Tools to Help Optimize a Query

The following tools can be used to help optimize a query:

  • Index Tuning Wizard

  • SQL Server Profiler

  • Showplan

  • Statistics I/O

  • Stats Time tool

Index Tuning Wizard

The Index Tuning Wizard analyzes a query and makes index recommendations. (See Chapter 18, “Understanding Indexes,” for more information.) It's like having a DBA on your staff who never sleeps and never asks for a raise!

New and experienced DBAs should look at the Index Tuning Wizard. Overall, the Index Tuning Wizard does a good job of recommending indexes. However, the wizard should be used as a starting point for query optimization and not as the ending point. The wizard is not always 100% correct. For example, it will occasionally make a mistake by not recommending ...

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