T-SQL Querying

T-SQL insiders help you tackle your toughest queries and query-tuning problems
Squeeze maximum performance and efficiency from every T-SQL query you write or tune. Four leading experts take an in-depth look at T-SQL’s internal architecture and offer advanced practical techniques for optimizing response time and resource usage. Emphasizing a correct understanding of the language and its foundations, the authors present unique solutions they have spent years developing and refining. All code and techniques are fully updated to reflect new T-SQL enhancements in Microsoft SQL Server 2014 and SQL Server 2012.

Write faster, more efficient T-SQL code:

• Move from procedural programming to the language of sets and logic
• Master an efficient top-down tuning methodology
• Assess algorithmic complexity to predict performance
• Compare data aggregation techniques, including new grouping sets
• Efficiently perform data-analysis calculations
• Make the most of T-SQL’s optimized bulk import tools
• Avoid date/time pitfalls that lead to buggy, poorly performing code
• Create optimized BI statistical queries without additional software
• Use programmable objects to accelerate queries
• Unlock major performance improvements with In-Memory OLTP
• Master useful and elegant approaches to manipulating graphs

About This Book

• For experienced T-SQL practitioners
• Includes coverage updated from Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2008 T-SQL Querying and Inside Microsoft SQL Server 2008 T-SQL Programming
• Valuable to developers, DBAs, BI professionals, and data scientists
• Covers many MCSE 70-464 and MCSA/MCSE 70-461 exam topics

Itzik Ben-Gan is a mentor for and co-founder of SolidQ. A SQL Server Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) since 1999, Itzik has delivered numerous training events around the world focused on T-SQL querying, query tuning, and programming. Itzik has authored several T-SQL books as well as articles for SQL Server Pro, SolidQ Journal, and MSDN. Itzik’s speaking activities include TechEd, SQLPASS, SQL Server Connections, SolidQ events, and various user groups around the world. Itzik is the author of SolidQ’s Advanced T-SQL Querying, Programming and Tuning, and T-SQL Fundamentals courses, along with being a primary resource within the company for its T-SQL-related activities.

Dejan Sarka, MCT and SQL Server MVP, is an independent consultant, trainer, and developer focusing on database and business intelligence applications. His specialties are advanced topics like data modeling, data mining, and data quality. On these tough topics, he works and researches together with SolidQ and the Data Quality Institute. He is the founder of the Slovenian SQL Server and .NET Users Group. Dejan Sarka is the main author or coauthor of 11 books about databases and SQL Server, with more to come. He also has developed and is continuing to develop many courses and seminars for SolidQ and Microsoft. He has been a regular speaker at many conferences worldwide for more than 15 years, including Microsoft TechEd, PASS Summit, and others.

Adam Machanic is a Boston-based SQL Server developer, writer, and speaker. He focuses on large-scale data warehouse performance and development, and he is the author of the award-winning SQL Server monitoring stored procedure sp_WhoIsActive. Adam has written for numerous websites and magazines, including SQLblog, Simple Talk, Search SQL Server, SQL Server Professional, CoDe, and VSJ. He has also contributed to several books on SQL Server, including SQL Server 2008 Internals (Microsoft Press, 2009) and Expert SQL Server 2005 Development (Apress, 2007). Adam regularly speaks at conferences and training events on a variety of SQL Server topics. He is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for SQL Server, a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), and an alumnus of the INETA North American Speakers Bureau.

Kevin Farlee has over 25 years in the industry, in both database and storage-management software. In his current role as a Storage Engine Program Manager on the Microsoft SQL Server team, he brings these threads together. His current projects include the SQL Server Project “Hekaton” In-Memory OLTP feature.

Chapter 1: Logical Query Processing

Chapter 2: Query Tuning

Chapter 3: Multi-Table Queries

Chapter 4: Grouping, Pivoting and Windowing

Chapter 5: TOP and OFFSET-FETCH

Chapter 6: Data Modification

Chapter 7: Working with Date and Time

Chapter 8: T-SQL for BI Practitioners

Chapter 9: Programmable Objects

Chapter 10: In-Memory OLTP

Chapter 11: Graphs and Recursive Queries