SQL417: Advanced T-SQL Querying, Programming and Tuning for SQL Server 2012 – 2017

This advanced T-SQL course focuses on writing and tuning queries and programming with T-SQL in SQL Server 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 and in Azure SQL Database. In this course you will learn the details and capabilities of T-SQL in the following areas: Logical Query Processing; Query Tuning (Internals and Index Tuning, including Columnstore Indexes, Query Store, New Cardinality Estimator, Temporary Tables, Sets vs. Cursors, Query Tuning with Query Revisions); Subqueries and Table Expressions (Derived Tables, CTEs, Views, Inline Table-Valued Functions), Recursive Queries, APPLY Operator, Joins and Set Operators; Aggregating, Pivoting and Windowing (including Aggregate, Ranking and Offset Window Functions), Custom Aggregates and STRING_AGG; TOP and OFFSET-FETCH; Data Modification; Working with Date and Time (including System-Versioned Temporal Tables); Programmable Objects (Dynamic SQL, User Defined Functions, Stored Procedures, Triggers, Transactions and Concurrency, Exception Handling); In-Memory OLTP.

Along the course you will learn how to use T-SQL to solve practical problems such as: Relational Division, Missing and Existing Ranges (Gaps and Islands), Separating Elements, Pivoting and Unpivoting, Ranking and Offset, Running Totals, Moving Averages, YTD, Custom Aggregations, TOP and OFFSET-FETCH Problems, Paging, Top N Per Group, Median, Data De-Duplication, Handling Sequences, Merging Data, Treatment of Temporal Intervals (Intersection, Max Concurrent, Packing), Dynamic Search Condition (aka Dynamic Filtering), Migrating On-Disk to Memory Optimized Data, and more.

You will learn how to tune your queries, how to develop efficient routines including user defined functions, stored procedures and triggers, work in multi-user environments with transactions and isolation levels, and use dynamic SQL securely and efficiently.

The course provides a dedicated module focusing on query tuning. The module covers internals and index tuning, including coverage of Columnstore data, index access methods, cardinality estimations, query store, temporary tables, set vs. cursors, and query tuning using query revisions. Moreover, query tuning is in the heart of this course and is incorporated in the different modules throughout the course.

With each querying/programming task the discussions will revolve around logical aspects, set-based vs. iterative/procedural programming and optimization of the solutions.
The course workbook also contains a bonus self-study appendix on Graphs and Recursive queries. This appendix covers graphs, trees and hierarchies. It explains how to model and query such structures. It also covers the HIERARCHYID datatype, and the SQL Graph feature.

This course was developed by Itzik Ben-Gan, a mentor and one of the founders of SolidQ, author of award winning books about T-SQL, a columnist in SQL Server Pro magazine, a Microsoft Data Platform MVP since 1999, and a regular speaker in SQL Server related events.