Nice intro to a very complex field.

I particularly enjoyed your timeline image. 

Another further reading book I would add for those who love...

This was almost a good question about recovery processing.   But due to the syntax error it just confusing nonsense. 

I think the answer

A. "An error occurs because the first restore...

Check out the T-SQL FOR XML clause in BOL.  Also, check out the SQLXML stuff for creating XSD XML views.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/sqlxml3/htm/ssxsdannotations_0gqb.asp

Peter Evans (__PETER Peter_)

Use ado streams if you are using ado.  Should be a VB example readily available on msdn.  You need to specify the dialect properties on the command object and instance...

You can also use a TSQL variant of 

sp_help_maintenance_plan @plan_id = 'your plan id value'

If you run it without a null value it will return a list of plans.

Peter Evans...

smknox,

I use to work at a health care outcomes company, back in the mid nineties and XML was just in its infancy back then.   Yet, they were already talking about...

How is this kind of answer to this question really helpful to the SQL 2k certification crowd? 

The goal is obviously somewhat achievable today since some many are doing it. ...

Are you using the  MSDA provider for ODBC data sources instead of the OLEDB provider for SQL Server.  If so your DSN connection properties are probably the culprit check them out...

xp_'s all run in context of the agent account.

Peter Evans (__PETER Peter_)

When you run the job interactively the task will impersonate you and have your credentials when looking for the file.

When the sql server agent executes the job it will on...

Are you sure your RS or COMMAND is not in adAsyncExecute mode?

You symptom sounds like your Find call is resulting in cancelling the .requery call.  See relevant snippet from MSDN...

All Item 2 states is that the @traceid is used as a output only value.  SQL doesn't have true out only parameters.  2 says the sp will ignore the the input...

What about using the RAISEERROR statement in the wrapper proc bill suggested?

Peter Evans (__PETER Peter_)

You might also try using the timer function in your activex vbscript code and just loop until you reach a constant value of ticks set in the script.

Peter Evans (__PETER...

Barbara,

Extended stored proc run in the context of the SQL Server agent account which will either be the sysadmin or the proxy account if you set SQL Server agent up...