Have read the paper SQL Server 2005 Waits and Queues, which I guess is a locus classicus of the waits and queues methodology. The delete statement, BTW,...

Forgot to mention that we are using Standard Edition and Not Enterprise, so I guess the partitioning of the table is out, right, or rather it would have to be...

Partioning is a good idea, but in addition is it worth it to try to put in hints like WITH ROWLOCK on the transactions that delete and insert, or...

I should have said not that the relationship is circular but that it appears to be a triadic redundancy. It's triadic because there are two ways to go from...

The design you propose is the one I want to implement. I should have said not that the relationship is circular but that it appears to be a triadic...

Once again, Todd, Thanks so much for your great help!

Thanks, Todd, you were right. Forgot to add the WITH INIT clause to my BACKUP job. One other question: How do I go estimating what the target...