* Setup alerts for specific error levels or error messages
that impact your SQL Servers in order to be notified automatically.
o Database Backup and Restore Failure Notifications
* Setup Jobs to query for specific conditions in your tables
to validate data was loaded or data is being added to specific tables
based on your business processes throughout the day.
* Setup notification on Job success, failure or completion.
o One word of warning is to check your business critical Jobs
on a regular basis just to be sure they are working properly.
Nothing is worse than finding out a key process has been
failing for days, weeks or months
and the reason notifications have not been sent
are due to an incorrect configuration, full mailbox, etc.
It may be 30 minutes on a weekly basis that is time well spent.
* Setup centralized error handling
on a per SQL Server, application or enterprise basis
then determine the business rules for specific error conditions.
Source:
http://www.mssqltips.com/sqlservertip/1240/sql-server-dba-checklist/