I've said many times that my favorite new feature in SQL Server 2005 is the new metadata, in particular the new Dynamic Management Objects. When I have to do troubleshooting on a SQL Server 2000 system, it is worse than painful, not to have my favorite tools like sys.dm_tran_locks, sys.dm_exec_cached_plans andsys.dm_exec_query_plan. By now, on the ...

It's my first post of the new year. I hope it's starting out well for all of you! New year, but sometimes the same old questions. I got another email asking about defragging the system tables. It seems to be in the Hit Parade of FAQs. First of all, WHY do you think you would need to defrag a system table? Fragmentation is only a problem when you ...