Understanding SQL Server Execution Plans

Dr Greg Low

Who am I?
Managing Director and Mentor SolidQ

Australia Host of SQL Down Under Podcast Microsoft Regional Director Microsoft MVP for SQL Server Organizer of SQL Down Under CodeCamp Author with MS Press, SQL Server Magazine and Rational Press

Session Prerequisites
Basic understanding of:
T-SQL Table Design Indexing

Desire to understand reading execution plans

Module Overview
Core Execution Plan Concepts

Common Execution Plan Elements

Query, Table and Join Hints

Why Query Plans Matter

Common Questions:
Why does my query take so long? Why does this query take so much longer than a very

similar query? Why is SQL Server ignoring this perfectly fine index Ive built?

Execution Plans can help:

Best use is in verifying expected plans

Query Execution
SQL Server parses T-SQL Resolves object references Query Optimizer finds a sufficiently good plan
Plan calculation not required for DDL

Storage Engine executes the plan

Instance details stored in an execution context

Plan is stored in a Plan Cache

Execution Plans
Optimizer is cost-based
Biggest impact CPU and I/O

Finding the best plan might take too long Might decide on a trivial plan
SELECT * FROM SomeTable;

Index usage is a key decision

Statistics based decisions

Actual vs Estimated Plans

Query Optimizer creates an estimated plan Actual plan used may differ
Out of date statistics Parallelism Incorrect estimated plan

Re-executing Queries
Plan re-use is generally desirable
Parameter sniffing an exception

Plans can become unusable

Correctness (SET options, schema changes, etc.) Optimality (data modifications)

Options available to force compilation behavior Plans are evicted based upon a cost algorithm

Execution Plan Formats

Text-based plans
Now deprecated

Graphical Plans XML-based plans

Capturing Execution Plans

SQL Server Profiler
Can capture query execution details Options for all query plan types Can include XML column with query plan Performance events> Showplan XML event

SQL Server Management Studio Data Collector

SQL Server 2008 Management Data Warehouse

DMVs

Viewing Execution Plans SSMS

SQL Server Management Studio
Show estimated execution plan Include actual execution plan in results Compare plans between queries Save/view plans in .sqlplan format

Specifically request plans in code

SET SHOWPLAN_XML ON;

Viewing Execution Plans - DMVs

Dynamic Management Views (and Dynamic

Management Functions)
Show current server state Not persisted internally

Many useful views/functions related to execution:

sys.dm_exec_connections sys.dm_exec_sessions sys.dm_exec_requests sys.dm_exec_sql_text() sys.dm_exec_query_plan() sys.dm_exec_cached_plans sys.dm_exec_cached_plan_dependent_objects()

View Cached Plans

SELECT cp.objtype AS PlanType, OBJECT_NAME(st.objectid,st.dbid) AS ObjectName,

cp.refcounts AS ReferenceCounts,
cp.usecounts AS UseCounts, st.text AS SQLBatch, qp.query_plan AS QueryPlan

FROM sys.dm_exec_cached_plans AS cp
CROSS APPLY sys.dm_exec_query_plan(cp.plan_handle) AS qp CROSS APPLY sys.dm_exec_sql_text(cp.plan_handle) AS st;

demonstration
Core Execution Plan Concepts

Module Overview
Core Execution Plan Concepts

Common Execution Plan Elements

Query, Table and Join Hints

SELECT Queries Basic Operations

demonstration
Basic Operations

SELECT Queries - Lookups

demonstration
Lookups

Join Operations

demonstration
Join Operations

Aggregation

demonstration
Aggregation

Data Modification

demonstration
Data Modification

Views

demonstration
Views

Module Overview
Core Execution Plan Concepts

Common Execution Plan Elements

Query, Table and Join Hints

Query Hints Common Operations

HASH | ORDER GROUP MERGE | HASH | CONCAT UNION FAST n FORCE ORDER EXPAND VIEWS | NOEXPAND

MAXRECURSION

Query Hints - Compilation

MAXDOP OPTIMIZE FOR RECOMPILE PARAMETERIZATION SIMPLE | FORCED ROBUST PLAN

KEEP PLAN
KEEPFIXED PLAN USE PLAN

JOIN Hints
LOOP JOIN MERGE JOIN HASH JOIN

Table Hints
NOEXPAND INDEX(n) INDEX(name) FASTFIRSTROW

demonstration
Join Hints

Session Summary
Excellent tooling available with SQL Server Clear visibility into query execution Hints to use (sparingly) to control behavior

Upcoming Training
Melbourne
Advanced T-SQL 6th July (5 days)

SQL Server Bootcamp for SharePoint Admins 1st July (3 days)

Solving Business Problems with MDX 23rd September (3 days) Designing and Developing Solutions with Analysis Services

14th July (4 days) Working with SQL Server 2008 Integration Services 3rd August (2 days) Working with SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services 21st August (2 days)

Rushabh Mehta coming to visit

End to End Business Intelligence 5th October (5 days) PASS Executive Vice President Also heading to the SQL Code Camp

Places to be!
PASS Community Connection
www.sqldownunder.com (SDU Code Camp tab)

October 10th and 11th Wagga Wagga

PASS U.S. Summit

www.sqlpass.org November 2th to 5th Seattle

Thanks!
greg@greglow.com www.sqldownunder.com http://sqlblog.com/blogs/greg_low www.solidq.com.au