Microsoft has published a white paper called SQL Server 2008 White Paper: Analysis Services Performance Guide that you might find interesting.
It focuses on:
If you are involved in SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services at all, you will want to read this white paper.
Microsoft has just released the SQL Server 2008 Books Online (January 2009) update.
To download the 144 MB file so you can install it locally on your computer, visit: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=765433F7-0983-4D7A-B628-0A98145BCB97&displaylang=en
If you just want to access the online version, visit: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd408738.aspx
Microsoft has launched a new SQL Server 2008 marketing-related website at www.sqlserverenergy.com. It is available in 11 languages, and offers information for IT Professionals, Decision Makers, and Developers. Besides offering written content, it includes many videos, including interviews with people on the SQL Server Product Team. There is also a section listing Microsoft and community events that you may want to attend.
While most experienced DBAs won't get much out of the website, if you are new to SQL Server, you might pick up a few useful tidbits.
I was experimenting with the effects of row and page compression in SQL Server 2008 Enterprise Edition.
First, I identified a row in a production database called so_hdr_tbl that I wanted to compress. Before compressing it, I checked the size of the table, and it had 54,840 rows and took up 32.094 MB of space.
Second, I ran a query against the database (see below) and noted that it took 3,293 logical reads to execute the query.
Third, I compressed the table using row compression. After compression, the table took up only 18.883 MB of space, a 42% reduction in size of the original table.
Fourth, I ran the same query on the row compressed table, and this time it only took 1,804 logical reads to execute the query.
Fifth, I compressed the table using page compression. After compression, the table took up only 9.688 MB of space, a 70% reduction in size of the original table.
Sixth, I ran the same query on the page compressed table, and this time, it only took 937 logical reads to execute the query.
Seventh, I uncompressed the table and returned it to its original size. Then I ran the same query, and it now took the original 3,293 logical reads to execute the query.
The simple example shows the dramatic potential that data compression in SQL Server 2008 has to offer. Of course, the results you get will depend on the data that is being compressed. In my particular case, the data compressed very well and provided improved query performance.
--Page and Row Compression Demo USE Big_Database GO SET STATISTICS IO ON SET STATISTICS TIME ON GO --Run query against table before any compression SELECT so_hdr_tbl.gl_cmp_key, so_hdr_tbl.so_brnch_key, so_hdr_tbl.so_hdr_key, so_hdr_tbl.en_cust_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_bill_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_bill_adkey, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_adkey, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_adtxt, so_hdr_tbl.so_hdr_revno FROM dbo.so_hdr_tbl GO --(54840 row(s) affected) --Table 'so_hdr_tbl'. Scan count 1, logical reads 3293, --physical reads 0, read-ahead reads 0, lob logical reads --0, lob physical reads 0, lob read-ahead reads 0. --SQL Server Execution Times: --CPU time = 78 ms, elapsed time = 1106 ms. --Turn on row compression USE [Big_Database] ALTER TABLE [dbo].[so_hdr_tbl] REBUILD PARTITION = ALL WITH (DATA_COMPRESSION = ROW) GO --Run same query as before SELECT so_hdr_tbl.gl_cmp_key, so_hdr_tbl.so_brnch_key, so_hdr_tbl.so_hdr_key, so_hdr_tbl.en_cust_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_bill_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_bill_adkey, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_adkey, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_adtxt, so_hdr_tbl.so_hdr_revno FROM dbo.so_hdr_tbl GO --(54840 row(s) affected) --Table 'so_hdr_tbl'. Scan count 1, logical reads 1804, --physical reads 0, read-ahead reads 0, lob logical reads --0, lob physical reads 0, lob read-ahead reads 0. --SQL Server Execution Times: --CPU time = 78 ms, elapsed time = 1089 ms. --Turn on page compression USE [Big_Database] ALTER TABLE [dbo].[so_hdr_tbl] REBUILD PARTITION = ALL WITH (DATA_COMPRESSION = PAGE) GO --Run same query as before SELECT so_hdr_tbl.gl_cmp_key, so_hdr_tbl.so_brnch_key, so_hdr_tbl.so_hdr_key, so_hdr_tbl.en_cust_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_bill_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_bill_adkey, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_adkey, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_adtxt, so_hdr_tbl.so_hdr_revno FROM dbo.so_hdr_tbl GO --(54840 row(s) affected) --Table 'so_hdr_tbl'. Scan count 1, logical reads 937, --physical reads 0, read-ahead reads 0, lob logical reads --0, lob physical reads 0, lob read-ahead reads 0. --SQL Server Execution Times: --CPU time = 31 ms, elapsed time = 1117 ms. --Remove Compression From Table USE [Big_Database] ALTER TABLE [dbo].[so_hdr_tbl] REBUILD PARTITION = ALL WITH (DATA_COMPRESSION = NONE) GO --Run query against table now that compression has been turned off SELECT so_hdr_tbl.gl_cmp_key, so_hdr_tbl.so_brnch_key, so_hdr_tbl.so_hdr_key, so_hdr_tbl.en_cust_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_bill_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_bill_adkey, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_key, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_adkey, so_hdr_tbl.ar_ship_adtxt, so_hdr_tbl.so_hdr_revno FROM dbo.so_hdr_tbl GO --(54840 row(s) affected) --Table 'so_hdr_tbl'. Scan count 1, logical reads 3293, --physical reads 0, read-ahead reads 0, lob logical reads --0, lob physical reads 0, lob read-ahead reads 0. --SQL Server Execution Times: --CPU time = 87 ms, elapsed time = 1049 ms.
As I have been talking to DBAs around the country, I have noticed a trend that many, if not most, organizations are waiting to implement SQL Server 2008 to any significant degree. I was wondering what your opinion on this topic is?
If you have time, let me know your thoughts are on the following:
1) Have you put SQL Server 2008 into production yet? If so, what was your reasoning?
2) If you have not put SQL Server 2008 into production yet, why not?
So far, the feedback I have been getting is the following:
Let me know what you think, and why?
