Expert Performance Indexing for SQL Server 2012 is a deep dive into perhaps the single-most important facet of good performance: indexes, and how to best use them. The book begins in the shallow waters with explanations of the types of indexes and how they are stored in databases. Moving deeper into the topic, and further into the book, you will look at the statistics that are accumulated both by indexes and on indexes. All of this will help you progress towards properly achieving your database performance goals. What you'll learn from Expert Performance Indexing for SQL Server 2012 will help you understand what indexes are doing in the database and what can be done to mitigate and improve their effects on performance. The final destination is a guided tour through a number of real-world scenarios and approaches that can be taken to investigate, mitigate, and improve the performance of your database.* Defines indexes and provides an understanding of their role * Uncovers and explains the statistics that are kept in indexes * Teaches strategies and approaches for indexing databases What you'll learn * Fully understand the index types at your disposal * Recognize and remove unnecessary indexes * Review statistics to understand indexing choices made by the optimizer * Properly apply strategies such as covering indexes, included columns, index intersections, and more * Write queries to make good use of the indexes already in place * Design effective indexes for full-text, spatial, and XML data types * Manage the big picture: Encompassing all indexes in a database, and all database instances on a server Who this book is for Expert Performance Indexing for SQL Server 2012 is intended for database administrators and developers who are ready to boost the performance of their environments without the need to go in blindly building indexes. Table of Contents * Index Fundamentals * Index Storage Fundamentals * Index Statistics * XML, Spatial and FULLTEXT * Index Myths and Best Practices * Index Maintenance * Indexing Tools * Index Strategies * Query Strategies * Index Analysis

Take a deep dive into perhaps the single most important facet of query performance-indexes-and how to best use them. Newly updated for SQL Server 2022 and Azure SQL, this fourth edition includes new guidance and features related to columnstore indexes, improved and consolidated content on Query Store, deeper content around Intelligent Query Processing, and other updates to help you optimize query execution and make performance improvements to even the most challenging workloads. The book begins with explanations of the types of indexes and how they are stored in a database. Moving further into the book, you will learn how statistics are critical for optimal index usage and how the Index Advisor can assist in reviewing and optimizing index health. This book helps you build a clear understanding of how indexes work, how to implement and use them, and the many options available to tame even the most large and complex workloads. What You Will Learn Properly index row store, columnstore, and memory-optimized tables Make use of Intelligent Query Processing for faster query results Review statistics to understand indexing choices made by the optimizer Apply indexing strategies such as covering indexes, included columns, and index intersections Recognize and remove unnecessary indexes Design effective indexes for full-text, spatial, and XML data types Who This Book Is For Azure SQL and SQL Server administrators and developers who are ready to improve the performance of their database environment by thoughtfully building indexes to speed up queries that matter the most and make a difference to the business

Expert SQL Server Practices 2012 Edition is an anthology of high-end wisdom from a group of accomplished database administrators who are quietly but relentlessly pushing the performance and feature envelope of Microsoft SQL Server 2012.With an emphasis upon performance--but also branching into release management, auditing, and other issues--the book helps you deliver the most value for your company's investment in Microsoft's flagship database system * Goes beyond the manual to cover good techniques and best practices * Delivers knowledge usually gained only by hard experience * Focuses upon performance, scalability, reliability * Helps achieve the predictability needed to be in control at all times What you'll learn * Migrate to the new Extended Events framework for troubleshooting performance problems * Automate the tracking of key performance indicators such as available disk space, cpu utilization, index fragmentation, and more * Design performance into your database and its applications from the very beginning * Manage staged releases from development to test through to production * Diagnose resource and performance problems via dynamic management views * Analyze I/O patterns and plan reliably to obtain the performance you need Who this book is for Expert SQL Server Practices is aimed at SQL Server professionals who want to further their careers through expert-level practices in performance management, scalability, predictability, and security.Table of Contents * Jesper Johansen. Be Your Developer's Best Friend * Louis Davidson. Getting It Right: Designing for Database Performance * Gail Shaw. Hidden Performance Gotchas * Kellyn Pot'vin. Dynamic Management Views * Mladen Prajdic. From SQL Trace to Extended Events * Chris Shaw. The Utility Database * Jason Strate. Indexing Outside the Bubble * TJay Belt. Release Management * Jonathan Gardner. Compliance and Auditing * Jes Borland. Automating Administration * Wendy Pastrick. The Fluid Dynamics of SQL Server Data Movement * Herve Roggero. Windows Azure Features for DBAs * Jeremy Lowell. I/O: The Untold Story * Bradley Ball. Page and Row Compression * Glenn Berry. Selecting and Sizing the Server * Grant Fritchey. Backups and Restores Using Availability Groups * Carlos Bossy. Big Data for the SQL Server DBA * Ben DeBow. Tuning for Peak Load