Foreword

Preface

1. Introduction
Why Tune SQL?
Who Should Tune SQL?
How This Book Can Help
A Bonus
Outside-the-Box Solutions

2. Data-Access Basics
Caching in the Database
Tables
Indexes
Uncommon Database Objects
Single-Table Access Paths
Calculating Selectivity
Joins

3. Viewing and Interpreting Execution Plans
Reading Oracle Execution Plans
Reading DB2 Execution Plans
Reading SQL Server Execution Plans

4. Controlling Execution Plans
Universal Techniques for Controlling Plans
Controlling Plans on Oracle
Controlling Plans on DB2
Controlling Plans on SQL Server

5. Diagramming Simple SQL Queries
Why a New Method?
Full Query Diagrams
Interpreting Query Diagrams
Simplified Query Diagrams
Exercises

6. Deducing the Best Execution Plan
Robust Execution Plans
Standard Heuristic Join Order
Simple Examples
A Special Case
A Complex Example
Special Rules for Special Cases
Exercise

7. Diagramming and Tuning Complex SQL Queries
Abnormal Join Diagrams
Queries with Subqueries
Queries with Views
Queries with Set Operations
Exercise

8. Why the Diagramming Method Works
The Case for Nested Loops
Choosing the Driving Table
Choosing the Next Table to Join
Summary

9. Special Cases
Outer Joins
Merged Join and Filter Indexes
Missing Indexes
Unfiltered Joins
Unsolvable Problems

10. Outside-the-Box Solutions to Seemingly Unsolvable Problems
When Very Fast Is Not Fast Enough
Queries that Return Data from Too Many Rows
Tuned Queries that Return Few Rows, Slowly

A. Exercise Solutions

B. The Full Process, End to End

Glossary

Index