The SQLServerFast Execution Plan Video Training – Block 1, basic level

The best way to fix bad performance of SQL Server queries is to look at their execution plans. The SQLServerFast Execution Plan Video Training helps you read and understand those execution plans. For more information about this video course, click here.

This is the basic level of block 1: Understanding Execution Plans. The seven chapters of this level cover execution plan basics: what is an execution plan, how does it help you, where to find it, and how to read it.

A total of seven chapters, with a total viewing time of 2:26:52 (48:18 demos).
All completely free to watch!

Trailer

View time: 4:57.

A short overview of the contents of each chapter in this level, with fragments from each video.

Chapter 1: What and why?

View time: 9:58.

How do declarative languages such as T-SQL differ from other languages?
What are execution plans and why are they important?

Chapter 2: Requesting an execution plan

View time: 16:00 (3:43 demos).

Three ways to request an execution plan for a query.
How to use them? Which to use in what situation?

Chapter 3: How to read an execution plan

View time: 18:56.

Operators (icons); data flows (arrows).
Left-to-right or right-to-left?
There are no bad operators!

Chapter 4: Properties

View time: 27:11 (13:54 demos).

What are properties in an execution plan, where to find them, why are they relevant?
Examples of a few important properties.

Chapter 5: Where to find execution plans

View time: 32:32 (13:13 demos).

Various ways to find execution plans:
Specific queries: SSMS options; SET statement.
Finding problem plans on a busy server: plan cache, DMVs, Query Store, Extended Events.

Chapter 6: Cardinality in the execution plan

View time: 22:47 (6:08 demos).

Estimated and actual number of rows; estimated and actual executions.
How you can use these properties to find the root cause for some problems.
Several situations where this information is given in confusing and misleading ways.

Chapter 7: Percentages in the execution plan

View time: 19:28 (11:20 demos).

Query cost relative to batch.
Operator cost relative to query.
Actual number of rows relative to estimated number of rows.