TechNet Magazine - March 2007 "SQL Server Month"
In the March edition of the TechNet Magazine (US Edition) there are some good starting articles on SQL Server IT Pros (but IMHO all Devs who use SQL Server should have at least an understanding in these topics).
New Tools to Diagnose Index Health
To get the best performance out of SQL Server, you need to oversee and maintain healthy indexes. New dynamic management views and functions give you a window into SQL Server to help you better understand how your indexes are functioning and discover potential performance issues.
Achieve High Availability for SQL Server
SQL Server 2005 offers a number of options to improve database availability, from replication to clustering to log shipping. We’ll take a closer look at the various options for configuring SQL Server and help you find out which ones are right for your environment.
Simplify Database Maintenance with Table Partitions
In the past, working with partitions and very large tables was a burdensome and tedious task, but with SQL Server 2005, table partitioning has gotten much simpler. Now you can easily create multiple partitions, move those partitions around, drop old partitions, and even change the way data is partitioned. Here’s how.
Top Tips for SQL Server Clustering
A server cluster provides failover capabilities, ensuring more uptime for your critical operations. But for a cluster to be effective, it must be implemented properly. Here are some key tips that will help you get your cluster up faster and keep it functioning reliably.
All the back issues of both TechNet Magazine and MSDN Magazine are availiable on the Microsoft web site.