A hands-on resource for SQL Server 2008 troubleshooting methods and tools SQL Server administrators need to ensure that SQL Server remains running 24/7. Authored by leading SQL Server experts and MVPs, this book provides in-depth coverage of best practices based on a deep understanding of the internals of both SQL Server and the Windows operating system. You'll get a thorough look at the SQL Server database architecture and internals as well as Windows OS internals so that you can approach troubleshooting with a solid grasp of the total processing environment. Armed with this comprehensive understanding, readers will then learn how to use a suite of tools for troubleshooting performance problems whether they originate on the database server or operating system side. Topics Covered: SQL Server Architecture Understanding Memory SQL Server Waits and Extended Events Working with Storage CPU and Query Processing Locking and Latches Knowing Tempdb Defining Your Approach To Troubleshooting Viewing Server Performance with PerfMon and the PAL Tool Tracing SQL Server with SQL Trace and Profiler Consolidating Data Collection with SQLDiag and the PerfStats Script Introducing RML Utilities for Stress Testing and Trace File Analysis Bringing It All Together with SQL Nexus Using Management Studio Reports and the Performance Dashboard Using SQL Server Management Data Warehouse Shortcuts to Efficient Data Collection and Quick Analysis Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Hands-on troubleshooting methods on the most recent release of SQL Server The 2012 release of SQL Server is the most significant one since 2005 and introduces an abundance of new features. This critical book provides in-depth coverage of best practices for troubleshooting performance problems based on a solid understanding of both SQL Server and Windows internals and shows experienced DBAs how to ensure reliable performance. The team of authors shows you how to master the use of specific troubleshooting tools and how to interpret their output so you can quickly identify and resolve any performance issue on any server running SQL Server. Covers the core technical topics required to understand how SQL Server and Windows should be working Shares best practices so that you know how to proactively monitor and avoid problems Shows how to use tools to quickly gather, analyze, and effectively respond to the source of a system-wide performance issue Professional SQL Server 2012 Internals and Troubleshooting helps you to quickly become familiar with the changes of this new release so that you can best handle database performance and troubleshooting.

This book is written for SQL Server 2008. However, it does maintain roots going back a few versions and looks out for backward compatibility issues with SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2000. These versions are old enough that there is little to no time spent on them except in passing. The book is oriented around developing on SQL server. Most of the concepts are agnostic to what client language you use although the examples that leverage a client language general do so in C#. For those who are migrating from early versions of SQL Server, some “gotchas” that exist any time a product has versions are discussed to the extent that they seem to be a genuinely relevant issue. This book assumes that you have some experience with SQL Server and are at an intermediate to advanced level. The orientation of the book is highly developer focused. While there is a quick reference-oriented appendix, there is very little coverage given to beginner level topics. It is assumed that you already have experience with data manipulation language (DML) statements and know the basics of the mainstream SQL Server objects (views, stored procedures, user defined functions, etc.). If you would like to brush up on your knowledge before diving into this book, the author recommends reading Beginning SQL Server 2008 Programming first. There is very little overlap between the Beginning and Professional books and they are designed to work as a pair.

If you need to deploy, manage, or secure Microsoft SQL Server 2008, this is the complete, fast-paced, task-based reference you’ve been searching for. Authored by a world-class expert on SQL Server in the enterprise, this book goes far beyond the basics, taking on the complex tasks that DBAs need to make the most of Microsoft’s flagship database platform. SQL Server MVP, Ross Mistry presents proven techniques for SQL Server 2008 installation, upgrades, backup/restore, data transfer, indexing, high availability, security, and much more. He draws on extensive testing in high-profile production environments to offer step-by-step solutions and powerful tips you won’t find anywhere else. Every chapter begins with a section identifying SQL Server 2008’s most significant new improvements, and concludes with a convenient summary of best practices. Each chapter also outlines the benefits of leveraging Windows Server 2008. Understand how to: Master DBA tips, tricks, and best practices proven in actual enterprise environments Install, upgrade or transition to SQL Server 2008. Harden and Secure an implementation. Encrypt SQL Server from an end-to-end perspective. Implement high availability—and leverage SQL Server 2008’s major improvements to failover clustering and database mirroring Save time with SQL Server 2008’s new policy-based management tools Performance tune and troubleshoot a SQL Server 2008 environment. Optimize application performance and manage workloads with the powerful new Resource Governor Implement Performance Studio, maintenance plans, Transparent Data Encryption and much more... Bonus Content: The book is based on Windows Server 2008 Step by step instructions of how to implement a failover cluster on Windows Server 2008 SQL Server PoweShell Administration Tasks Consolidate and virtualize SQL Server with Hyper-V Step by step instructions on how to install Hyper-V Proactively Monitor SQL Server with Operations Manager Install Windows Server 2008 certificates to encrypt SQL Server data Contributing Writers include: Hilary Cotter – SQL Server MVP John Welch – SQL Server MVP Marco Shaw – PowerShell MVP Maciej Pilecki – SQL Server MVP Shirmattie Seenarine – Technical Writer

Delve inside the core SQL Server engine—and put that knowledge to work—with guidance from a team of well-known internals experts. Whether database developer, architect, or administrator, you’ll gain the deep knowledge you need to exploit key architectural changes—and capture the product’s full potential. Discover how SQL Server works behind the scenes, including: What happens internally when SQL Server builds, expands, shrinks, and moves databases How to use event tracking—from triggers to the Extended Events Engine Why the right indexes can drastically reduce your query execution time How to transcend normal row-size limits with new storage capabilities How the Query Optimizer operates Multiple techniques for troubleshooting problematic query plans When to force SQL Server to reuse a cached query plan—or create a new one What SQL Server checks internally when running DBCC How to choose among five isolation levels and two concurrency models when working with multiple concurrent users

Improve your ability to develop, manage, and troubleshoot SQL Server solutions by learning how different components work “under the hood,” and how they communicate with each other. The detailed knowledge helps in implementing and maintaining high-throughput databases critical to your business and its customers. You’ll learn how to identify the root cause of each problem and understand how different design and implementation decisions affect performance of your systems. New in this second edition is coverage of SQL Server 2016 Internals, including In-Memory OLTP, columnstore enhancements, Operational Analytics support, Query Store, JSON, temporal tables, stretch databases, security features, and other improvements in the new SQL Server version. The knowledge also can be applied to Microsoft Azure SQL Databases that share the same code with SQL Server 2016. Pro SQL Server Internals is a book for developers and database administrators, and it covers multiple SQL Server versions starting with SQL Server 2005 and going all the way up to the recently released SQL Server 2016. The book provides a solid road map for understanding the depth and power of the SQL Server database server and teaches how to get the most from the platform and keep your databases running at the level needed to support your business. The book: • Provides detailed knowledge of new SQL Server 2016 features and enhancements • Includes revamped coverage of columnstore indexes and In-Memory OLTP • Covers indexing and transaction strategies • Shows how various database objects and technologies are implemented internally, and when they should or should not be used • Demonstrates how SQL Server executes queries and works with data and transaction log What You Will Learn Design and develop database solutions with SQL Server. Troubleshoot design, concurrency, and performance issues. Choose the right database objects and technologies for the job. Reduce costs and improve availability and manageability. Design disaster recovery and high-availability strategies. Improve performance of OLTP and data warehouse systems through in-memory OLTP and Columnstore indexes. Who This Book Is For Developers and database administrators who want to design, develop, and maintain systems in a way that gets the most from SQL Server. This book is an excellent choice for people who prefer to understand and fix the root cause of a problem rather than applying a 'band aid' to it.