SQL 2012 Admin, Part 1 of 5: Configuring and Testing

Course description

In this course we’ll start on configuring and testing SQL Server, we will introduce you to the SQL Server engines and learn how they process incoming requests to the database to get the results you expect in the most efficient ways possible. We will take a good look at the 3 main resources that SQL Server uses, the CPU, Memory and Disk I/O. We will even reveal a 4th resource that that is commonly forgotten about. We will see how each of these affects the way SQL Server performs, and how the proper configuration of each helps to ensure a stable environment. Then we will cover planning for your SQL Server database’s growth. Then we will use Microsoft’s free SQLIO tool to test the I/O of our SQL Server’s hard drives. We will then show you how to determine where performance maxes out based on the results of SQLIO.

Each LearnNowOnline training course is made up of Modules (typically an hour in length). Within each module there are Topics (typically 15-30 minutes each) and Subtopics (typically 2-5 minutes each). There is a Post Exam for each Module that must be passed with a score of 70% or higher to successfully and fully complete the course.

Prerequisites

This course assumes that students have working experience with SQL Server 2005 or 2008; basic relational database concepts (e.g., tables, queries, and indexing); general knowledge of XML, Transact-SQL, and a fundamental understanding of networking and security concepts.

Meet the expert

Chris Bell

Chris Bell, MCITP, is an 18-year SQL Server veteran for both business intelligence and application development providing solutions for businesses, organizations, and individuals. He is the founder and CEO of WaterOx Consulting, Inc., a provider of remote SQL Server consulting and services. Chris is also the founder and current President of the Washington DC chapter of PASS and a member of the Board of Directors for CPCUG. Chris also frequently attends and presents at PASS events around the country, sharing his passion for all things SQL Server. In 2012, Chris was one of 5 finalists in the world for Red Gate’s Exceptional DBA Award.

Video Runtime

73 Minutes

Time to complete

276 Minutes

Course Outline

Configuring and Testing

Inside SQL Server (17:42)

• Introduction (00:40)
• A Quick Dive Inside SQL Server (01:09)
• A Simple Query (03:27)
• A Simple Update (02:00)
• Dirty Pages (01:34)
• Demo: Dirty Pages (01:48)
• Three Main Resources - CPU (03:41)
• Demo: Parallelism (03:00)
• Summary (00:19)

Resources (12:18)

• Introduction (00:24)
• Three Main Resources - Memory (01:30)
• Three Main Resources - I/O (02:03)
• Three Main Resources - Other (01:14)
• Planning For Growth - CPU (02:14)
• Planning For Growth - Memory (01:16)
• Demo: Memory Settings (03:23)
• Summary (00:11)

Planning For Growth (10:47)

• Introduction (00:33)
• Planning For Growth - I/O & Files (02:20)
• Demo: Identifying I/O (02:56)
• Planning for Growth - Network (03:39)
• Planning For Growth - Instances (01:05)
• Summary (00:12)

SQLIO (20:15)

• Introduction (00:24)
• Testing SQL Server with SQLIO (02:14)
• SQLIOStress (00:43)
• Demo: SQLIO (02:24)
• Demo: Running SQLIO (04:30)
• Demo: Testing The Drives (04:13)
• Demo: Write Functions (01:35)
• Demo: SQL Tests (03:44)
• Summary (00:22)

Partitioning (12:39)

• Introduction (00:31)
• Partitioning (00:40)
• Partitioning - Benefits (01:25)
• Partitioning - Components (01:47)
• Creating a Partition (00:39)
• Demo: Partitioning (05:27)
• Demo: Viewing Partitions (01:54)
• Summary (00:12)