For Performance, Tuning and Optimization related KB Articles, start with KB Q224587. Review this article and then choose the appropriate KB article(s)/path to continue from there:

Q243586: Troubleshooting Stored Procedure Recompilation

Q243589: Troubleshooting Slow-Running Queries on SQL Server 7.0 or later

Q243588: Troubleshooting Performance of Ad-hoc Queries

Q224453: Understanding and Resolving SQL Server Blocking Problems

Q243589: HOW TO: Troubleshoot Slow-Running Queries on SQL Server 7.0 or Later

Has Trace Flags to disable lock hints, index hints and join hints.

Q166967: Proper SQL Server Configuration Options

All of these will give you practical performance tuning and optimization tips!

Other Useful KB Articles…

Q255903: INF: Disaster Recovery Options

Q274098: PRB: Adding a Linked Server Causes Error 15028

REMEMBER, SQL Replication sets up servers as Remote servers – if you want to change them over to Linked Servers check out KB article – Q274098. This also addresses OPENQUERY to the local server and why they are not allowed by default.

Q280102: INF: Troubleshooting linked server with Sybase

Q280106: INF: Troubleshooting and setup linked server with Oracle

Q218592: HOWTO: SQL Server Distributed Query with OLAP Server

Q238477: PRB: Message 18456 from a Distributed Query

Q196909: INF: How to Increase the Number of SQL Server Error Logs

Q224071: INF: Moving SQL Server databases to a new location (applies to 7.0 and 2000)

Q264921: INFO: How IIS Authenticates Browser Clients