1. Partitioned Tables and Query Performance

2. The Obligatory Bio Page
Jay Robinson
Senior Systems Engineer, Salesforce Marketing Cloud (formerly ExactTarget)
PASS Program Manager
Blog: downshiftdata.arksoftware.net

3. Come to Indianapolis! Pre-Cons
Jonathan Stewart -  In-depth Guide to Visualization
Ben Miller - Powershell Modules to make SQL Server easy
Shannon Lowder - BIML Bootcamp

4. Concepts Common Use Cases Optimizer Issues and Query Tactics
Summary
Concepts Common Use Cases Optimizer Issues and Query Tactics

5. Concepts Partition Function Assuming integer VALUES of 10, 20, 30...
CREATE PARTITION FUNCTION {pf_name} ({param1}) AS RANGE LEFT|RIGHT FOR VALUES ({val1}, {val2}, ... {valN});
sys.partition_functions, sys.partition_parameters, and sys.partition_range_values
Assuming integer VALUES of 10, 20, 30...
RANGE LEFT: <= 10, 11 to 20, 21 to 30, > 30
RANGE RIGHT: < 10, 10 to 19, 20 to 29, >= 30

6. Concepts Partition Scheme
CREATE PARTITION SCHEME {ps_name} AS PARTITION {pf_name} TO ({fg1}, {fg2}, ... {fgN});
sys.data_spaces and sys.partition_schemes
Number of filegroups must match number of values + 1

7. Concepts Partitioned Tables and Indexes
CREATE TABLE {t_name} ({column_defs})
ON {ps_name}({col_name});
sys.partitions and sys.dm_db_partition_stats

8. Concepts Aligned v Non-Aligned Indexes Partition Elimination
Whether or not the index’s partitioning matches the table partitioning
Partition Elimination
The optimizer’s act of limiting query processing to only relevant partitions

9. Use Cases for Partitioned Tables
Data Deprecation
ALTER TABLE ... SWITCH followed by TRUNCATE TABLE
SQL Server 2016: WITH PARTITIONS
ETL Operations (e.g. OLTP to OLAP)
Migration Tasks (e.g. adding compression)
Improved Write Performance (striping)

10. If you know the partition, use the partition function
DEMO
Scenario 1
Partitioning By Date
If you know the partition, use the partition function

11. Don’t rely on the partition function
DEMO
Scenario 2
Using a Persisted
Computed Column
Don’t rely on the partition function

12. For discrete values, lead with the partitioned column
DEMO
Scenario 3
Leading with the
Computed Column
For discrete values, lead with the partitioned column

13. Introducing Non-Clustered Indexes
DEMO
Scenario 4
Introducing Non-Clustered Indexes
The optimizer isn’t always right

14. Spanning Multiple Partitions
DEMO
Scenario 5
Spanning Multiple Partitions
Treat each partition independently

15. Microsoft Connect Issue #240968

16. Where do we go from here? MSDN (duh!) Video: @Kendra_Little
@BrentO
sqlcommunity.slack.com
And, as always, #sqlhelp

17. Thank You!
"When I look fast, I'm not smooth and I am going slowly. And when I look slow, I am smooth and going fast." - Alain Prost
Jay Robinson
Blog: downshiftdata.arksoftware.net