Tuning And Optimizing Queries Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Preliminary Course

Syllabus

Tuning and

Optimizing Queries using Microsoft SQL Server 2005

Elements of this syllabus are subject to change.

This three-day instructor-led workshop provides database developers working in enterprise environments using Microsoft® SQL

Server 2005 the knowledge and skills to evaluate and improve queries and query response times. The workshop focuses on systematic identification and optimization of database factors that impact query performance.

Audience

This course is intended for current professional database developers who have three or more years of on-the-job experience developing SQL Server database solutions in an enterprise environment.

At Course Completion

After completing this course, students will be able to:

§ Normalize databases.

Design a normalized database.

Optimize a database design by denormalizing.

§ Optimize data storage.

§ Manage concurrency

Manage concurrency by selecting the appropriate transaction isolation level.

Select a locking granularity level.

§ Optimize and tune queries for performance.

§ Optimize an indexing strategy.

§ Decide when cursors are appropriate.

§ Identify and resolve performance-limiting problems.

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must:

· Have working knowledge of data storage.

Specifically, knowledge about row layout, fixed length field placement and varying length field placement.

· Be familiar with index structures and index utilization. Specifically, they must understand the interaction between non-clustered indexes, clustered indexes and heaps. They must know why a covering index can improve performance.

· Have had hands-on database developer experience. Specifically, three years of experience as a full-time database developer in an enterprise environment.

· Be familiar with the locking model.

Specifically, students should have an understanding of lock modes, lock objects and isolation levels and be familiar with process blocking.

· Understand

Transact-SQL syntax and programming logic. Specifically, students should be completely fluent in advanced queries, aggregate queries, subqueries, user-defined functions, cursors, control of flow statements, CASE expressions, and all types of joins.

· Be able to design a database to third normal form (3NF) and know the trade offs when backing out of the fully normalized design (denormalization) and designing for performance and business requirements in addition to being familiar with design models, such as Star and Snowflake schemas.

· Have strong monitoring and troubleshooting skills, including using monitoring tools.

· Have basic knowledge of the operating system and platform. That is, how the operating system integrates with the database, what the platform or operating system can do, and how interaction between the operating system and the database works.

· Have basic knowledge of application architecture. That is, how applications can be designed in three layers, what applications can do, how interaction between the application and the database works, and how the interaction between the database and the platform or operating system works.

· Know how to use a data modeling tool.

· Be familiar with SQL Server 2005 features, tools, and technologies.

· Have a Microsoft®

Certified Technology Specialist: Microsoft SQL Server 2005 credential - or equivalent experience.

In addition, it is recommended, but not required, that students have completed:

· Course 2778, Writing Queries Using Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Transact-SQL.

· Course 2779, Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database.

· Course 2780, Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database.

Unit 1: Measuring Database PerformanceThis unit provides students with an opportunity to measure database performance and identify database performance bottlenecks. Students will use a sample script to identify performance and concurrency problems, capture baseline performance, and prioritize identified problems for optimization.

Topics

§ Best Practices for MeasuringPerformance

§ Key Measures for QueryPerformance

§ Using Performance Monitor

§ Using SQL Server Profiler

§ Guidelines for Identifying

Locking and Blocking

Lab: Measuring Database Performance

§ Reviewing Tables and Scripts

§ Capturing BaselinePerformance

§ Prioritizing Identified

Problems

After completing this unit, students will be able to:

§ Describe best practices for measuring performance.

§ Describe the key measures for query performance.

§ List the useful PerformanceMonitor counters for performance tuning.

§ List the useful Profiler trace events for problem identification.

§ Select the best methods for identifying which procedures are causing locking and blocking.

§ Review database tables and scripts.

§ Identify performance and concurrency problems by using a script.

§ Capture baseline performance.

§ Prioritize identified problems.

Unit 2: Optimizing Physical Database Design

In this unit, students work with strategies for optimizing physical database design. Students will optimize a database schema using normalization, generalization, and denormalization.

Topics

§ Performance OptimizationModel

§ Importance of Schema Design inOptimization

§ Normalization

§ Responsible Denormalization

§ Generalization

§ Demonstration: How to Modify the Database Schema

Lab: Optimizing Physical Database Design

§ Optimizing Memberships

§ Optimizing Events

§ Normalizing Event Sponsorships

§ Denormalizing Membership Visits and Cleaning Up the Schema

§ Comparing the Solution and Determining

Performance

After completing this unit, students will be able to:

§ Explain the strategy for database optimization presented in the Performance Optimization Model.

§ Explain the importance of schema design in database optimization.

§ Describe the strategic use of natural and surrogate keys and their roles in schema optimization.

§ Describe responsible denormalization and the role of this strategy in schema optimization.

§ Describe generalization and the role of this strategy in schema optimization.

§ Explain how to modify the database schema.

§ Normalize a database schema for optimization.

§ Generalize a database schema for optimization.

§ Denormalize a database schema for optimization and clean up the schema.

§ Compare the solution and determine performance.

Unit 3: Optimizing Queries for PerformanceIn this unit students experience optimizing and tuning queries to improve performance. In the lab, students will optimize stored procedures, views, and non-cursor aggregate queries to improve database performance and user experience.

Each query that is optimized improves the overall system because the query will use fewer resources, freeing up those resources for other queries, and reducing the amount of locking done by the query. The domino effect is profound.

Topics

§ What Is Query Logical Flow?

§ Demonstration: How the QueryOptimizer Processes Queries

§ Considerations to Take WhenUsing Subqueries

§ Guidelines for Building

Efficient Queries

Lab: Optimizing Queries for Performance

§ Optimizing the Performance ofStored Procedures

§ Optimizing the Performance ofViews

§ Optimizing the Performance ofNon-Cursor Aggregate Queries

§ Recording Performance Times

After completing this unit, students will be able to:

§ Explain the utility of query logical flow in query optimization.

§ Describe how the query optimizer processes queries.

§ Discuss considerations to take when using subqueries.

§ Describe guidelines for building efficient queries.

§ Optimize the performance of stored procedures.

§ Optimize the performance of views.

§ Optimize the performance of non-cursor aggregate queries.

§ Record performance times.

Unit 4: Refactoring Cursors into Queries

In this unit, students will work with strategies for refactoring cursors into queries. In the lab, students will work to optimize a database by replacing slow iterative code with faster set-based code.

Topics

§ Cursor Usage and Performance

§ Strategies for RefactoringCursors

§ Using PIVOT and Common Table

Expressions

Lab: Refactoring Cursors into Queries

§ Refactoring the pMembershipCategory Cursor

§ Refactoring the pCommunityImpact Cursor

§ Refactoring the pMemberInvitation Cursor

§ Determining PerformanceAfter completing this unit, students will be able to:

§ Explain cursor usage and performance.

§ Describe strategies used to refactor cursors.

§ Explain the use of PIVOT and

Common Table Expressions.

§ Refactor the pMembershipCategory cursor.

§ Refactor the pCommunityImpact cursor.

§ Refactor the pMemberInvitation cursor.

§ Test queries for performance.

Unit 5: Optimizing an Indexing Strategy

In this unit, students will work on optimizing indexing strategies.

Students will work with a given database to add and delete indexes, by providing the optimum bridge between the query and the data without any redundancies.

Topics

§ How SQL Server Stores andAccesses Data

§ Considerations for Using Indexes

§ Nonclustered Index Design

§ Best Use of Clustered Indexes

§ How to Document an Indexing

Strategy

Lab: Optimizing an Indexing Strategy

§ Identifying Tables toOptimize Based on Slow-Running Code

§ Designing and ImplementingIndexes

§ Recording Performance Times

After completing this unit, students will be able to:

§ Explain how SQL Server stores and accesses data.

§ Describe considerations for using indexes in database optimization.

§ Explain guidelines for nonclustered index design and usage.

§ Describe the best use of clustered indexes as they relate to optimization.

§ Describe how to document an indexing strategy.

§ Identify tables to optimize based on slow-running code.

§ Design and implement indexes.

§ Record performance times.

Unit 6: Managing Concurrency

This unit provides students with the opportunity to work with concurrency management. Students will look for concurrency issues and then solve them by optimizing transactions and adjusting the transaction isolation level.

Topics

§ Transaction Isolation Levels

§ Demonstration: TransactionIsolation Levels

§ Guidelines to Reduce Locking and Blocking

Lab: Managing Concurrency

§ Identifying Code That HasLocking and Blocking Issues

§ Reducing Concurrency Issues

§ Calculating the Overall

Performance Gain

After completing this unit, students will be able to:

§ Explain transaction isolation levels.

§ List guidelines for reducing locking and blocking.

§ Identify code that has locking and blocking issues.

§ Reduce concurrency issues.

§ Calculate the overall performance gain.