquire the knowledge that sets them apart from other DBAs. Find out how your skills and salary stack up against your peers for this year.
November 2006
Build a smooth-running performance-engineering process by using these design, monitoring, and maintenance techniques. Then you'll be able to anticipate certain behaviors and characteristics and determine how they will affect performance.
October 2006
Take advantage of six important aspects of database design. You can improve your data's validity by setting up your database and processing environment to enforce validation automatically.
September 2006
Customize your report delivery to let users flexibly change data views and get the information they need in the format they can use best.
August 2006
Our editors honor the standout SQL Server–related product vendors of the Best of TechEd 2006 Awards and recognize the hits of the database universe by holding the first annual Editors’ Choice Awards.
July 2006
William Sheldon explains how ASP.NET 2.0 capabilities such as new callback functions and enhanced caching options will help boost your Web site's performance at the client, Web server, and database tiers.
June 2006
Say goodbye to tedious manual database-security checks. With Dan Sawyer's know-how and script, you can develop an organized security-testing plan that checks your designated configuration settings and reports the testing results.
May 2006
Microsoft Office 2003's built-in tools let you incorporate and use data from your SQL Server database. From customizing data entries in Access to summarizing information in Word, Michael Otey shows how to integrate the two applications.
April 2006
The CLR integration in SQL Server 2005 is perfect for some jobs, but other times you need a different tool. Itzik Ben-Gan explains which scenarios are best for CLR and which are still jobs for T-SQL.
March 2006
Learn how a prototype running Windows 2003 x64, SQL Server 2005 x64, 32 GB RAM, and direct-attached 7200 RPM SATA disks competes with megaservers costing ten to twenty times more. Microsoft's Rich Johnson reveals how to radically lower storage cost.
February 2006
Forget trial and error! Learn from the lessons of Microsoft's IT department. CIOs and VPs Ron Markezich and Stuart Scott detail SQL Server 2005 implementation, and IT Development Manager Frank Schneider shares advice for deploying Reporting Services 2005.
January 2006
Tried and true. The results are in for the 2005 Innovator Awards! Discover how our three winners used their skill and creativity to produce solutions for overwhelming IT problems. Get inspired by these pros to create, originate, and innovate.
December 2005
SQL Server Magazine highlights its second annual salary survey. Our editors show you results in IT pros’ compensation and job satisfaction. Find out if you’re surviving or thriving in the IT community.
November 2005
3-2-1...launch!
September 2005
The verdict is in! Check out the results of SQL Server Magazine's Readers' Choice awards and see what you decided were the best products in more than 50 categories! Also learn how to automate data analysis with SQL Server 2005's new BI tools, and more!
August 2005
Kalen Delaney and Ron Talmage explore SQL Server 2005's new management tools. Learn about merge replication in the real world, how to tame your tables, get some auditing advice from SQL Server guru Itzik Ben-Gan, and more!
July 2005
Kevin Kline shares some tips you can use to maximize SQL Server performance before you ever install the software! Also, learn how to cut the time it takes to unit test T-SQL Stored procedures, when reusing a query plan might not be appropriate, and more!
June 2005
SQL Server 2005 and Visual Studio 2005 are designed to work together. Learn how to take advantage of the teamwork of these new products, how to manage your SQL Server instances proactively, how CTEs can show you the way to transitive closure, and more!
May 2005
SQL Server 2005's CLR integration is capturing the imaginations of developers and rewritten features such as SMO are replacing familiar tools. Check out the backup and restore buyer's guide, learn about time-recording schemes, and more!
April 2005
Learn how to create a code library to use for many common data-access tasks, see 3 ways to win big with 64-bit, and check out a creative workaround to doing drillthrough on the fly. Also, don't miss our new Preparing for SQL Server 2005 column!
March 2005
We've collected a set of best practices checklists that give you the tips you need to work with key SQL Server technologies and perform important tasks. Also learn how to sort IPs, shrink database files, and more!
February 2005
Microsoft's Bill Baker talks to us about SQL Server 2005's business intelligence (BI) transformation. We also show you how to make database maintenance easier, determine whether you should use implicit or explicit index keys, and more!
January 2005
Dive into the top four 2004 Innovator Awards solutions by exploring the business problems the winners faced. We also get you started with SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services, show you how to find and resolve memory pressure, and more!
December 2004
How does your pay stack up against your peers'? Our 2004 salary survey issue looks at where the best-paying jobs are, who has them, and what keeps you up at night. We also give you two paging solutions for any needs, share handy indexing tools, and more!
November 2004
This issue shows you how to synchronize selected data on the fly--without disrupting business, how to use a trigger-based solution to avoid stale data in your Web application cache, how to use XMLA to build flexible analytic applications, and more!
October 2004
Go inside SQL Server 2005's rewritten DTS Import/Export Wizard, use information schema views to generate the stored procedures you use most, automate reindexing with a DBCC SHOWCONTIG utility, learn more about SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, and more!
September 2004
Find out which products readers named best in class in 55 categories. Then, see how backup and restore products LiteSpeed for SQL Server and UltraBac stack up, and evaluate Crystal Enterprise and SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services.
August 2004
Track down roadblocks with these 9 steps to an automated Profiler trace, dissect a real-world performance solution, learn how to prevent SQL injection attacks, put Reporting Services parameters to work, and more!
July 2004
Sell your valuable customer data and still maintain customer privacy and secure your databases row by row--here's how! Also, learn how to increase your data-warehousing project's chances for success, build CLR stored procedures, and much more.
June 2004
Get the most out of SQL Server 2000 by putting 7 often-overlooked features to work, and learn how materialized views can boost your query performance. Then, see how to log MDX statements, how your search arguments help the optimizer, and more!
May 2004
From CLR integration and T-SQL enhancements to new management tools, messaging middleware, security improvements, and a rewritten DTS, this issue takes you inside the upcoming release of SQL Server 2005 so that you can plan for a smooth migration.
April 2004
See how to help clients locate databases quickly and securely by adding SQL Server to Active Directory. Then, learn two ways to retrieve IDENTITY column values through ADO.NET, how to use Analysis Services to build detailed financial reports, and more!
March 2004
In honor of our 5th anniversary, we've collected 116 of our best database administration, development, and business intelligence tips in this issue--and more are on the Web! Plus, learn how to protect yourself from SQL injection attacks.
February 2004
See how cube partitioning can improve Analysis Services query performance, and get a first look at Analysis Services Yukon's new Unified Dimensional Model (UDM). Then, automate the generation of new SQL Server logins, and peek into some T-SQL back doors.
January 2004
Use SQL Server and ASP.NET to build a powerful Web-based membership application, and see how to use ADO.NET's SqlCommand object. Then, open Microsoft's performance-tuning toolbox, which uses waits and queues information to diagnose problems.
December 2003
Read all about the new Reporting Services tool for managing the complete reporting life cycle. Then, learn how to use SQL Server's Transactional Replication with Queued Updates feature and a technique for implementing server-side paging with SQL Server.
November 2003
With SQL Server Yukon in private beta, Microsoft's Eric Brown explores the release's long-awaited development and administration features. And don't miss a closer look at Yukon's Common Language Runtime (CLR) integration and T-SQL enhancements.
October 2003
Compare and contrast SQL Server 2000's core high-availability technologies, then walk through 6 steps to implementing failover clustering. Also, see how to work with BLOBs in ADO.NET, how to use dimension writeback, and more!
September 2003
Learn best practices for minimizing a disaster's effects, and discover the easiest route to recovery. Also in this issue, see how database partitioning can give servers a new lease on life, how to manage nulls in MDX, and much more!
August 2003
Learn how to best secure your SQL Server in a mixed-authentication environment and how SQL firewalls can protect your data. Then, see how to return multiple aggregates by using just one query, how to track down blocking processes, and much more!
July 2003
Learn how to administer, customize, and control your SQL Server replication topology with ActiveX, see how to monitor ADO.NET connection pools, go inside the sysprocesses system table, and much more--all in this issue of SQL Server Magazine!
June 2003
Follow our 7 tips for designing highly portable DTS packages, see how to implement underused supertype-subtype relationships, go inside recovery models, learn about OpenXML edge tables, and more--all in this issue of SQL Server Magazine.
May 2003
Exclusive interview: Microsoft VP of SQL Server Gordon Mangione explores why customers aren't applying patches and what Microsoft is doing about it. Also, learn the basics of .NET connection pooling, how to monitor SQL Server memory utilization, and more!
April 2003
Explore whether you need the extra muscle that the new 64-bit version of SQL Server provides, see how to use T-SQL to retrieve hierarchical XML data, learn how to write rock-solid MDX, and more in this issue of SQL Server Magazine!
March 2003
Does your organization run multiple database engines? Think teamwork! In this issue, see how linked servers can open a dialog between SQL Server and Oracle, learn how DTS can bridge the gap between SQL Server and the AS/400, and much more.
February 2003
In this issue, we explain why and how to unit-test your stored procedures, introduce a "poor man's" SQL Server monitoring solution, explore tried-and-true techniques for working with NULL values in Visual Basic .NET and ADO.NET, and much more!
January 2003
In our data-analysis focus this month, we share a collection of top 9 Analysis Services tips and show how SQL Server's data-mining tools can save you time and effort. Also check out a review of Log Explorer 3.03, indexing dos and don'ts, and more!
December 2002
In this issue, you'll find a two-step, do-it-yourself process for collecting database storage statistics, seven steps for implementing SSL encryption in a clustered SQL Server environment, answers to recompiling riddles, and more!
November 2002
Learn how ADO.NET tops dynamic SQL for variable-width crosstab reports and how to get answers quickly by using ADO.NET action commands. Also, see how to use CHECK constraints to validate IP addresses, investigate trace flags, and more!
October 2002
Exclusive interview: Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Peter Spiro shares how the SQL Server engine team is making the database platform better, stronger, and faster. Also, don't miss our comparative lab report of 5 client tools for Analysis Services!
September 2002
Before disaster strikes, make sure you know the keys to a successful backup-and-restore plan and how to restore your database to a new server. Also, learn how to use ADO MD with .NET, avoid Profiler pauses, and much more!
August 2002
Learn how to use DTS's powerful Data Driven Query task to manage slowly changing dimensions in your data warehouse. Then read how to boost snapshot replication performance, tame bulky inserts, overcome OpenXML hangups, and more!
July 2002
This month, learn how Kerberos authentication with SQL Server 2000 gives you the most bite for your security buck and how to secure objects in a multidatabase environment. Also, go inside a Web service, catch our Visual Studio .NET FAQs, and much more!
June 2002
Put your data to work. In this issue, we show you how to build a Web-based analysis system, how to implement data mining by using SQL Server's built-in data mining algorithms, and much more!
May 2002
Find out what every DBA needs to know about installing SQL Server 2000 and restoring SQL Server 2000 and 7.0 databases. Then, learn how to optimize snapshot replication for large databases, choose the best indexes for joins, and more!
April 2002
Examine which data-access technologies are best for your situation, learn how to migrate smoothly from ADO to ADO.NET, and see how setting up multiserver tasks can save you time and effort in managing multiple SQL Servers.
March 2002
In this issue, we explore the keys to effective database design and normalization, show you how to put Active Directory account delegation to work in your SQL Server configuration, and much more!
February 2002
In this issue, learn how to upgrade from SQL Server 6.5 to 2000, explore the new Visual Studio .NET, check out Analysis Services' drillthrough and actions features, and use our database replication buyer's guide to start researching your next purchase.
January 2002
This issue brings you advice from the experts to help you plan your future as a SQL Server professional. Learn how the role of the SQL Server DBA is changing; how you can adapt and specialize to increase your earning potential, job security, and job satisfaction; and what resources are available to help you along the road.
December 2001
In this issue, we explore SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Manager's built-in log shipping functionality and investigate how new split-mirror backup technology can provide maximum availability for very large databases.
November 2001
In this issue, learn how linked servers can bring your SQL Server and Oracle databases together, how to put data mining to work for your company, how to use XML to build a search application for Web and WAP browsers, and more!
October 2001
In this issue's focus on .NET technologies, we explore ASP.NET and how you can provide a flexible Web service by using XSLT to customize XML output.
September 2001
This issue features an exclusive interview with Microsoft SQL Server Vice President Gordon Mangione about SQL Server's central role in the .NET strategy. We also bring you articles about top database backup practices and recovering just part of your database and a comparative lab report of 7 enterprise backup solutions.
August 2001
Learn how to write secure SQL Server-based applications, how to get the data you need from poorly designed tables, how to take advantage of two new DTS 2000 tasks, and how to use SQL Mail to simplify SQL Server 2000 administration and troubleshooting.
July 2001
This issue shows you how to use SQL Server CE and merge replication to put your SQL Server database in the palm of your hand. We also cover SQL Server 2000's new sql_variant data type and user-defined extended properties and Query Analyzer templates.
June 2001
Don't be afraid of the big, bad BLOB! This issue shows you how to tame the BLOB by using the ADO 2.6 Stream object to store binary large objects in your SQL Server database.
May 2001
See what's new in SQL Server 2000 Profiler, an invaluable investigative tool that lets you measure query performance, debug applications, diagnose problems, and replay saved traces. Then, learn when and how to use SQL Server's server-side tracing functionality.
March 2001
In SQL Server 2000, Microsoft made several substantial new server and database configuration changes that will make your life as a DBA easier. Read all about them in this issue.
April 2001
Read all about SQL Server 2000's new and improved Data Transformation Services (DTS) tasks, which could cut your DTS development time in half. Then check out our exclusive lab report to find out which is faster for moving a large amount of data into or out of a SQL Server database: bulk copy program (bcp) or DTS's Bulk Insert task.
February 2001
Want to write code faster--and write faster code? This issue gives you tips for tuning your code to get the best performance from your ADO applications and your development team. Also learn about multifaceted relationships, programming with SQL-DMO, and how to code fake temporary tables.
January 2001
Explore the Microsoft data-mining architecture and data-mining algorithms -- including decision trees and cluster analysis -- and the Analysis Services Time Dimension.
December 2000
This month, we explore the high-availability enhancements, such as online index defragmentation, that Microsoft introduced with SQL Server 2000. And we show you how the log-shipping feature in SQL Server 7.0 offers a low-cost solution to high availability and disaster protection.
November 2000
This issue explores the interaction of SQL Server and the Web. We help you untangle Microsoft .NET, manage Remote Data Services security, and build an ASP page that lets you access your database schema across the Internet.
October 2000
Microsoft introduced changes in security implemention in SQL Server 7.0. Confusion about the changes led many administrators to leave their security implementation plans unchanged or to leave holes through which unauthorized users can get to the data. In this issue, Morris Lewis demonstrates how you can build a security plan for SQL Server 7.0 or 2000 that's manageable, flexible, and verifiably secure.
September 2000
The September issue is your launch pad to Extensible Markup Language (XML), an essential technology that database developers and DBAs need to understand and use to compete in the e-commerce market.
August 2000
SQL Server MVPs Kalen Delaney and Itzik Ben-Gan introduce you to the new distributed partitioned views technology available in SQL Server 2000. Also, we'll show you how to set up linked servers in SQL Server 7.0. PLUS: An exclusive interview with Microsoft VP of SQL Server Paul Flessner.
July 2000
This month, we show you how to implement SQL Server 7.0's immediate-updating subscription feature so you can monitor Subscribers and replicate changes back to the Publisher. Plus, we show you how to use T-SQL to develop custom stored procedures for copying data.
June 2000
Windows 2000--the fifth major release of the Windows NT OS--includes many sophisticated features that enable it to compete head-to-head with UNIX systems in the enterprise market. And Win2K's networking and usability improvements make the new OS a better database platform for SQL Server than NT 4.0.
May 2000
SQL Server 2000 builds on the firm foundation of SQL Server 7.0. PLEASE NOTE: The authors based their SQL Server 2000 articles for this issue on pre-Beta 2 versions, so you might notice some differences between Beta 2 and the behavior or interfaces we describe in this issue. In particular, please note that the indexed views feature will be available only in SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition. However, you can install Enterprise Edition on NT 4 Server and Windows 2000 (Win2K) Server. You don't need NT 4.0 Enterprise or Win2K Advanced Server.
April 2000
Track down database performance problems with SQL Server 7.0's impressive arsenal of tools: SQL Profiler, the Flight Recorder, and the Index Tuning Wizard. SQL Server MVP Itzik Ben-Gan shows you how to use the Profiler tool to define a trace, how to use the Flight Recorder function to trace the last 100 queries processed, and how to use the Index Tuning Wizard to analyze queries against the database.
March 2000
This issue contains ADO tips and tricks to help you with database development and administration.
February 2000
OLAP tools will prove indispensable for organizations that want to turn corporate data into meaningful information. Here's an overview of the OLAP industry and a guide to data warehouse-building basics.
January 2000
Filled with performance tips on database design, application building, and SQL Server tuning, this is the essential guide to maximizing SQL Server performance.
December 1999
SQL Server 7.0 security features offer database administrators more flexibility and control. Here's an overview of SQL Server 7.0's rich security feature set.
November 1999
Here's how database administrators can design distributed systems to optimize performance, satisfy departmental reporting needs, and boost reliability.
October 1999
Are you ready to migrate Access applications to SQL Server? Here are step-by-step instructions on using the Upsizing Wizard, tips on resolving the problems that the Wizard creates, and an alternative solution to using the Upsizing Wizard.
September 1999
Make the connection between SQL Server data and the Web! In this issue, we cover design and implementation issues involved in using the Web to retrieve, analyze, and report on data, including tips on security.
August 1999
This issue alerts you to compatibility conflicts you'll encounter in migrating from SQL Server 6.5 to 7.0. This month also features SQL Server 7.0's query optimizer tool
and what's in SQL Server 7.0's Service Pack 1.
July 1999
See how you can optimize queries and query execution with improved indexes, joins, and disk access, and how to take advantage of new Query Analyzer features. And learn how you can optimize performance with the successor to SQL Trace in SQL Server 7.0's integrated event model
June 1999
If you're getting ready to install your first SQL Server-based cluster, or if you just want to learn more about how to integrate SQL Server and Microsoft Cluster Server (MSCS) in a network, this issue is for you. And don't miss the 13 clustering gotchas in the SQL Server Clustering article.
May 1999
Visual Studio is Microsoft's high-value toolkit for developers. Since its release as Visual Studio 97, the product has incorporated most of the Microsoft developer tools. Since you often use several Microsoft development products to address different application development requirements, you'll apreciate Visual Studio 6.0. The latest release of Visual Studio 6.0 includes Visual Basic (VB), Visual C++, Visual FoxPro, Visual InterDev, Visual J++, Visual SourceSafe, and MSDN Library.
April 1999
Get ready to assimilate the OLAP concept by studying data warehousing tools and solutions, including OLAP Services in SQL Server 7.0. We'll also show you how to use SQL Server 6.5 to slice and dice data for decision support. And we'll show you how to use Data Transformation Services in SQL Server 7.0 to overcome troublesome warehousing tasks.
March 1999
In the premiere issue of SQL Server Magazine, we highlight some of the hottest new features of SQL Server 7.0, such as Data Transformation Services, heterogeneous queries, and revised page structures. In this and future issues, we also cover tips, tools, and techniques for leveraging SQL Server 6.5.