Introduction to Graphical Execution Plans
One of the black arts of being a DBA is learning how to read and interpret graphical execution plans. In this session, you will learn why execution plans are important, how they are created, hear about the different execution plan formats, discover different ways to produce them, find out about the difference between estimated and actual execution plans, and most importantly, learn the basics of how to read and interpret graphical execution plans. This includes taking a look at ten of the most commonly used execution plan operators, and finding out exactly what they mean. The session assumes you don’t have a lot of experience with execution plans, and want to master the basics of interpreting them.
Brad M. McGehee is the Director of DBA Education for Red Gate Software, and an accomplished Microsoft SQL Server MVP with over 14 years’ SQL Server experience, over 6 years’ training experience, and has been involved in the industry since 1982. Brad is a frequent speaker at SQL PASS, European PASS, SQL Connections, SQLTeach, SQLBits, SQL Saturdays, TechFests, Code Camps, SQL Server user groups, and other industry seminars, where he shares his 14 years’ cumulative knowledge.
Brad was the founder of the popular community site SQL-Server-Performance.Com, and operated it from 2000 through 2006, where he wrote over one million words on SQL Server topics.
A well-respected and trusted name in SQL Server literature, Brad is the author or co-author of more than 14 technical books and over 100 published articles. His most recent books include “How to Become an Exceptional DBA (2nd Edition),” “Brad’s Sure Guide to SQL Server 2008: The Top Ten New Features for DBAs,” and “Mastering SQL Server Profiler.” These books are available free in PDF format at: http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Books/.
We wish to acknowledge Robert Half Technologies for supporting Oregon SQL by generously sponsoring the meeting venue.
