>We're in the process of generating documentation for our SQL Server customers. We need to discuss maintenance issues. Some people will be using MSDE without a System Admin. What advice, other than "Do backups" could we give them?

In addition to the regular index and contig maintenance, I have a couple more non-SQL related performance/maintenance issues I like to mention to customers sans sa's.

On the data server machine:
* Do not run a screen saver on the data server.
* If possible, turn off anti-virus apps.
* Unless absolutely necessary, don't run other large memory apps like Word.
* Turn off unnecessary services, like the Windows Indexing Service.
* Defrag the drive(s) periodically, when/if you can shut down SQL Server for the duration.
* Do your maintenance in low usage periods.