The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Architecture and Internals [Paperback]

Ken Henderson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201700476 | ISBN-13: 978-0201700473 | Publication Date: November 1, 2003

Ken Henderson's first two Guru's Guides for Addison-Wesley have been widely praised by reviewers, and have sold extremely well. He has now written a key reference to SQL Server which is much broader in scope than either of the first two, which will appeal to an even larger audience. The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Architecture is all about the internal pieces of SQL Server, the architecture of how they fit together, and the effect those have on performance and tuning issues. Not only will the book cover issues such as the new Notification Services which have not been covered in any other book, but it will also go into more detail than any other book on the core SQL Server technologies. This new book will take its place next to his two previous books on the shelves of SQL Server developers and administrators everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"I can pretty much guarantee that anyone who uses SQL Server on a regular basis (even those located in Redmond working on SQL Server) can learn something new from reading this book."
--David Campbell, Product Unit Manager,
Relational Server Team, Microsoft Corporation

The latest book from the highly regarded and best-selling author Ken Henderson, The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Architecture and Internals is the consummate reference to Microsoft SQL Server. Picking up where documentation and white papers leave off, this book takes an all-inclusive approach to provide the most depth and breadth of coverage of any book on SQL Server architecture, internals, and tuning.

Blending in-depth discussion with practical application, the guide begins with several chapters on the fundamental Windows technologies behind SQL Server, including processes and threads, memory management, Windows I/O, and networking. The focus then moves on to the architectural details of SQL Server and how to practically apply them.

The entire SQL Server product is covered--not just the functionality that resides within the core executable or product features that have been in place for years. SQL Server has matured and broadened substantially with each release, and the author explores the "fringe" technologies that have yet to be covered elsewhere, including Notification Services, Full Text Search, SQLXML, replication, DTS, and a host of others.

Throughout the book, the author uses WinDbg, Microsoft's free downloadable symbolic debugger, to look under the hood of SQL Server. Armed with new debugging and coding skills, readers will be ready to master SQL Server on their own.

The accompanying CD-ROM is packed with additional material, including full source code for the book's 900+ examples, as well as three invaluable tools: DTSDIAG, the VBODSOLE Library, and DTS Package Guru. DTSDIAG allows developers and administrators to simultaneously collect Profiler traces, perform logs, blocking script output, system event logs, and SQLDIAG reports from a specified SQL Server. The VBODSOLE Library features more than twenty new COM-based functions for Transact-SQL, including T-SQL enhancements such as array-manipulation routines, financial functions, string-manipulation functions, and system functions. DTS Package Guru is a .NET-based package editor for SQL Server's Data Transformation Services that allows editing of any modifiable package and supports the automation of mass package changes.

The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Architecture and Internals is the essential guide for database developers and admin- istrators alike, regardless of skill level.

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About the Author

Ken Henderson, a nationally recognized consultant and leading DBMS practitioner, consults on high-end client/server projects for such customers as the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, H&R Block, Travelers Insurance, J.P. Morgan, the CIA, Owens-Corning, and CNA Insurance. He is the author of five previous books on client/server and DBMS development, a frequent magazine contributor to such publications as Software Development Magazine and DBMS Magazine, and a speaker at technical conferences.

0201700476AB07032003

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1072 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201700476
• ISBN-13: 978-0201700473
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,017,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for SQL Server developers & DBA's, May 14, 2004

By 

raj "rtigerr" (CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Architecture and Internals (Paperback)

I have been working RDBMS for more than 10 years and with SQL Server for more than 5 years. I have not seen a book in SQL server which explains exactly how internals of SQL Server is implemented. There are lots of SQL books out there which are nothing but the repeat of SQL books online. This books stand out from the crowd. First 400 pages of the book talks about the windows OS, which crucial to understand SQL Server internals since the database engine lot of OS features. I like this author's straightforward style and the sample programs are excellent in demonstrating the concepts. I would strongly recommend this book for anybody interested in understanding SQL Server beyond its syntax. I wish I had an opportunity to study this kind of book few years back.

67 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Balanced Content, May 14, 2004

By 

Soumitra Banerjee (Torrance, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Architecture and Internals (Paperback)

This is one of the best books that I have read so far on Windows and SQL Server. It gives the user a good understanding of some of the basic windows concept that are so fundamental to SQL Server internal workings.

65 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Latest GG is an essential technical SQL Server Reference, May 5, 2004

By 

Greg Linwood (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Architecture and Internals (Paperback)

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Ken's latest Guru's Guide is an important book for SQL Server Professionals who build or manage SQL Server systems.

SQL Server is tightly integrated with Windows, so understanding how SQL Server uses Windows services is essential to managing it effectively. This book covers the important Windows / SQL Server topics in significant depth, exploring each one from both a pure Windows perspective and then how it relates to SQL Server.

The first half of the book is dedicated to covering technical Windows concepts such as I/O, Memory, Thread scheduling, Synchronisation & Sockets as well as covering how SQL Server uses each of these. The second half of the book explores various SQL Server features in the depth you'd expect one of Ken's Guru's Guides.

This is not a beginners' book. It will feel at home on your shelf if you're reading books such as "Inside SQL Server" (another excellent SQL book) or "Inside Windows", both MS Press. These are all technically deep references for SQL people which offer real answers to the problems & issues we face in working with SQL Server & Windows. Many other books simply skim the edges of the technical topics that this book covers in depth.

If you're trying to learn how to write simple SQL statements, this is not the book for you. If you need or want to understand how SQL Server works inside & interoperates with the Windows environment, this is an excellent guide & reference.