Skip to Content

Blog Team Contact

Blog

How to Make SQL Queries Run Faster: Contest

by Brent Ozar May 14, 2012
57 comments

Whether you’re a developer or a DBA, you’re probably frustrated with query performance.  Why is the app running slow?  Why does query performance vary so much?  Why can’t your queries run consistently fast?

You’ll learn the tricks of performance tuning in this three-hour session as Brent covers:

  • How to find the worst queries on the server in 60 seconds
  • What statistics are and how to tell if they’re causing problems
  • How to think like the engine and build your own execution plan
  • Why filters are cheap and sorts are expensive
  • When you should throw indexes at the problem, and exactly when to stop
  • Why temp tables might be the fastest way to fix many problems
  • How to identify parameter sniffing problems and fix ‘em for good

This session is for developers and DBAs with 1-4 years of experience who are comfortable writing queries and adding indexes, but aren’t happy with the results they’re getting.

Want to Watch the Whole Thing?

Here’s your options:

  • Join me in a live webcast for $249
  • Buy the video right now for $149
  • Leave a comment below.  I’ll draw two random winners tomorrow (Tuesday 5/15) at 11am Eastern, announce their names on our Tuesday webcast, and give them free access to both the webcast and the video.  One entry per person – US residency not required.  Update – the contest is closed.  We felt generous and gave away four complete packages to Andrew, Dustin Laine, Randy Jaye, and Yu Chen.  Congrats, and if you didn’t win – hey, you can always buy in. ;-)
↑ Back to top
57 comments Leave a comment

  1. Garry Bargsley May 14, 2012 | 7:48 am

    I would love to win this video. This is exactly what I am working on in my training efforts right now.

  2. Kevin Ray May 14, 2012 | 8:02 am

    Found this site by chance, turned out to be a great resource. Would be great to have the opportunity to benefit from this webcast/video.

  3. Darryl Jenkins May 14, 2012 | 8:42 am

    Sounds bawse..im in for the webcast and the video

  4. Szymon Wojcik May 14, 2012 | 8:47 am

    I’d love to see the video, it’s always good to refresh knowledge. Plus Brent makes a great presenter.

  5. Jacques Mostert May 14, 2012 | 8:47 am

    Think this might be exactly what I need to make the evil sharepoint go faster…..

  6. Maximilian Babescu May 14, 2012 | 9:09 am

    Everyone should view this.

  7. James O'Doherty May 14, 2012 | 9:16 am

    I would really like to see this video.

  8. Shawn Johnson May 14, 2012 | 9:44 am

    I’d love to see the whole thing…I’m in.

  9. David Wimbush May 14, 2012 | 9:51 am

    Fingers crossed!

  10. Michael Robson May 14, 2012 | 9:57 am

    Ok I’ll be honest, i can’t think of anything good to write right now but I’d like to see the session, hope whoever gets it enjoys the session!

  11. Brandon Williams May 14, 2012 | 10:41 am

    I’m poor and my queries are slow. Let me watch fo free.

  12. Dave Finley May 14, 2012 | 11:19 am

    I’d enjoy watching the session as well, always eager to learn some new SQL performance-enhancing tips.

  13. Jen May 14, 2012 | 11:24 am

    I am fascinated. Love the site. Would love to see the rest of this video. Thanks!

  14. Glenn Thompson (SQLGlenn) May 14, 2012 | 11:29 am

    Enjoy watching Brent present, he is a great instructor and I always learn lots from him.

  15. Jeff T May 14, 2012 | 11:33 am

    Only 12 comments so far? I like my odds!

  16. Nadir Doctor May 14, 2012 | 11:43 am

    Brent: Your topic is extremely interesting and I’d be delighted in attending this session.

    Thanks much for arranging to raffle some folks – greatly appreciated.

  17. Neeraj J May 14, 2012 | 11:55 am

    In hope to get to see rest of the video.

  18. Yu May 14, 2012 | 12:10 pm

    Random Lottery FTW?

  19. Anup Warrier May 14, 2012 | 12:23 pm

    I have watched all of your webcasts and loved them all.There is a definite takeaway for me when ever I attend your webcasts.You been awesome,and I hope I would get a chance to view this one.

    Thanks for all your efforts for the community.

  20. Lisa Bohm May 14, 2012 | 12:26 pm

    I love the Tuesday Triage webcasts; all of you are great in how you give back to the community (and have certainly inspired me to record my trials to hopefully lend the helping hand to someone in the future.) I’d really enjoy a chance to watch this webcast… thanks!

  21. John McCaffrey May 14, 2012 | 1:04 pm

    Would really like to see some material that goes beyond the average blog post suggestions, particularly going beyond indexes and join query tuning. How do you find the problems, create repeatable tests that I can use to demonstrate improvements relative to server tuning params, and adding more data to a table.

  22. Dattatrey Sindol (Datta) May 14, 2012 | 1:11 pm

    Clear and easy to understand. You made a complex topic look so simple.
    Good one!!

  23. Levi Syck May 14, 2012 | 1:21 pm

    Given your response to John McCaffrey above, I’d love to see this.

  24. Oleg B May 14, 2012 | 4:37 pm

    I’d love to see the tricks.

  25. Aoife Carey May 14, 2012 | 5:53 pm

    Please pick me.Really enjoyed the first 11mins 47 secs:)I want to see the rest now. Also want the answer to that query. Would like to see the section on joins.

  27. Jonathan Cox May 14, 2012 | 6:12 pm

    Great stuff Brent – informative as always!

  28. Julie O'Brien May 14, 2012 | 7:57 pm

    I’d love to be able to watch the entire video.

  29. Randy Jaye May 14, 2012 | 9:04 pm

    Randomly pick me !!

  30. Jeffry Altamar Thaliens May 14, 2012 | 9:37 pm

    This is the kind of video , Dba and developers and waiting for but related to the query SQL is trying to say that he need a non clustered index on the lastaccessdate column in order to generate better result and also include all the columns from the *,when he’s trying to execute the query he will covert all the column I’d like to watch what is the end of the video to correct myself or if I got to the point from the example, pick me I wanna be the winner for this video thank u all Brent

  31. Jesse Reich May 14, 2012 | 10:43 pm

    I am for win!

  32. Russell Hart May 15, 2012 | 1:50 am

    Great video as always brent. I’d like to hear more on statistics.

  33. Karol May 15, 2012 | 4:25 am

    Pick me, pick me!

  34. Zahid Hanif May 15, 2012 | 7:30 am

    I would like to watch the video

  35. Tom Pester May 15, 2012 | 7:51 am

    no, Pick me. Please!

  36. bharat May 15, 2012 | 7:56 am

    can’t wait to learn how to fix parameter sniffing once for all.

  37. Tibor Tompa May 15, 2012 | 8:03 am

    I’m feeling lucky :)

  38. Tim May 15, 2012 | 8:05 am

    Would love to join.

  39. André Cardoso May 15, 2012 | 8:22 am

    All great topics. Would love to expand my knowledge deeper with the video.

  40. Jane in London May 15, 2012 | 8:24 am

    I’m in. Tempted to actually spend my own cash on this one….

  41. Andrew May 15, 2012 | 8:25 am

    Would love to learn more on tuning my queries. I’m in the odd position of being the only DBA at my company with no senior people to show me the “right” way of doing things. Only had 1 class in college + self taught on the job. Gets very frustrating at times.

  42. kirit May 15, 2012 | 8:47 am

    Would love to join

  43. Allen McGuire May 15, 2012 | 9:07 am

    Would love to listen in Brent – although many of us have our methods, I love seeing how others go about the business of tuning.

  44. Chris Hoffman May 15, 2012 | 9:20 am

    Always great stuff. Hopefully me!

  45. Dustin Laine May 15, 2012 | 9:41 am

    Sounds interesting, hoping for the win.

  46. James Burnell May 15, 2012 | 9:48 am

    I’m interested; please enter my name!

  47. Matthew Strickland May 15, 2012 | 9:51 am

    Very cool of you Brent :)

  49. Justin Stanley May 15, 2012 | 9:52 am

    You know how it sucks when someone swoops in at the last second and steals your ebay auction? Here’s hoping I’m That Guy in this drawing.

  50. Shahryar G. Hashemi May 15, 2012 | 9:52 am

    The video is on. It’s on like Donkey Kong. :)

    Great stuff as always.

  51. Doug Purnell May 15, 2012 | 9:54 am

    Would love to get some more training, please add me to the list!

  52. Doug Lane May 15, 2012 | 9:54 am

    Sounds like a great session!

  53. Gavin May 15, 2012 | 9:54 am

    Got to be in it to win it…

  54. Wes Brown May 15, 2012 | 9:56 am

    I’d love to check it out!

  55. Chris May 15, 2012 | 9:59 am

    Would love a free video from some of the best in the business!

    Chris