The Data Loading Performance Guide from Microsoft covers bulk load methods, minimally logged operations and design patterns for fast data loading.
SQL SERVER – Find Location of Data File Using T-SQL
A short T-SQL script that finds where your SQL Server Data File folder is on disk, using master.sys.master_files. Handy when you forget where the files live.
SQLAuthority News – Data Compression Strategy Capacity Planning and Best Practices
A Microsoft white paper on data compression in SQL Server 2008: strategy, capacity planning, best practices, and the trade-off of I/O savings for CPU.
SQL SERVER – Mirrored Backup and Restore and Split File Backup – Introduction
Backup and Restore lessons from my consulting work: conventional backups, split file backups, mirrored backups and the FORMAT clause, each with an example.
SQL SERVER – Introduction to SQL Azure
What is SQL Azure? A simple introduction to Microsoft’s cloud database, why it is mostly a branding change, and why it appeals to SQL Server users.
SQL SERVER – Introduction to Change Data Capture (CDC) in SQL Server 2008
My first article on Simple-Talk introduces Change Data Capture in SQL Server 2008, which records INSERTs, UPDATEs and DELETEs in simple relational change tables.
SQL SERVER – Four Different Ways to Find Recovery Model for Database
Four ways to find the recovery model of a database: database properties, Object Explorer Details, sys.databases and DATABASEPROPERTYEX.