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[Focus]

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SQL Server Standouts
SQL Server Magazine gives you information about database-related hardware, software, and services in every issue. In our second annual Editors' Choice Awards, we honor the best of the best from all the products we've covered in the past year.
 — Editors

The Best of TechEd 2007
The sixth annual Best of TechEd Awards took place in June and highlighted outstanding products from Microsoft partners. Here are the top SQL Server-related product winners.
 — Editors

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[Features]

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Decrypt SQL Server Objects
Developers and software vendors use the WITH ENCRYPTION clause to obscure the underlying schema of their products. However, advanced users can still access the code. Here’s a simple do-it-yourself T-SQL algorithm that unlocks encrypted database objects.
 — Omri Bahat


Disk Configuration for Failover Clustering
About to implement failover clustering in your environment? One of your most important considerations will be the disk configuration. Here's how to get it right.
 — Allan Hirt


What Do You Care About PerformancePoint Server 2007?
Microsoft’s BI manager explains why the company is targeting its new business-performance management application at business decision makers rather than DBAs.
 — Karen Forster

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[Editorial]

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Too Soon for SQL Server 2008?
Believe it or not, the next release of SQL Server—SQL Server 2008—is right around the corner. But releases aren't necessarily good news for customers.
 — Michael Otey

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[Reader to Reader]

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How to Recycle a Virtual SQL Server 2005 Machine
This reader’s remote client needed a new virtual SQL Server 2005 machine within 24 hours to test a project release update. Learn how he added this server from 200 miles away.
 — Readers

Reset Identity Values
Use a stored T-SQL procedure called ResetIdentities.sql to globally reset all identity values in a database to their initial seed value.
 — Readers

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[Inside SQL Server]

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Controlling Parameterization
Two query hints in SQL Server will autoparameterize queries so that query plans can be reused, but you need to keep a close eye on query performance to get the most benefit from these hints.
 — Kalen Delaney

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[T-SQL Black Belt]

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Debunking the Myths of Temporary Objects, Part 1
In our effort to uncover the truth about temporary objects and debunk some popular myths, we offer a two-part series that begins by providing a general overview of each temporary object type as well as general recommendations for when to use each.
 — Itzik Ben-Gan

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[SELECT TOP(X)]

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SQL Server 2005’s High Availability Options
SQL Server 2005 offers several high availability options to choose among, from clustering to database mirroring and more—here are a few favorites from our SQL Server expert.
 — Michael Otey

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[Tool Time with Kevin Kline]

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SQL Server 2005 Performance Dashboard Reports
The Performance Dashboard Reports let you easily diagnose performance problems without incurring a lot of overhead.
 — Kevin Kline