In his answer to https://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/1632/sql2005-whats-better-identity-columns-or-generated-uinique-id-values mrdenny says: > When SQL Denali comes out it will support sequences which will be more efficient than identity, but you can't create something more efficient yourself. I'm not so sure. Knowing Oracle's *sequences*, I have either to create a trigger for insert, encapsulate each insert into a call of a stored procedure, or pray that I do not forget to properly use the sequence when I do an ad-hoc insert. I doubt that the advantages of sequences are so obvious. [1]: https://dba.stackexchange.com/questions/1632/sql2005-whats-better-identity-columns-or-generated-uinique-id-values