colin Leversuch-Roberts (1/1/2008)
I like the fact you show it's a code issue not a sql issue. I'm constantly asked to index queries to improve them when the reality is that often the underlying code is at fault - I do find less programmers/developers seem to get sent on T-SQL training these days.
Absolutely spot-on, Colin... that's one of the things I'm hoping that folks take away with them after they study the article a bit... doesn't matter what the hardware is and doesn't matter how many indexes you add to a table (well, for Inserts, Updates, and Deletes it might 😉 ), poorly written code cannot be saved by table/index "Tuning Tricks"... the code has to be right. It's like painting a rusty car... it may (or may not) look good for a day or two, but unless you take care of the underlying metal, the paint's got no place to stick. 😛
On the training thing... Not only do I agree with you on the lack of opportunity to be trained, but a good lot of the training doesn't teach folks how to write code with performance in mind. For example, when's the last time you saw some SQL Server training that included something like a Tally table or what a "Triangular Join" actually is? They just don't teach the good stuff in the schools that are supposed to... maybe a seminar here and there but not in most of the "schools".
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.