Masterclass: Advanced T-SQL querying, programming and tuning with Herbert Albert

The course focuses on writing and tuning queries and programming with T-SQL in SQL Server 2012 – 2019 and in Azure SQL Database.

In this course you will learn the details and capabilities of T-SQL in the following areas: Logical Query Processing; Query Tuning (Internals and Index Tuning, including Columnstore Indexes, Batch Processing, Query Store, Cardinality Estimations, Temporary Tables, Sets vs. Cursors, Query Tuning with Query Revisions); Subqueries and Table Expressions (Derived Tables, CTEs, Views, Inline Table-Valued Functions), Recursive Queries, APPLY Operator, Joins and Set Operators; Aggregating, Pivoting and Windowing (including Aggregate, Ranking and Offset Window Functions), Custom Aggregates and STRING_AGG; TOP and OFFSET-FETCH; Data Modification; Working with Date and Time (including System-Versioned Temporal Tables); Programmable Objects (Dynamic SQL, User Defined Functions, Stored Procedures, Triggers, Transactions and Concurrency, Exception Handling); In-Memory OLTP.

Along the course you will learn how to use T-SQL to solve practical problems such as: Relational Division, Missing and Existing Ranges (Gaps and Islands), Separating Elements, Pivoting and Unpivoting, Ranking and Offset, Running Totals, Moving Averages, YTD, Custom Aggregations, TOP and OFFSET-FETCH Problems, Paging, Top N Per Group, Median, Data De-Duplication, Handling Sequences, Merging Data, Treatment of Temporal Intervals (Intersection, Max Concurrent, Packing), Dynamic Search Condition (aka Dynamic Filtering), Migrating On-Disk to Memory Optimized Data, and more.

You will learn how to tune your queries, how to develop efficient routines including user defined functions, stored procedures and triggers, work in multi-user environments with transactions and isolation levels, and use dynamic SQL securely and efficiently.

The course provides a dedicated module focusing on query tuning. The module covers internals and index tuning, including coverage of Columnstore data, batch processing, index access methods, cardinality estimations, query store, temporary tables, set vs. cursors, and query tuning using query revisions. Moreover, query tuning is in the heart of this course and is incorporated in the different modules throughout the course.

With each querying/programming task the discussions will revolve around logical aspects, set-based vs. iterative/procedural programming and optimization of the solutions.

About Herbert Albert

Herbert Albert is a Mentor with Lucient (former SolidQ). Since version 6.0 he works with SQL Server as developer and trainer. He helped developing official Microsoft courses about Administering and Developing SQL Server as well as the Lucient training “Troubleshooting and Performance Tuning for SQL Server.” Furthermore, he coo-authored the “Upgrade Technical Reference Guide” and was technical editor of a couple of Microsoft Press books. As a trainer, consultant and speaker he is focused on T-SQL Programming, Performance Tuning, High Availability and Integration Servers- In these areas he delivers projects successfully Europe-wide.

Target Audience and Prerequisites

This course is intended for:

• T-SQL Developers, DBAs, BI Specialists, Data Scientists, Architects, and Analysts
• Those that need to write or review T-SQL code in SQL Server 2012 – 2019 and Azure SQL Database

Before attending this course, it is recommended that you have at least one year of T-SQL querying and programming experience.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will:

• Understand logical query processing
• Understand SQL Server’s internal data structures
• Be able to analyze and tune query performance
• Be able to analyze query execution plans
• Understand cardinality estimations
• Be able to solve complex querying and programming tasks
• Think in terms of sets
• Be able to compare set based and iterative solutions
• Use window functions to improve your solutions
• Handle date and time data including intervals
• Create system-versioned temporal tables
• Describe performance problems related to use of user defined functions and possible workarounds
• Understand compilations, recompilations, plan caching and reuse
• Understand transactions and concurrency aspects of database programming
• Know how to handle hierarchical data and write recursive queries
• Be able to migrate on-disk data to memory optimized data
• Describe T-SQL enhancements in SQL Server 2012 – 2019

Logical Query Processing

• Logical Query Processing Order
• Logical Query Processing Example
• Phase Details

Query Tuning

• Internals and Index Tuning
• New Cardinality Estimator
• Temporary Tables
• Sets vs. Cursors
• Query Tuning with Query Revisions

Multi-Table Queries

• Subqueries and Table Expressions
• APPLY Operator
• Joins
• Set Operators

Grouping, Pivoting and Windowing

• Window Functions
• Pivoting and Unpivoting Data
• Custom Aggregations
• STRING_AGG
• Grouping Sets (bonus self-study unit)

TOP and OFFSET-FETCH 

• TOP
• OFFSET-FETCH
• TOP N Per Group

Data Modification

• Inserting Data
• Sequences
• Deleting Data
• Updating Data
• Merging Data
• The OUTPUT Clause

Working with Date and Time

• Date and Time Datatypes
• Date and Time Functions
• Date and Time Challenges
• System-Versioned Temporal Tables
• Date and Time Querying Tasks

Programmable Objects

• Dynamic SQL
• User Defined Functions
• Stored Procedures
• Triggers
• Transactions and Concurrency
• Exception Handling

In-Memory OLTP

• Intro to In-Memory OLTP
• Architecture
• Memory Optimized Table and Indexes
• Natively Compiled Modules
• Transaction Semantics