New SelectVIews Show
The new show is live on the site today – it includes information about SQL Server industry happenings, SharePoint happenings, the SQL Server tip of the day and upcoming IT Pro events. You’ll also find out about some new SSWUG.ORG features, an announcement about SharePoint, site discussions and much more.
[Watch the Show]
SQL Server 2008 Indexes – Internals and Best Practices
Kalen Delaney will be presenting our next virtual workshop, all about SQL Server Indexes. You’ll learn about key design considerations as you determine where, and what types of indexes will best support your queries. You’ll also learn the value of unique indexes and included columns. You’ll find out about composite indexes, and how to determine the best indexes for your queries involving ANDs, ORs and JOINs. Last but not least, we’ll discuss best practices that you can put to use immediately as you review and update your designs to support the queries on your system.
Indexes can be the key to performance on your system. Kalen is one of the foremost authorities on SQL Server internals – and an expert on how indexes work and are applied. You won’t want to miss this incredible workshop opportunity! You can even get a certificate after completing the workshop and passing the quiz! Kalen will be available during the workshop to answer questions live in the chat room and make sure you get all you can from the workshop. It’s an incredible opportunity and we hope to see you there!
When: Feb 12, 2010 at 9:00a Pacific
[Get More Information] or [Register Now]
Key Questions for Your Systems?
Do you have a favorite set of questions that you ask as you bring up new systems or even just answer requests for new reports, new databases or new systems overall? In a previous life, I worked at a local medical center and we had a justification process that people used when they requested new computer systems (this was at a time when the hospital was doing early, initial computer deployments to the departments). When we started the justification process, it was with the intent to get departments to stop and think about their requests and how the new computer would be used and, of course, how it would pay off for the department.
We came up with standard questions that were typically part of the justification process. It seems to me that, as a community, we might be able to author some standard questions that get the juices flowing when considering a database system (sure, any software for that matter, but we’re database/SharePoint folks here). What would be on your short list? Here are a few that I often end up coming back to –
1. What is the OUTPUT you want/need from the system? What is the report, application or information you’ll be looking to pull out of the system?
2. Is there an automation process you’re trying to accomplish? If so, what is it, what does it do?
3. Who are the stakeholders in the project and what do they expect to get out of it?
4. What is "success" for the project? What benefit is foremost in the project? What is failure?
5. Do other projects touch this project? If so, are there interchange expectations? What is a successful joining of the projects? What does it look like?
It seems so often that the questions don’t revolve around the one thing that so many people go to initially – the data design. For me at least, it seems like projects have a better chance of success when you start with the end in mind – the output – to paraphrase a famous saying. Start there, then work your way back to make sure your systems will support the end-goals.
What questions do you find yourself starting with? Do you start with the output, rather than the inputs? When would that NOT be the case? When IS it the case?