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SQL Server database optimization remains an interesting mix of art & science, requiring practitioners to interpret some things which can be measured easily (eg. CPU utilization) and others that can't (eg. page splits, changing query plans). Understanding how to "read between the lines" and differentiate between "cause" and "effect" are essential skills in optimizing SQL Server database systems and in this presentation, Greg Linwood will cover the essentials for beginners and also some advanced concepts for seasoned pro's.
Understanding SQL Server Query Execution Plans
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Central to the performance of any SQL Server system is how queries are being processed by the database engine. Execution plans describe what steps SQL Server is taking to process a query so being able to understand this information is crucial to controlling SQL Server performance. Whilst this topic is sometimes considered to be the domain of experts, a few simple techniques can significantly improve your ability to understand what is going on "in there", putting you in a position to control the performance of your SQL Server system. In this session we will cover the fundamentals of how to obtain& read execution plans, including how to work out whether SQL Server is utilising good indexes and choosing efficient join techniques to process queries efficiently.
Unlocking blocking and deadlocking problems
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Diagnosing SQL Server blocking and deadlocking is tricky business if you're not sure how to approach diagnosis or design effective solutions to these problems.
In this session, SQL Server MVP Greg Linwood discusses how you can efficiently diagnose blocking & deadlocking problems, whether your SQL Server platform is 2000, 2005 or 2008 (each has improvements in diagnostic capabilities & tools). Greg will also discuss how to design effective solutions once you've identified the source of your blocking or deadlocking problems.
Content for this session spans introductory through to advanced topics, including SQL Server Locking internals, DMVs, SQL Trace, DBCC commands and also SQL 2008's Extended Events (XEvents) which provide deeper information on blocking than was previously available in earlier versions of SQL Server. This session is also based on real world case studies& attendees are invited to bring questions along on the night.
If you have a SQL Server system that suffers from blocking problems & you're not sure what to do next, this is a great opportunity to come along, learn & ask questions from a highly experienced SQL Server Database Administrator!
SQL Server Memory Management & Tuning
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Memory (RAM) is the most important hardware resource SQL Server uses to achieve high levels of performance. Database systems that lack sufficient memory or are not configured to use available memory properly always perform poorly compared against systems with well configured & adequately sized memory. In this session, we look at how SQL Server uses memory and what you can do to improve the performance of your SQL Server system by sizing & configuring memory properly. Techniques discussed are applicable to SQL Server 2000, 2005 & 2008 and include:
v How to identify whether your system has sufficient memory
v How to configure your server to use all available memory
v How to monitor your system, tracking memory usage over time
Smashing performance bottlenecks with Solid State Disks
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Solid State Disks (SSDs) have recently emerged as a mainstream storage alternative to traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) and vendors are now producing SSDs for servers that provide huge improvements in I/O performance whilst also reducing heat & energy consumption.
In this session, Greg Linwood describes how this technology works and what types of SQL Server workloads can leverage the maximum potential from SSDs, based on experiences with several real world business critical SQL Server systems that have been successfully implemented on SSDs.
Presenter: Greg Linwood Presenter
Greg Linwood is the Managing Director of MyDBA.com - an Australian SQL Server specialist optimization, support & consulting business. Greg has a wide range of developer & DBA experience with SQL Server since 1993 and was the first Australian to receive Microsoft's SQL Server "Most Valuable Professional" award in 2003. Greg was one of the founders of the Australian SQL Server User Group in 2003.