The Guru's Guide to SQL Server Architecture and Internals

Rating:
Summary: In-depth look into the SQL Server core
Review: This book is getting rave reviews, but I'm not as sold on it as everyone else. There are four parts to the book, and the first part, the fundamentals, is over 400 pages of a 1000 page book. Four hundred pages dedicated to teaching programming basics like memory management, file I/O, network I/O, and other basics. These basics are taught outside of SQL server altogether. The author argues that they are required for an understanding of the internals, but I wonder if they could have been moved to the back, or explained in the context of digging into the internals.

In addition there is some repeat coverage with Hendersons other two books. The coverage is still excellent, but one wonders why it needs to be there when people are buying all three books as a set.

For a book on internals there are some chapters that are written still at a very high level. For example the chapter on XML, which while it is a solid chapter, doesn't drill down the way you would expect from a book with this title.

There is some very valuable unique content in this volume. This is why I recommend it. Examples include the sections on the chapter on Data Transformation Services. But then there are some points, like the brief 'Pseudo techie tactics 101' which are funny, but add nothing and just as easily could have been on a website.

Overall, a little unfocused, but still very valuable for those that make a living on SQL Server.

Rating:
Summary: A must have
Review: I have read all three Guru Guide books, and this is the best one yet. The emphasis in this one is on the internal workings of Sql Server. There is still plenty of info you can put directly to practical use, but the theory in this book is that you have to know how something works in order to put it to optimal practical use. If you work with Sql Server for a living, read this book from cover to cover.

Rating:
Summary: Ken hits another grand slam...
Review: If you push SQL Server hard enough, fast enough, and to a large enough scale, you *will* have questions. This book has those answers. I really wish I had it at the start of my project, but then I suppose I wouldn't have been able to appreciate the detail to which this book delves.
It does start out with a good bit of Windows internals before getting to SQL Server internals, but only as needed to provide a solid foundation. Great tips and tools for doing your own SQL Server spelunking are supplied as well.
For large scale fine tuning, this book is a must have.