Index covering

Index Metadata and Statistics Update Date for SQL Server

Statistics update date is stored as metadata on the SQL instance, but after a great deal of research against the system tables and DMVs I realized that this information is not readily exposed to the DBA via any other method than the STATS_DATE() function or the SQL Server Management Studio graphical user interface (GUI).

The Ultimate Missing Index Finder

Reports stats on what the query optimizer records in the DMVs as missing indexes and what it says the cost savings will be if they were present. Can limit by table / schema name patterns.

The Ultimate Prospective-Index Column(s) Selectivity Analyzer

Gets single-column and cumulative-column selectivity stats and @Top largest dupe sets for each cumulative column stepping for a set of one or more columns for a table.

The Ultimate Duplicate Index Finder

Searches database-wide for multiple indexes in the same table which has the same column as the first seek key. Optionally limits to LIKE wildcard patterns of table and schema names.

The Ultimate Index Usage Reporter

Reports index stats, index size+rows, member seek + include columns as two comma separated output columns, and index usage stats for one or more tables and/or schemas.

The Ultimate Index Lister (Non-Pivoted)

Lists details for all indexes on one or more tables / schemas, including row count and size. The non-pivot version also gives data type and other details for the columns.

The Ultimate Index Lister (Pivoted)

Lists details for all indexes on one or more tables / schemas, including row count and size. This version outputs the member seek + include columns as two comma separated output columns.

Rebuilding Stats: Twice or Not At All

Are you rebuilding statistics twice on your tables? Longtime expert, Andy Warren, shows why you might be asking more work of your SQL Server than is required.

Disabling Indexes

Expert SQL Server trainer Andy Warren brings us a new article on a lesser used feature in SQL server 2005: the ability to disable an index.