The storage size of the decimal(19,0) is 9 bytes vs. 8 bytes for bigint, so it would save some storage space, but you wouldn't save that much space unless the...

Here are a couple of way to do it:

select
 M1 = right(1000000+MyNumber,4) ,
 M2 = right('0000'+convert(varchar(20),MyNumber),4)
from
 (
 select MyNumber=1 union all
 select 10 union all
 select 44 union all
 select 7777 union all
 select 9999 union all
 select 111
 ) a

Results:

M1   M2   
---- ---- 
0001...

One thing you might try, if you haven't already, is using Profiler to capture the query workload to a table, and then use the Index Tuning Wizard to see if...

Sorry, but I'm sure you understand I don't want someone walking into the next interview knowing the answer in advance.

I will say it is based on a real question that...

It is also possible that the database was originally developed in SQL Server 6.5 or 7.0 before the BIGINT datatype was available.

I give people a test consisting of 5 questions with 4 SQL problems and one table design problem.  I tell candidates that they have an hour to complete the test. ...

Yes, maybe what you really need to do is add some indexes to some tables, or optimize some stored procedures.  You need to be sure that you are actually doing...

Did anyone notice this?  The new datatype, vardecimal, is available only in Enterprise Edition!

http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/5/2b5e5d37-9b17-423d-bc8f-b11ecd4195b4/WhatsNewSQL2005SP2.htm

"Added new functionality in the SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition to provide another storage format that...

Add it the same way you would add any login to SQL Server.

Make another user the owner of the database, and then delete the user you want to get rid of.

You should read SQL Server 2005 Books Online:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

It would be a courtesy to at least post a link to the blog if you’re going to copy the whole thing:

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/davidm/archive/2007/02/14/60092.aspx

Just run a DBCC SHRINKFILE EMPTYFILE on the file that contains all the data.

It will not let you completely empty the file, since it contains system objects, but it should...

Your link to "an interesting blog entry" is not working.

It strikes me as unfair that Microsoft insists on licensing SQL Server for each processor on the server, since their Virtual Server...

This simple test works with any length of string:

declare @t table ( c varchar(20))

insert into @t 
select '11' union all
select '1a' union all
select 'a1' union all
select '1 ' union all
select...