Top Tips for Effective Database Maintenance

In the August 2008 issue of TechNet Magazine, Paul Randal offers invaluable guidance to involuntary DBAs (those people who are not trained

database administrators but somehow end up responsible for a database). In the article, Paul gives a crash course on key tips for effectively maintaining a production database.

VIDEO:
Paul also did a video screencast to accompany his article.  In this video, he demonstrates how shrink and auto-shrink can cause serious fragmentation problems for your databases.

THE ARTICLE:
Several times a week I'm asked for advice on how to effectively maintain a production database. Sometimes the questions come from DBAs who are implementing new solutions and want help fine-tuning maintenance practices to fit their new databases' characteristics. More frequently, however, the questions come from people who are not professional DBAs but for one reason or another ... [continue reading]