Finally got around to color coding my SQL Server Management Studio (2008) on my desktop today, which is a great feature if you haven’t set it up already.  Essentially it changes the color at the bottom of your query window which is usually a light yellow.  Why bother?

Well for me I set my production boxes to red, acceptance boxes to yellow, and development boxes to green to remind my brain whether it is safe to make changes to the environment.  Once you have a few query windows open, you tend to forget to which environment that window belongs to.  This is not foolproof, but it is a handy reminder to be mindful of your environment.

Not sure how to set it up?

Well using the registered servers feature, add your server and select the properties.  Then choose the connection properties tab and select the ‘use custom color’ option and then press select to choose your color.  Easy and remember to restart SSMS for this to take effect. Enjoy.