Internals

Here’s a list of tried and true references related to Internals.  This list is by no means comprehensive, I’m sure I missed some good stuff.  If you find an article you think I should add, send me an email!

Databases

Database Basics (MSDN)

Geek City: The Resource Database – Kalen Delany

The Hidden Database in SQL Server 2005 and 2008 (TechNet blogs)

 

Files and Filegroups

Understanding Files and Filegroups (MSDN)

File and Filegroups Architecture (MSDN)

My database is X GB, how big should my log be? (MSDN blog)

Transaction Log VLFs – too many or too few? – Kimberly Tripp

8 Steps to better Transaction Log throughput – Kimberly Tripp

 

Pages, Extents and Records

Understanding Pages and Extents (MSDN)

Inside the Storage Engine: Anatomy of a page – Paul Randal

Under the covers: GAM, SGAM, and PFS pages – MSDN Blogs, Paul Randal

Inside the Storage Engine: Anatomy of an extent – Paul Randal

Specifying Initialization Parameters (Oracle Database Administrator’s Guide)

Inside the Storage Engine: Anatomy of a record – Paul Randal

 

Schemas

User-Schema Separation (MSDN)

SQL Server Best Practices: User-Defined Schemas – Buck Woody

 

Tables and Indexes

Clustered Index Structures (MSDN)

Heap Structures (MSDN)

Special Table Types (MSDN)

Nonclustered Index Structures (MSDN)

Indexes: just because you can, doesn’t mean you should! – Kimberly Tripp

 

Performance

Performance Considerations of Data Types – Michelle Ufford

Clustered Index Design Guidelines (MSDN)

SQL Server Best Practices Article (MSDN)

Indexes in SQL Server 2005/2008 – Best Practices, Part 1 – Kimberly Tripp

Indexes in SQL Server 2005/2008 – Best Practices, Part 2 – Internals – Kimberly Tripp

The Clustered Index Debate Continues… – Kimberly Tripp

GUIDs as PRIMARY KEYs and/or the clustering key – Kimberly Tripp

Disk space is cheap… – Kimberly Tripp

How much does that key cost (plus sp_helpindex9) – Kimberly Tripp

More considerations for the clustering key – the clustered index debate continues! – Kimberly Tripp

 

DBCC Page

How to use DBCC Page – MSDN Blogs, Paul Randal

 

The Kitchen Sink

Maximum Capacity Specifications for SQL Server (MSDN)

Reserved Keywords (MSDN)