August2008August 2008

SQL Server:Top Tips for Effective Database Maintenance

Far too often, people who are not trained database administrators somehow end up responsible for a database. They lack the proper training and knowledge to maintain their database, and problems begin to develop. Here’s a primer for all those involuntary DBAs who need a crash course in database maintenance best practices. Paul S. Randal

Windows Administration:Taking Your Server’s Pulse

Your users are complaining that a server is running poorly—do you know where to look to diagnose the problem? PerfMon can be an indispensible tool for this as it has numerous diagnostic capabilities. Get an overview of the key indicators you should use to diagnose a variety of common bottlenecks that can slow down your servers. Steven Choy

System Center:Windows PowerShell in System Center Operations Manager

Windows PowerShell has been integrated into System Center Operations Manager 2007, offering a powerful way to perform and automate common administrative tasks. Get an overview of how you can use Windows PowerShell in OpsMgr to perform routine maintenance, manage agents, and more. Marco Shaw

Internet Information Services:Scaling ASP.NET Applications: Lessons Learned

The key to successfully scaling an ASP.NET application is having a collaborative effort between developers and network administrators, starting at the beginning of the application’s lifecycle. Find out what factors are necessary to scale an application, and see how this collaboration can help ensure the application will run as intended. Richard Campbell

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Columns

From the Editor:Live from Tech•Ed
Joshua Hoffman
Letters:Readers Speak Out
Toolbox:New Products for IT Pros
Greg Steen
SQL Q&A:Partitioning, Consistency Checks, and More
Paul Randal answers your SQL Server questions, showing you how to perform consistency checks and other maintenance on very large databases, how to handle an accidental upgrade, and more.Paul S. Randal
Utility Spotlight:Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
Leftover Windows Installer configuration information can cause problems when you try to update or uninstall an application. You can solve the problem using the Windows Installer CleanUp utility, which can help you remove an application’s Windows Installer information and then reinstall the app.Lance Whitney
Inside SharePoint:Troubleshoot Messaging Integration
Integrating SharePoint into a secure messaging environment is no trivial task, but the positive impact on productivity will make the project worth all the effort. Here is some guidance on how to troubleshoot issues that may arise when you’re setting up the environment.Pav Cherny
Windows PowerShell:A Sneak Peek at Remote Management in Version 2.0
Windows PowerShell 2.0 is in the works and the latest CTP provides some great new capabilities. Here’s a look at remoting—one of the most exciting new features you'll find in Windows PowerShell 2.0 CTP2.Don Jones
Hey, Scripting Guy!:Taking the Express Route
With Windows Vista, the UserAccounts.CommonDialog ActiveX control for opening a file open dialog box no longer exists. Here's a look at how you can solve that problem using Visual Basic Express Edition.The Microsoft Scripting Guys
The Desktop Files:Windows Deployment Services 101
Explore the different versions of Windows Deployment Services, see how you can capture a custom OS image, and find out what you need for performing more automated installations.Wes Miller
Security Watch:Passwords and Credit Cards, Part 2
In the second part of this three part series, Jesper Johansson looks at how software vendors, security suites, and marketing efforts hinder true security efforts and he warns us about how these practices can lead to the collapse of the technology security ecosystem.Jesper M. Johansson
Sustainable Computing:Filtering the Greenwashing
Understanding your power consumption is now an essential part of managing an IT infrastructure. Learn about the strategies you can employ to implement power monitoring in your environment to better understand the power consumption of devices throughout your organization.Dave Ohara
Field Notes:IMAP Saves the World
Do you have e-mail saved in many different places, in different formats, and on different operating systems? Dara Korra’ti explains how you can access all your mail from one place using IMAP4.R'ykandar Korra'ti
Windows Confidential:Building on the Past
Raymond explains how the one-time powerful Alpha AXP system came out of retirement to help develop a new generation of 64-bit systems.Raymond Chen