Book excerpt: SQL Server 2005 is the largest leap forward for SQL Server since its inception. With this update comes new features that will challenge even the most experienced SQL Server DBAs. Written by a team of some of the best SQL Server experts in the industry, this comprehensive tutorial shows you how to navigate the vastly changed landscape of the SQL Server administration. Drawing on their own first-hand experiences to offer you best practices, unique tips and tricks, and useful workarounds, the authors help you handle even the most difficult SQL Server 2005 administration issues, including blocking and locking. You'll learn how to fine-tune queries you've already written, automate redundant monitoring and maintenance tasks, and use hidden tools so that you can quickly get over the learning curve of how to configure and administer SQL Server 2005. What you will learn from this book How to use some of the more advanced concepts of installation Techniques for properly administering development features such as SQL CLR Ways to secure your SQL Server from common threats How to choose the right hardware configuration Best practices for backing up and recovering your database Step-by-step guidelines for clustering your SQL Server Who this book is for This book is for experienced developers and database administrators who plan to administer or are already administering an SQL Server 2005 system and its business intelligence features. Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working technologists to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.