2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved. 2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.

What's new in SQL Server 2012

2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Agenda
Contained Database
FileTables
Sequence Objects
Columnstore Indexes
AlwaysOn SQL Server Failover Cluster Instance
Dynamic Management Views
2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Contained Database
A contained database includes all database settings and
metadata required to define the database and has no
configuration dependencies on the instance of the SQL
Server Database Engine where the database is installed

Moving databases from one instance of the SQL Server
Database Engine to another instance of the Database
Engine is simplified by introducing contained databases.

Users in a contained database are no longer associated
with logins on the instance of SQL Server.


2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
FileStream Storage
Storing large binary objects in databases is suboptimal
Large objects take buffers in database memory
Updating large objects cause database fragmentation
In file system however, "update" is delete and insert
"Before image" in an update is not deleted immediately
Storing all related data in a database adds
Transactional consistency
Integrated, point-in-time backup and restore
Single storage and query vehicle


2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
FileStream Implementation
A filegroup for filestream storage is declared using DDL
Filestream storage is tied to a database
The filegroup is mapped to a directory
Must be NTFS file system
Caution: Files deleteable from file system if you have appropriate
permissions
VARBINARY(MAX) columns can be defined with
FILESTREAM attribute
Table must also have UNIQUEIDENTIFIER column
Filestream storage not available for other large types
Data is stored in the file system

2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
FileTables in SQL Server Denali
The FileTable feature builds on top of the SQL Server
FILESTREAM technology.

The FileTable feature bring support for the Windows file
namespace and compatibility with Windows applications to
the file data stored in SQL Server.

We Can easily store files and documents in special tables in
SQL Server, but access them from Windows applications as if
they were stored in the file system, without making any
changes to the Windows applications
2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Sequence Objects
A sequence object is a user-defined schema-bound object that
generates a sequence of numeric values according to the
specification.

The sequence of numeric values is generated in an ascending or
descending order at a defined interval and may cycle (repeat) as
requested.

It operates similar to an identity column, but sequence numbers are
not restricted to use in a single table.

A sequence is created independently of the tables by using the
CREATE SEQUENCE statement



2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Sequence Objects
Use sequences instead of identity columns in the following
scenarios:
The application requires a number before the insert into the table
is made.
The application requires sharing a single series of numbers
between multiple tables or multiple columns within a table.
The application must restart the number series when a specified
number is reached. For example, after assigning values 1 through
10, the application starts assigning values 1 through 10 again.
You need to change the specification of the sequence, such as
the increment value.
2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Columnstore Indexes
The Microsoft SQL Server 2012 introduces a new data warehouse
query acceleration feature based on a new type of index called the
columnstore.

Columnstore indexes can transform the data warehousing
experience for users by enabling faster performance for
common data warehousing queries such as filtering,
aggregating, grouping, and star-join queries.


2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
AlwaysOn feature in SQL Server 2012

AlwaysOn Failover Cluster Instance provides instance level
failover
Multi-subnet failover clusters
Flexible failover policy for cluster health detection

SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Group
Deploying AlwaysOn Availability Groups involves creating
and configuring one or more availability groups.
An availability group is a container that defines a set user
databases (availability databases) to fail over as a single
unit, and a set of availability replicas to host copies of each
availability database
2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Dynamic Management Views
sys.dm_exec_query_stats - Added four columns to help
troubleshoot long running queries. You can use the
total_rows, min_rows, max_rows and last_rows aggregate
row count columns to separate queries that are returning a
large number of rows from problematic queries that may be
missing an index or have a bad query plan.

sys.dm_os_volume_stats - This dynamic management
functions returns information about the operating system
volume (directory) on which the specified databases and
files are stored. Use this dynamic management function to
check the attributes of the physical disk drive or return
available free space information about the directory.




2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Dynamic Management Views
sys.dm_os_windows_info - This dynamic management
view returns one row that displays Windows operating
system version information such as the OS version or
language ID.

sys.dm_server_memory_dumps,
sys.dm_server_services, sys.dm_server_registry -
These dynamic management views return property
information associated with the SQL Server, Full-text,
and SQL Server Agent services that are installed on the
host server

2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Review
Contained Database
FileTables
Sequence Objects
Columnstore Indexes
AlwaysOn feature in SQL Server 2012
Indirect Checkpoints
Dynamic Management Views
2010 Scalability Experts. All Rights Reserved.
Q & A
14