Long-time readers of my “SQL Server
Savvy” magazine column and my weekly “SQL Server Perspectives” email newsletter
column know that I’ve always had a soft spot
for performance-tuning. In fact, in one way or
another, most of my professional-services career
has focused on SQL Server performance-tuning. For that reason, the subject seemed like
an obvious choice when the publishers of SQL
Server Magazine and I began brainstorming new
columns ideas that would be interesting to our
readers. However, I didn’t want to write a performance-tuning column full of material that
you could find all over the Internet. I wanted to
offer you something uniquely valuable.
Performance Paradox
Recently, a meeting of contributing SQL
Server Magazine editors sparked a fascinating
debate. Several authors bemoaned the fact
that SQL Server administrators regularly
make simple, avoidable, and expensive performance-tuning errors: Seemingly, the
ease with which you can find advanced
performance-tuning information on the
Internet over the past decade hasn’t necessarily coincided with a reduction in the
number of errors that can lead to serious
performance problems. In the meeting,
we discussed factors that might be causing
this paradox, and I’ll be addressing many of
these potential causes in this space. But in
general, we realized there was a problem
with fundamentals.
Finding advanced performance-tuning
information on the Web is simple—but
how do you use it? As I write this column,
typing “coronary surgery instructions” in Google returns nearly 2 million hits. Some
of the material seems quite advanced and
complete. As faithful readers of my columns, you would—if you required such
surgery—allow me to peruse some of these
articles, then crack open your chests, right?
I’m not suggesting that SQL Server performance-tuning requires the same amount of
training necessary to become a heart surgeon. However, I will say that performance-tuning is often more difficult than we want
to admit, and that the result of attempting
advanced “performance-tuning surgery”—
if the work is performed by a person who
doesn’t possess adequate skills—can lead to
a DOA server or application.
How about a sports analogy? The maxim
“Keep your eye on the ball” is drummed
into the head of every ball player—regardless
of sport—from the earliest days of coaching.
It’s a fundamental skill. However, it’s easy to
forget. Have you ever watched your favorite
athlete make a simple, fundamental mistake?
In sports and in performance-tuning, it’s
sometimes easy to take foundational, fundamental skills for granted.
Performance Primer
Common wisdom seems to be that fundamentals are old-fashioned and that they’re
just not exciting to write or read about.
Perhaps you, as readers, don’t think you need
to revisit fundamentals because you think
you’ll never “take your eye off the ball”?
That’s where this column comes in. PTO
Foundations offers a new slant on performance-tuning essentials. And just because
the column is called PTO Foundations
doesn’t mean that I’ll simply be rehashing Performance Tuning 101 basics that all but
the newest of newbies can recite by heart.
Think of this column’s focus in terms of
synonyms for foundation and fundamental—
underpinning, essential, vital.
This column’s core audience will be
“regular” people who need to solve performance problems—or avoid them—without
first becoming (or calling in) a performance-tuning expert. Whatever the skill level,
the column will address concepts that are
fundamental to success in the performance-tuning world. I’ll do my best to remember
that my core audience consists of database
professionals who probably aren’t experts.
Hopefully, you’ll always find this column’s
information to be approachable, consumable, and actionable.
Don’t get me wrong—I’m a performance-tuning expert. (At least, that’s what I tell my
customers.) I hope there will always be a need
for advanced, specialized performance-tuning
skills. However, would it surprise you to
know that I ultimately trace well over half of
the problems I encounter to relatively simple
causes? In most cases, the customer has simply
taken his or her eye off the ball.
Watch the Forums!
I’m planning to keep PTO Foundations to
one page each month. Alas, one page just isn’t
enough to cover all the foundational topics
that I’ll want to explore with you. Therefore,
I’ll be regularly blogging and posting in SQL Server Magazine performance-tuning
forums. Be sure to visit http://sqlforums.windowsitpro.com for updates. Let’s keep
our eye on the ball and explore the fundamentals that will lead to success in the world
of SQL Server performance-tuning.
End of Article
