Alexander Chigrik

Introduction If you need to move a database, or database file to another server or disk, and you do not want to backup the database, copy the backup on another server, and then re-create the database from the backup, you can use the sp_detach_db and sp_attach_db system stored procedures to detach the database and then […]

Introduction In this article, I want to tell you about SQL Server constraints: what a constraint is, when it is used and for which purposes. You can find in this article some examples of constraint creation and SQL Server 2000 constraints enhancements. General Concepts A constraint is a property assigned to a column or the […]

Introduction Choosing an appropriate data type is very important, because the errors made in a table design can result in large performance degradation. These problems often surface later, when a large amount of data is inserted. In this article, I want to tell you about built-in and user-defined data types, how SQL Server 2000 stores […]

Introduction Often people in newsgroups ask about some comparison of Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Access. In this article, I compare Microsoft SQL Server 2000 with Microsoft Access 2000 regarding hardware and software requirements, price, features and products limits. Platform comparison SQL Server 2000 only works on Windows-based platforms, including Windows 9x, Windows NT, Windows […]

Introduction Often people in newsgroups ask about some comparison of Microsoft SQL Server and Sybase Adaptive Server. In this article, I compare SQL Server 2000 with Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5 (Sybase ASE 12.5) regarding price, performance, platforms supported, SQL dialects, and products limits. Platform comparison SQL Server 2000 only works on Windows-based platforms, including […]

Introduction Often people in newsgroups ask about a comparison of DB2 and Microsoft SQL Server. In this article I will compare SQL Server 2000 with DB2 Universal Database version 8.1 regarding price, performance, platforms supported, SQL dialects, and products limits. Platform comparison SQL Server 2000 only works on Windows-based platforms, including Windows 9x, Windows NT, […]

Introduction Often people in newsgroups ask about some comparison of Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server. In this article, I compare SQL Server 2000 with Oracle 9i Database regarding price, performance, platforms supported, SQL dialects and products limits. Platform comparison SQL Server 2000 only works on Windows-based platforms, including Windows 9x, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and […]

Should you have problems installing SQL Server 2000, review this troubleshooting checklist to find potential solutions. 1. Check the hardware requirements. You should have: Intel or compatible platform Pentium 166 MHz or higher (Pentium II, III, IV and compatible) 32MB RAM (minimum for Desktop Engine),   64MB RAM (minimum for all other editions)   128 MB RAM […]

Here are fifteen little known tips that you can use to ensure your Analysis Services are performing in the most efficient manner possible. You can use the Usage-Based Optimization Wizard to optimize partition performance based on the history of queries previously sent to the cube. To run the Usage-Based Optimization Wizard run Analysis Manager, right-click […]

Should you have problems with Analysis Services, review this troubleshooting checklist to find potential solutions. 1. Check that you use the latest SQL Server service pack. Because many Analysis Services bugs were fixed in SQL Server service packs, you should use the latest service pack. To check what SQL Server service pack are you running, […]

Normalize your tables to the third normal form. A table is in third normal form (3NF) if it is in second normal form (2NF) and if it does not contain transitive dependencies. In most cases, you should normalize your tables to the third normal form. The normalization is used to reduce the total amount of […]

Alexander Chigrik shares fifteen tips for solving SQL Server connection problems. 1. Make sure that you are using the latest SQL Server service pack available. Many connection bugs have been fixed; you should always use the latest service pack. See “How can I check which SQL service pack I am running?” to find out which […]