Make Slow Queries Fast

Execute Queries That Run in Milliseconds

Gregory Whitlock

• Publisher: Chiify
• Year: 2026
• Topic: Computer Science
• eBook ISBN:
  9798259603868
• Subtopic: Databases
• Index: Computer Science

SQL Server performance tuning and optimize slow queries. Are you tired of waiting for SQL Server queries to finish? Do you need to optimize SQL Server performance and tune slow queries for real-world workloads? This hands-on guide by Gregory Whitlock shows you exactly how to make slow queries fast, covering execution plans, indexing strategy, statistics, and query rewrites that cut runtimes dramatically. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, you'll learn practical techniques to speed up your database immediately. Unlike Practical SQL, 2nd Edition by Anthony DeBarros or SQL QuickStart Guide by ClydeBank Technology, this book focuses exclusively on SQL Server and real workload tuning. You'll dive deep into execution plan analysis, learn to choose the right indexes, and master statistics updates that transform query performance. Each chapter includes real-world examples and before/after scenarios that show you exactly how to reduce runtime by 50% or more. Inside, you'll discover: How to read and interpret SQL Server execution plans to find bottlenecks Indexing strategies that work for OLTP and data warehouse workloads When and how to update statistics for optimal query plans Query rewrites that eliminate unnecessary joins, subqueries, and scans Techniques to avoid common pitfalls like parameter sniffing and missing indexes This is not a theoretical book. It's a practical, hands-on guide for developers, DBAs, and data analysts who need immediate results. You'll learn to identify the root cause of slow queries, apply targeted fixes, and measure the improvement. By the end, you'll have a repeatable process for tuning any SQL Server query. If you're ready to stop waiting and start optimizing, this book is your roadmap. Make Slow Queries Fast is the only guide you need to turn sluggish databases into high-performance engines.

Table of contents

• Make Slow Queries Fast
• Make Slow Queries Fast
• Preface
• Chapter 1 — The Performance Mindset: Why Databases Slow Down
• Chapter 2 — Measuring What Matters: Baselines and Wait Statistics
• Chapter 3 — Execution Plans: Your Query’s X-Ray
• Chapter 4 — Indexing Strategy: From Missing to Covering
• Chapter 5 — Statistics: The Optimizer’s Compass
• Chapter 6 — Query Rewriting: Sargability and Set-Based Thinking
• Chapter 7 — Join and Subquery Optimization
• Chapter 8 — Caching and the Buffer Pool
• Chapter 9 — Locking, Blocking, and Concurrency
• Chapter 10 — Parallelism: Friend or Foe?
• Chapter 11 — Parameter Sniffing and Plan Caching
• Chapter 12 — TempDB Performance
• Chapter 13 — Hints and Trace Flags: When and How to Use Them
• Chapter 14 — Monitoring and Proactive Tuning
• Chapter 15 — Index and Statistics Maintenance Automation
• Chapter 16 — Advanced Topics: In-Memory OLTP and Columnstore
• Chapter 17 — Performance Testing and Regression Prevention
• Chapter 18 — The ShopFast Turnaround: Final Performance Summary
• About the Author