Norb Technologies (www.norbtechnologies.com/products.aspx) recently introduced us to its latest software offering, Visual Defrag. The tool is the first available visual database-defragmentation software designed for SQL Server 2005, 2000, and 7.0. Regular defragmentation can significantly improve database performance, but most DBAs have to use DBCC commands to see a database's index fragmentation—a time-consuming exercise in most environments. Visual Defrag gives you a clear, visual overview of fragmentation levels on all your databases. You can schedule the tool to run regular checks on your system and automatically defragment databases when fragmentation exceeds a level that you specify.

Since the tool's launch in October 2005, Norb Technologies has enjoyed an enthusiastic reception of the product by customers and has received helpful suggestions that will appear in future product versions. Originally a consulting and service provider, Norb Technologies' software products have grown from the company's intimate knowledge of the daily problems DBAs and developers face. Company leaders understand problems from a DBA's point of view and strive to develop unique products to address those pain points. The company offers a free, 45-day trial version of Visual Defrag.

—Dawn Cyr

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