Since SQL Server 2005, we've been able to use the vardecimal data type to store decimals efficiently. With SQL Server 2008 came row and page compression, resulting in much better options for compressing our data. However, neither row nor page compression are panaceas! In this session I'll walk you through the internals of row and page compression, and based on that knowledge, enable you to better evaluate when to use which type of compression, if compression should be used at all. Once we've decided to use compression, how do we determine its effectiveness? What are the pitfalls to look out for? I'll give you a full tool belt of knowledge to bring home and put to use on your databases.