If a query is performing poorly, and you can't understand why, then that query's execution plan will tell you not only what data set is coming back, but also what SQL Server did, and in what order, to get that data. It will reveal how the data was retrieved, and from which tables and indexes, what types of joins were used, at what point filtering, sorting and aggregation occurred, and a whole lot more. These details will often highlight the likely source of any problem. I wrote this book with the singular goal of teaching you how to read SQL Server Execution plans It will explain, among many other things, the following: How to capture execution plans using manual and automatic methods A documented method for reading and interpreting execution plans How common SQL Server objects, such as indexes, views, stored procedures, and so on, appear in execution plans How to control execution plans with hints and plan guides, and why this is a double-edged sword How the Query Store works with, and collects data on, execution plans With this knowledge, you'll have everything you need to read the execution plan, for any query of your own, regardless of complexity, and understand what it does and what is causing the bad performance. It is still your job to work out how best to fix it, but your new understanding of execution plans will give a much better chance of success!

Execution plans show you what's going on behind the scenes in SQL Server. They can provide you with a wealth of information on how your queries are being executed by SQL Server, including: Which indexes are being used, and where no indexes are being used at all. How the data is being retrieved, and joined, from the tables defi ned in your query. How aggregations in GROUP BY queries are put together. The anticipated load and the estimated cost that all these operations place upon the system. Grant Fritchey's book is the only in-depth look at how to improve your SQL query performance through careful design of execution plans. Sample chapters of the ebook have garnered stunning reviews, such as: "All I can say is WOW. This has to be the best reference I have ever seen on Execution Plans in SQL Server. My hats off to Grant Fritchey" Jonathan Kehayias.

SQL Simplified: Learn To Read and Write Structured Query Language focuses extensively on the implementation of Structured Query Language (SQL) rather than on database design or on the Database Management Systems (DBMSs) that implement SQL, like many SQL books. The easy to follow step-by-step chapters of this book will provide beginners with the practice necessary to develop the skills and knowledge required to program in SQL with ease. The concepts of SQL are simplified enabling anyone to quickly grasp the fundamentals of SQL. Each chapter introduces a new concept and includes examples, key notes and important key terms. This book also highlights many key differences in SQL script used in a number of different database management system platforms. Your comprehension of each chapter is tested through the use of quizzes and assignments. After completion of this book, you should feel confident using SQL in any relational database environment.

SQL Server Hardware will provide the fundamental knowledge and resources you need to make intelligent decisions about choice, and optimal installation and configuration, of SQL Server hardware, operating system and the SQL Server RDBMS.

Queries not running fast enough? Wondering about the in-memory database features in 2014? Tired of phone calls from frustrated users? Grant Fritchey’s book SQL Server Query Performance Tuning is the answer to your SQL Server query performance problems. The book is revised to cover the very latest in performance optimization features and techniques, especially including the newly-added, in-memory database features formerly known under the code name Project Hekaton. This book provides the tools you need to approach your queries with performance in mind. SQL Server Query Performance Tuning leads you through understanding the causes of poor performance, how to identify them, and how to fix them. You’ll learn to be proactive in establishing performance baselines using tools like Performance Monitor and Extended Events. You’ll learn to recognize bottlenecks and defuse them before the phone rings. You’ll learn some quick solutions too, but emphasis is on designing for performance and getting it right, and upon heading off trouble before it occurs. Delight your users. Silence that ringing phone. Put the principles and lessons from SQL Server Query Performance Tuning into practice today. Covers the in-memory features from Project Hekaton Helps establish performance baselines and monitor against them Guides in troubleshooting and eliminating of bottlenecks that frustrate users

Design and configure SQL Server instances and databases in support of high-throughput applications that are mission-critical and provide consistent response times in the face of variations in user numbers and query volumes. Learn to configure SQL Server and design your databases to support a given instance and workload. You’ll learn advanced configuration options, in-memory technologies, storage and disk configuration, and more, all toward enabling your desired application performance and throughput. Configuration doesn’t stop with implementation. Workloads change over time, and other impediments can arise to thwart desired performance. High Performance SQL Server covers monitoring and troubleshooting to aid in detecting and fixing production performance problems and minimizing application outages. You'll learn a variety of tools, ranging from the traditional wait analysis methodology to the new query store, and you'll learn how improving performance is really an iterative process. High Performance SQL Server is based on SQL Server 2016, although most of its content can be applied to prior versions of the product. This book is an excellent complement to performance tuning books focusing on SQL queries, and provides the other half of what you need to know by focusing on configuring the instances on which mission-critical queries are executed. Covers SQL Server instance-configuration for optimal performance Helps in implementing SQL Server in-memory technologies Provides guidance toward monitoring and ongoing diagnostics What You Will Learn Understand SQL Server's database engine and how it processes queries Configure instances in support of high-throughput applications Provide consistent response times to varying user numbers and query volumes Design databases for high-throughput applications with focus on performance Record performance baselines and monitor SQL Server instances against them Troubleshot and fix performance problems Who This Book Is For SQL Server database administrators, developers, and data architects. The book is also of use to system administrators who are managing and are responsible for the physical servers on which SQL Server instances are run.

THE BEST SQL BOOK FOR BEGINNERS - HANDS DOWN! *INCLUDES FREE ACCESS TO A SAMPLE DATABASE, SQL BROWSER APP, COMPREHENSION QUIZES & SEVERAL OTHER DIGITAL RESOURCES!* Not sure how to prepare for the data-driven future? This book shows you EXACTLY what you need to know to successfully use the SQL programming language to enhance your career! Are you a developer who wants to expand your mastery to database management? Then you NEED this book. Buy now and start reading today! Are you a project manager who needs to better understand your development team’s needs? A decision maker who needs to make deeper data-driven analysis? Everything you need to know is included in these pages! The ubiquity of big data means that now more than ever there is a burning need to warehouse, access, and understand the contents of massive databases quickly and efficiently. That’s where SQL comes in. SQL is the workhorse programming language that forms the backbone of modern data management and interpretation. Any database management professional will tell you that despite trendy data management languages that come and go, SQL remains the most widely used and most reliable to date, with no signs of stopping. In this comprehensive guide, experienced mentor and SQL expert Walter Shields draws on his considerable knowledge to make the topic of relational database management accessible, easy to understand, and highly actionable. SQL QuickStart Guide is ideal for those seeking to increase their job prospects and enhance their careers, for developers looking to expand their programming capabilities, or for anyone who wants to take advantage of our inevitably data-driven future—even with no prior coding experience! SQL QuickStart Guide Is For: - Professionals looking to augment their job skills in preparation for a data-driven future - Job seekers who want to pad their skills and resume for a durable employability edge - Beginners with zero prior experienceManagers, decision makers, and business owners looking to manage data-driven business insights - Developers looking to expand their mastery beyond the full stackAnyone who wants to be better prepared for our data-driven future! In SQL QuickStart Guide You'll Discover: - The basic structure of databases—what they are, how they work, and how to successfully navigate them - How to use SQL to retrieve and understand data no matter the scale of a database (aided by numerous images and examples) - The most important SQL queries, along with how and when to use them for best effect - Professional applications of SQL and how to “sell” your new SQL skills to your employer, along with other career-enhancing considerations *LIFETIME ACCESS TO FREE SQL RESOURCES*: Each book comes with free lifetime access to tons of exclusive online resources to help you master SQL, such as workbooks, cheat sheets and reference guides. *GIVING BACK* QuickStart Guides proudly supports One Tree Planted as a reforestation partner.

This book describes, diagnoses, and solves the most common problems with SQL Server 2005, 2008, and 2008 R2. The authors explain a basic approach to troubleshooting and the essential tools. They explore areas in which problems arise with regularity: high disk I/O (RAID misconfiguration, inadequate I/O throughput, poor workload distribution, SAN issues, disk partition misalignment); high CPU usage (insufficient memory, poorly written queries, inadequate indexing, inappropriate configuration option settings); memory mismanagement; missing indexes; blocking (caused mainly by poorly designed databases that lack proper keys and indexing, and applications that apply needlessly restrictive transaction isolation levels); deadlocking (Bookmark Lookup, Serializable Range Scan, Cascading Constraint); full transaction logs (lack of log backups, hefty index maintenance operations, long running transaction, problems with replication and mirroring environments); and accidentally-lost data. Finally, the authors discuss diagnosing tools such as the Performance Monitor, Dynamic Management Views, and server-side tracing. --

Use this comprehensive guide for the SQL Server DBA, covering all that practicing database administrators need to know to get their daily work done. Updated for SQL Server 2019, this edition includes coverage of new features such as Memory-optimized TempDB Metadata, and Always Encrypted with Secure Enclaves. Other new content includes coverage of Query Store, resumable index operations, installation on Linux, and containerized SQL. Pro SQL Server 2019 Administration takes DBAs on a journey that begins with planning their SQL Server deployment and runs through installing and configuring the instance, administering and optimizing database objects, and ensuring that data is secure and highly available. Finally, readers will learn how to perform advanced maintenance and tuning techniques. This book teaches you to make the most of new SQL Server 2019 functionality, including Data Discovery and Classification. The book promotes best-practice installation, shows how to configure for scalability and high workloads, and demonstrates the gamut of database-level maintenance tasks such as index maintenance, database consistency checks, and table optimizations. What You Will LearnInstall and configure SQL Server on Windows through the GUI and with PowerShell Install and configure SQL Server on Linux and in ContainersOptimize tables through in-memory OLTP, table partitioning, and the creation of indexes Secure and encrypt data to protect against embarrassing data breaches Ensure 24x7x365 access through high-availability and disaster recovery features Back up your data to ensure against loss, and recover data when needed Perform routine maintenance tasks such as database consistency checks Troubleshoot and solve performance problems in SQL queries and in the database engine Who This Book Is For SQL Server DBAs who manage on-premise installations of SQL Server. This book is also useful for DBAs who wish to learn advanced features such as Query Store, Extended Events, Distributed Replay, and Policy-Based Management, or those who need to install SQL Server in a variety of environments.