New Course: “SQL Server: Common Query Tuning Problems and Solutions – Part 2″

Today, Pluralsight published my latest course, “SQL Server: Common Query Tuning Problems and Solutions – Part 2“.  Part two is 2 hours and 17 minutes long and covers the following: Troubleshooting Inefficiency Demo: One-Row-At-A-Time-Processing Demo: The Forgotten Trigger Demo: Scalar Function Inhibited Parallelism Demo: Scalar Function Row by Row Execution Demo: Too Few Rows Per Batch […]

New Course: “SQL Server: Common Query Tuning Problems and Solutions – Part 1”

Pluralsight published my latest course, “SQL Server: Common Query Tuning Problems and Solutions – Part 1“.  Part 1 is 2 hours and 31 minutes and covers the following: Module: Validating Assumptions Downstream Impact of Bad Assumptions Cardinality Estimation and Predicates Selectivity Query Cardinality Questions Cardinality Estimate Inputs Statistics Demo: DBCC SHOW_STATISTICS STAT_HEADER Demo: DBCC SHOW_STATISTICS […]

SQLIntersection Post-Conference Session

I am really happy to announce that Kimberly Tripp and I will be delivering a post-conference in November’s SQLIntersection conference at the MGM Grand. The session is “Queries Gone Wild 2: Statistics and Cardinality in Versions 2008, 2008R2, 2012, and 2014” and will be delivered November 14th, from 9AM to 4:30PM. You can find registration […]

Deck from “Practical SQL Server Cardinality Estimation”

I uploaded the deck from my session for SQLSaturday #287 Madison 2014 and you can download it here. It was an excellent event!  Great organizers, volunteers, venue, speakers – and a matching big turnout with lots of first-time SQLSaturday attendees.  Grateful for the experience and hope to be back again next year.

New Course: “SQL Server: Transact-SQL Common Table Expressions”

Today Pluralsight published my new course, “SQL Server: Transact-SQL Common Table Expressions”. This is a demo-centric, short course on how to create and use common table expressions (CTEs) correctly, for developers and DBAs from SQL Server 2005 onward.  Areas I cover include: What are CTEs and Why Use Them? CTE Syntax Semicolon Requirements When Column […]

New Course: “SQL Server: Database Creation, Configuration, and Alteration”

  Today Pluralsight published my new course, “SQL Server: Database Creation, Configuration, and Alteration”. This is a demo-centric, short course on how to how to use T-SQL to create and configure databases, files, and filegroups.  Areas I cover include: How to create a database How to configure files and filegroups Configuration of file settings Configuration […]

New Course: “SQL Server: Temporary Objects”

This is my first blog post since going-independent. As mentioned in my previous post, I’ll still be blogging periodically on my original SQLskills blog.  As for what I’ve been up to these last few weeks, I’ve been working on-site with a local Minneapolis client – spending about half of my time on the DBA side […]

New Course: “SQL Server 2012: Transact-SQL Error Handling”

Today Pluralsight published my new course, “SQL Server 2012: Transaction-SQL Error Handling”. As the title suggests, this course steps through how to write Transact-SQL code that deals with anticipated and unanticipated errors during code execution.  The audience is for developers and DBAs – and while the title states it is for SQL Server 2012, several […]

Presenting “Performance Issue Patterns” at the PASSMN Minnesota SQL Server User Group

If you’re in town (Minneapolis/St. Paul) – just a heads-up that I’ll be presenting at the next PASSMN meeting on Tuesday, August 20th (scheduled from 4PM to 6PM).  This will be located at Microsoft, 3601 West 76th Street, Suite 600 Edina, MN  55437. Here is what I’ll be presenting: Title: Performance Issue Patterns Description: While […]

New Course: “SQL Server: Transactional Replication Fundamentals”

Today Pluralsight published my new course, “SQL Server: Transactional Replication Fundamentals.” This course provides a fundamental overview of how to configure, monitor, tune and troubleshoot a SQL Server transactional replication topology. Transactional replication meets a few specific data distribution requirements that no other native SQL Server feature does out-of-the-box.  Even if you’re not a fan […]

New Course: “SQL Server 2012: Nonclustered Columnstore Indexes”

Yesterday Pluralsight published my new course, “SQL Server 2012: Nonclustered Columnstore Indexes”. The intent behind this course was to provide a fast ramp-up on the aspects of this feature that you should consider when looking at whether or not this is a viable option for your SQL Server relational data warehouse workloads.  The course covers […]

New Course: “SQL Server: Query Plan Analysis”

Yesterday Pluralsight published my new course, SQL Server: Query Plan Analysis. The short description is as follows: “Learn how to interpret and analyze SQL Server query plans, making performance problems easier to recognize and understand, applicable to developers, DBAs, and anyone responsible for SQL Server, from SQL Server 2005 onwards.” As of today, that makes […]

SQLIntersection: Unashamed Database Engine Coverage

On the week of April 8th, in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, I’ll be delivering a few sessions at the SQLIntersection conference along with some pretty incredible company, including: Aaron Bertrand, Sr. Consultant, SQL Sentry, Inc. [blog | twitter] Andrew J. Kelly, Mentor, SolidQ [blog | twitter] Bob Ward, Principal Architect Escalation Engineer, Microsoft […]

SQL Server Event Schedule for H1 2013

I’ve had a couple of months at home, focusing on consulting engagements, and now I’m about to enter back in to conference / Immersion Event season.  I’ll still be consulting, but half of the time I’ll be doing it from a hotel room. While it is nice to interact with people via email, phone and […]

New Course: “SQL Server: Troubleshooting Query Plan Quality Issues”

My latest online course, “SQL Server: Troubleshooting Query Plan Quality Issues” was published today by Pluralsight.  The short description is as follows… “Learn how to identify, diagnose, and prevent problems where SQL Server chooses the incorrect query plan for your critical queries, applicable to developers, DBAs, and anyone responsible for SQL Server, from SQL Server 2005 onwards.” This 2 […]

New Course: “SQL Server: Common Performance Issue Patterns”

My latest course, “SQL Server: Common Performance Issue Patterns“  was just published by Pluralsight.com. The course description is as follows: “There are a wealth of problems that can affect the performance of SQL Server workloads, and Joe shows you more than 35 common performance issue patterns. With 17 detailed demos, you’re shown how to recognize each […]

New Course: SQL Server: Transact-SQL Basic Data Modification

As Paul recently announced, the entire SQLskills team will be rolling out SQL Server content across several subjects on Pluralsight.com. My latest course,  “SQL Server: Transact-SQL Basic Data Modification”, which is the companion to “SQL Server: Transact-SQL Basic Data Retrieval”, was just published today by Pluralsight.com. The course description is as follows: “If you need […]

New course: “SQL Server: Transact-SQL Basic Data Retrieval”

Today I learned that the video course I’ve been working on these last two months has been published on Pluralsight: SQL Server: Transact-SQL Basic Data Retrieval The general description from Pluralsight of this course is as follows: “If you need to retrieve data from a SQL Server database then you need to know how to […]

Four reasons why I’m looking forward to #SQLSat104

Next month I’ll be attending and speaking at the Colorado Springs #SQLSat104.  I’m looking forward to this event for a number of reasons: 1.      It’s my very first SQLSaturday!  I’ve always wanted to attend – but neglected to do anything about it until now.  2.      The day is packed with great session choices.  While I […]