SQL Server Execution Plans [Paperback]

Grant Fritchey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2009

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Simple Talk Publishing (March 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1906434026
• ISBN-13: 978-1906434021
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have twenty years experience in IT. That time was spent in technical support, development and database administration. I work as the Product Evangelist at Red Gate Software. I write articles for publication at SQL Server Central and Simple-Talk. I have published books including, "SQL Server Execution Plans" and "SQL Server 2008 Query Performance Tuning Distilled." I have written chapters for "Beginning SQL Server 2008 Administration", "SQL Server Team-based Development" and "SQL Server MVP Deep Dives Volume 2." I'm one of the founding officers of the Southern New England SQL Server Users Group.

I have been awarded as a Microsoft SQL Server MVP since 2009.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional detail and comfortable writing style, September 11, 2009

By 

David Martin "lifetime learner" (South Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: SQL Server Execution Plans (Paperback)

If you are one of those people (like me) who wonder why Sql Server does certain things (like ignoring your well-planned-out index), or if your professional pride requires that you deploy sql code which other professionals cannot laugh at, then you *must* understand the basic details of the SS Query Optimizer.
This book is thin, omits all of the traditional 'fluff' abstractions, and delivers the details through 'work-along-side-me' examples. The author is not-so-much writing a book as training a 'junior' administrator on how to understand queries and their execution. It is a streamlined training session on one specific topic, and can be consumed (and digested) in a few sit-down sessions.
The level of detail is much finer than any introductory book on Sql administration (or programming), but does not try to match the atomicity of Delaney's "Inside Microsoft Sql Server 2005" series. (Delaney's books are excellent academic achievements which will make you dizzy, lightheaded (possibly nauseous) at the first reading.)
I read Fritchey's book on a Friday evening, and spent the weekend working the examples on my own system. By Monday I was comfortable with troubleshooting many weak t-sql queries at the office, and it gave me the experience I needed to start practicing on creating 'useful' indexes.
This book gives a very good explanation on the topic of 'selectivity', which is the single most important principle of indexing in Sql Server.
The book is a good way to 'get your feet wet' with using Sql Profiler (rather than waiting until serious issues require you to learn on-the-job).
The book is a required follow-up book to the 70-444 (Self Based Training Kit) for Sql Server 2005 DBA certification. I got 2 answers correct because Fritchey's book taught me something the 70-444 SBTK forgot to explain.
This book is also available as an e-book (which I also have) but I suggest getting the paperback version because you will want to flip back pages to compare examples ... something aggrevating to do with an e-book.
COMPLAINTS:
1. The editors should be shot! There are spelling errors, missing letters, and punctuation goofs in several paragraphs causing you to stop, rewind and procede again to get Fritchey's point. The proofreaders let the author down on this one.
2. The book says examples are available on a website, but I could not find them there (possibly I am to stupid to locate them).

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truely excellent book for the beginner or professional, March 16, 2009

By 

North Providence RI (North Providence RI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dissecting SQL Server Execution Plans (Kindle Edition)

To those of us that have struggled with optimizing queries, this books is a must and what is more... you do not have to be a rocket scientist to work through the book. The examples are excellent, well thoughout BUT more importantly one wants to work through the examples, which to me was the selling point of the book. There were concepts that I had never thought about. Dear reader, this book is worth every cent.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Introduction To Execution Plans, January 14, 2010

By 

Eric Wisdahl (Jacksonville, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: SQL Server Execution Plans (Paperback)

This book was an easy read on a subject that can be relatively intimidating for a developer with no experience in the area. It is a great introduction to learning how to read SQL Server Execution Plans. There are lots of good examples and screen shots describing how the server is interpreting the commands being executed.

However, one should note that the book is NOT about how the plans will help you to improve your queries. Instead, knowing how to read through the various execution plans will help the reader to understand where problems might exist.