January 2008 - Posts

Performance Monitoring with SQL 2008

Check my blog post on TechNet over Performance Monitoring with SQL Server 2008 here. Feel free to pass your comments.

Posted 29 January 2008 01:28 PM by vinodkumar | no comments
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BPA 2005 - Jan build

The January 2008 package contains:

  • BPA UI and command line tools
  • Rules (previous rules + ~60 new rules)
  • Rich documentation

Download it here.

Posted 26 January 2008 02:51 PM by vinodkumar | 1 comment(s)
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Windows Server 2008 Security Guide
When released in early 2008, the Windows Server 2008 Security Guide will provide IT professionals with best practices and automated tools to help strengthen the security of servers running Windows Server 2008. The guide is now in Beta release, and is available for your review on  Microsoft® TechNet.
Posted 24 January 2008 01:35 PM by vinodkumar | no comments
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101 with SQL CE 3.5
With Microsoft SQL Server Compact 3.5 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008, developers have an easy-to-deploy solution for local data. Ranging from caching reference data to full offline scenarios, developers can use a single engine for their Windows Mobile-powered devices, or their full desktop clients–benefiting from the power of SQL Server in a compact footprint. Using Visual Studio 2008, we show how SQL Server Compact can be transparently deployed with unique features including updatable result sets and a custom document format, and how to manage the creation and maintenance of your local data. This session is packed with demonstrations that can get you started today. Check the webcast page here to know the same !!!
Posted 23 January 2008 02:32 AM by vinodkumar | no comments
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Analysis Services Many-to-Many Dimensions: Query Performance Optimization Techniques
Many-to-many dimension relationships in SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services (SSAS) enable you to easily model complex source schemas and provide great analytical capabilities. This capability frequently comes with a substantial cost in query performance due to the runtime join required by Analysis Services to resolve many-to-many queries. This best practices white paper discusses three many-to-many query performance optimization techniques, including how to implement them, and the performance testing results for each technique. It demonstrates that optimizing many-to-many relationships by compressing the common relationships between the many-to-many dimension and the data measure group, and then defining aggregations on both the data measure group and the intermediate measure group yields the best query performance. The results show dramatic improvement in the performance of many-to-many queries as the reduction in size of the intermediate measure group increases. Test results indicate that the greater the amount of compression, the greater the performance benefits—and that these benefits persist as additional fact data is added to the main fact table (and into the data measure group). Read the whitepaper on the Best Pactices site and download the same for offline reading here.
Posted 21 January 2008 07:28 AM by vinodkumar | 1 comment(s)
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Database Mirroring and Log Shipping Working Together
Log shipping and database mirroring can work together to provide solutions for high availability and disaster recovery. You can convert an existing log shipping configuration to a database mirroring configuration. Although Microsoft only supports a single mirror database, you can set up log shipping from a database mirroring pair to additional servers, to provide multiple failover sites. Moreover, you can easily switch which pair of instances is using database mirroring and which instances are configured with log shipping. Get to know this extended architecture and how the same is implemented here.
Posted 19 January 2008 07:26 AM by vinodkumar | no comments
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SQL Counters: Series 1 (Aggregated)

SQL Counter: Part 1 (Processor Time)
SQL Counter: Part 2 (Processor Queue Length)
SQL Counter: Part 3 (Pages/sec)
SQL Counter: Part 4 (Available MB)
SQL Counter: Part 5 (Disk Queue Length)
SQL Counter: Part 6 (Idle Time)
SQL Counter: Part 7 (Disk Write/sec)
SQL Counter: Part 8 (Disk Read/sec)
SQL Counter: Part 9 (Bytes Total)
SQL Counter: Part 10 (Full Scans/sec)
SQL Counter: Part 11 (Transactions/sec)
SQL Counter: Part 12 (Buffer Cache hit ratio)
SQL Counter: Part 13 (Avg Wait Time)
SQL Counter: Part 14 (Avg Latch Wait Time)

Now this has been the first series ... Be locked, I will give you the next series soon :) ... All the more reasons to return here !!! Hope you folks are enjoying this. Comments most welcome !!!

Posted 17 January 2008 03:26 PM by vinodkumar | 1 comment(s)
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SQL Counter: Part 14 (Avg Latch Wait Time)
SQL Server Latches Object -> Average Latch Wait Time
This counter measures the average amount of time, in milliseconds, that a latch request had to wait before it was serviced. Over time it is a good indicator for a general performance problem or if a performance issue is specific to one user.
Posted 16 January 2008 05:08 PM by vinodkumar | no comments
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Extranet Collaboration Toolkit for Sharepoint - Beta
Your customers need a secure way to collaborate and share documents with others across the Internet.  They also need a solution that’s easy to set up—and that lets project teams manage collaboration sites on their own. Here’s your chance to help your customers get an advance look at this valuable solution, and to provide feedback to ensure it meets their unique needs. Join the beta program for the Extranet Collaboration Toolkit for SharePoint!
Posted 16 January 2008 06:01 AM by vinodkumar | no comments
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SQL Counter: Part 13 (Avg Wait Time)
SQL Server Locks Object -> Average Wait Time
This counter measures the average amount of time, in milliseconds, that a user is waiting for a lock. Over time it is a good indicator for a general performance problem or if a performance issue is specific to one user. Locks are inevitable but a sometimes a blocking or a deadlock can skew the values. Having said that, less this wait the better it is.
Posted 15 January 2008 01:51 AM by vinodkumar | no comments
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SQL Counter: Part 12 (Buffer Cache hit ratio)
SQL Server Buffer Manager Object -> Buffer Cache Hit Ratio
This counter shows the percentage of pages that are found in SQL Server’s buffer pool without having to incur a read from disk. A well-balanced system will have hit ratio values greater than 80%. The hit ratio ought to be 90% or better for OLTP-type databases.
Posted 14 January 2008 02:28 PM by vinodkumar | no comments
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SQL Counter: Part 11 (Transactions/sec)
SQL Server Database Object -> Transactions/Sec
This counter measures the number of transactions started per second. Transactions are the basis of everything in SQL Server, and most queries are implicit transactions. This measurement is extremely handy for determining if the load has substantially increased over time. This also gives you an indicator to how the workload is on your system.
Posted 13 January 2008 01:13 PM by vinodkumar | no comments
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SQL Counter: Part 10 (Full Scans/sec)
SQL Server Access Methods Object -> Full Scans/Sec
This counter should always be captured. It shows how often a table index is not being used and results in sequential I/O.
This is defined as the number of unrestricted full scans. These can be either base table or full index scans. Missing or incorrect indexes can result in reduced performance because of too high disk access.
Posted 12 January 2008 02:23 PM by vinodkumar | no comments
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Query Processing Enhancements with SQL 2008
Check the BOL documentation on this Partitioning enhancement here.
Posted 12 January 2008 08:03 AM by vinodkumar | no comments
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Do you have the Momentum?

Are you interested in evaluating latest of Microsoft products? I would like to include esp:

  • Windows Server 2008 - AD, Virtualization, Virtualization, IIS 7
  • System Center
  • SQL Server 2008

Feel free to drop me a line and secondly, you must be from India because I will be able to help you then only :) ...

What can you get !!!

  • Opportunity to learn the new technology
  • Access to exclusive forums and product support
  • Have an opportunity to share your experience with the world-wide community

What can your company see as value ?

  • In-depth technical content
  • Managed forums
  • TechNet Subscription
  • PSS support
  • Lastly, help from me :)

BTW, you become a hero to try and get first hand experience of the software before the final release. And personally, you get an opportunity to communicate with the MS folks on a one-on-one conversation and the exposure this gives you is quite unique.

Action Item:

If you or your company are interested to pilot / try the above products. Mail me at [ITPro (at) ExtremeExperts.com]. Dont think, ask your manager and if you are from India - Drop a line NOW !!!

Posted 12 January 2008 05:51 AM by vinodkumar | 5 comment(s)
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