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[Focus]

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Automate Date/Time Conversions
For the many shops still using SQL Server 2000, this extensible, data-driven utility can cure a wealth of date-formatting headaches.
 — Susan Perschke

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[Features]

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Following the Rules with Reporting Services
Sometimes you need creative solutions to Reporting Services’ limitations when working with Analysis Services. Here’s a three-part fix that uses in-the-box features to create a solution that resides entirely in the report presentation layer.
 — Paul Goldy


Points to Ponder: Delivering BI to the Organization
Many options exist for delivering BI data to end users. Here are some important considerations to keep in mind as you choose the delivery tools for the various users you serve.
 — Craig Utley


Query–Processing-Order Quirks
Certain discrepancies between SQL Server's physical processing of queries and ANSI SQL's logical query-processing order could impede queries—but you can use workarounds to avoid such failures.
 — Itzik Ben-Gan

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[Editorial]

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A Script in Time Saves 9
In the development world, many powerful forces work to push out software before it's ready, but waiting to release complete, well-tested software is really best for both the customer and the developer.
 — Michael Otey

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[Reader to Reader]

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Easily Find Rows That Violate Constraints
The showViolatingRows procedure automates the tedious task of finding rows that violate check and foreign-key constraints.
 — Eli Leiba

Retrieve Triggers from the SQL Command Prompt
The sp_ListTriggers stored procedure lets you list all the triggers in the current database or the triggers in a specific table.
 — Bill McEvoy

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[Inside SQL Server]

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Uncovering Missing Indexes
Investigate the metadata that SQL Server 2005 dynamic management objects provides about missing indexes and use that information to improve query performance.
 — Kalen Delaney

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[Solutions by Design]

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Visualizing Business Rules
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to create a graphic representation of your business rules? A Fact Model approach can help database pros extend their thinking about data beyond the boundaries of traditional data modeling.
 — Michelle A. Poolet

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[T-SQL Black Belt]

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DATETIME Calculations, Part 2
This second part of a series about datetime challenges and calculations focuses on techniques for calculating a certain period's start and end datetime values and calculating a language-independent weekday.
 — Itzik Ben-Gan

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[Letters]

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Letters to the Editor

 — Editors

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[New Products]

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New Products
Check out new and improved SQL Server-related products.
 — Blake Eno

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[SELECT TOP(X)]

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Connection Problems
Got SQL Server connection problems? Keep in mind these 7 symptoms and solutions to speed up the troubleshooting process.
 — Michael Otey

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[Tool Time with Kevin Kline]

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Ascmd Tip from the Tool Time Forum
A reader question about the ascmd utility gets a response directly from Microsoft--and invites your input.
 — Kevin Kline


SQLdiag
SQLdiag, a native diagnostics-collection tool in SQL Server 2005, has some cool undocumented features.
 — Kevin Kline

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[Review]

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Event Manager for SQL Server
If you need to manage jobs across multiple servers or on both the SQL Server and Oracle platforms. Event Manager for SQL Server can be an essential tool.
 — Michael Otey

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[Buyer's Guide]

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Database Backup and Recovery
If you're currently seeking out a database backup and recovery solution for the first time, or simply want to make a change to your current solution, take a gander at the list of solutions in this buyer's guide.
 — Blake Eno

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[Industry Briefings]

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Industry Briefings
Senior Editor Dawn Cyr shares insights from her conversations with Heroix, Network Applications, Inc., and Texas Memory Systems.
 — Editors