Tuning databases can be fun if built into the predeployment time allocated to building a system. Tuning ceases to be fun when it's undertaken on a production system, overseen by an unhappy customer with crushing time constraints. Unfortunately, the latter scenario tends to be the more common. Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Performance Tuning Technical Reference provides database administrators and (to a lesser degree) developers with the information they need to extract maximum performance from Microsoft SQL Server 2000. This book favors optimization of SQL Server that can be done via the administrative interface rather than in application code.

Most of database tuning has to do with sacrificing one aspect of performance (say, disk storage capacity) for the improvement of another (like the execution speed of a particular kind of query). The authors of this book--they're a team of consultants from a Texas company that specializes in database tuning, as well as from Microsoft--take care to explain the tradeoffs involved in various tuning decisions. Choose one option, they say, and performance metric A will improve at the expense of metric B. Having explained the design considerations for various tuning strategies, they walk their readers through how to do the tuning they're talking about. Instructions aren't for the clueless, but they're fully adequate for SQL Server users who know their way around the interface generally. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to make databases served by Microsoft SQL Server 2000 run as fast and as efficiently as possible by tweaking the way it runs. Emphasis is placed on read/write operations (including SQL Server's way of interacting with RAID arrays), performance monitors, and settings for processor, disk, and RAM usage. There's also a lot of information on capacity planning and system sizing.


Book Description
MICROSOFT SQL SERVER 2000 PERFORMANCE TUNING TECHNICAL REFERENCE provides all the information that developers and database administrators need to configure Microsoft SQL Server 2000 for optimum performance and scalability. Unlike other SQL Server 2000 tuning books on the market, it teaches not just about the SQL Server relational database management system, but also about how to get the most out of the underlying operating system and hardware. The advanced information it presents is easy to grasp because the authors start with the basics and build upon information in previous chapters to teach the mechanics of performance tuning and how they affect the whole system. This title has been thoroughly revised since the last edition and includes new information throughout.

ANNOTATION

This guide gives you the practical information you need to configure and tune a SQL Server 2000 database for better, faster, more scalable solutions. The authors start with the basics and build upon them to teach the mechanics of performance tuning.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Performance Tuning Technical Reference provides all the information that developers and database administrators need to configure Microsoft SQL Server 2000 for optimum performance and scalability. Unlike other SQL Server 2000 tuning books on the market, it teaches not just about the SQL Server relational database management system, but also about how to get the most out of the underlying operating system and hardware. The advanced information it presents is easy to grasp because the authors start with the basics and build upon information in previous chapters to teach the mechanics of performance tuning and how they affect the whole system. This title has been thoroughly revised since the last edition and includes new information throughout.

Positioning Statement:

The in-depth, practical guide to optimizing and tuning performance and capacity planning for Microsoft SQL Server 2000.

Unique Selling Proposition:

Written by the insiders who helped establish the phenomenal Microsoft SQL Server 2000 benchmarks in performance, scalability, and transaction processing.

Key Book Benefits: Contains information not only about tuning Microsoft SQL Server 2000, but also about how to get the most out of the underlying operating system and hardware. Covers the how and the why of performance tuning by explaining how it affects the entire database management system. Includes information about performance tuning and optimization from Microsoft and third-party SQL Server specialists.

SYNOPSIS

This guide gives you the practical information you need to configure and tune a SQL Server 2000 database for better, faster, more scalable solutions. The authors start with the basics and build upon them to teach the mechanics of performance tuning.

AUTHOR DESCRIPTION

Edward Whalen is founder and vice-president of Performance Tuning Corporation (www.perftuning.com), a consulting company specializing in database performance, administration, and backup/recovery solutions. Prior to Performance Tuning Corp., Mr. Whalen worked at Compaq Computer Corporation in the capacity of OS developer, and then as database performance engineer. He has extensive experience in database system design and tuning for optimal performance. His career has consisted of hardware, OS, and database development projects for many different companies. Mr. Whalen has published with Marcilina Garcia several books on SQL Server, such as Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Administrator's Companion, Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Performance Tuning Technical Reference, Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Administrator's Companion, as well as two books on the Oracle RDBMS, Oracle Performance Tuning and Optimization and Teach Yourself Oracle8 in 21 Days. In addition, he has worked on numerous benchmarks and performance tuning projects with Microsoft and Oracle. Mr. Whalen is recognized as a leader in database performance tuning and optimization.

Marcilina Garcia is a senior consultant of Performance Tuning Corporation (www.perftuning.com), a consulting company specializing in database performance, administration, and backup/recovery solutions. Prior to Performance Tuning Corp., Mrs. Garcia worked at Compaq Computer Corporation in Houston, Texas, as a database performance engineer. As a consultant, she has worked for many companies in the areas of database performance benchmarks, SQL Server performance and database design, and system configuration and tuning. She and Edward Whalen have written three other SQL Server books for Microsoft Press, and Marcilina has written several whitepapers and a magazine article.

Program Manager responsible for developing performance tools at Microsoft Corporation since 1998, Steve Adrien DeLuca is currently developing performance and capacity planning solutions for Microsoft's Distributed Management Division. While at Microsoft Mr. DeLuca has written three other books and has filed for eleven patents for work in capacity planning and performance. Prior to working at Microsoft, Mr. DeLuca worked as an architect engineer at Oracle Corporation, where he co-invented and developed the Oracle System Sizer. In addition to his work at Microsoft and Oracle, Mr. DeLuca has performed the function of performance engineer specializing in sizing and capacity planning for such organizations as DEC, Tandem, Apple, and the U.S. Air Force. Mr. DeLuca has been participating in performance benchmarks, developing performance tools, and lecturing about them around the world since 1980.

Michael Dean Thompson has worked as a Senior Consultant for Performance Tuning Corporation and as a Technology Specialist with Microsoft for SQL Server in the Gulf Coast District. Prior to Microsoft, Dean was an application development consultant in Dallas with over 13 years of experience. Currently, Dean is working as a contract database analyst and data architect in the Houston area. When he is not working on SQL Server, he is developing web applications in ASP and Perl, or performance tuning his Ford Mustang. Dean can be reached at dean@txsqlusers.com. His website is http://www.txsqlusers.com.

A performance engineer with the SQL Server team at Microsoft Corporation, Jamie Reding is responsible for developing and maintaining the Transaction Processing Council (TPC) benchmark kits and analyzing SQL Server system performance. Prior to Microsoft, Mr. Reding worked at the Compaq Computer Corporation in the capacity of database performance engineer. Mr. Reding has been participating in performance benchmarks and systems analysis since 1984. In addition to his work at Microsoft and Compaq, Mr. Reding spent 11 years with the IBM Corporation.

ACCREDITATION

Marcilina Garcia is a senior consultant at Performance Tuning Corporation, where she specializes in database performance benchmarks, SQL Server performance and database design, and system configuration. She is a coauthor of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Administrator's Companion and Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Performance Tuning Technical Reference.

Edward Whalen is president of Performance Tuning Corporation, where he specializes in database performance, administration, and backup/recovery solutions. He is a coauthor of Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Administrator's Companion and Microsoft SQL Server 7.0 Performance Tuning Technical Reference, as well as Oracle Performance Tuning and Optimization, and Teach Yourself Oracle8 in 28 Days.