1. Beginner Table Partitioning
Robert Smith

2. Sources:
Partitioned Table and Index Strategies Using SQL Server 2008***
Partitioned Tables and Indexes (SQL 2012)

3. Table Partitioning What is this all about? How do I set it up?
How do I use it?

4. What is this all about? (benefits)
Transferring large subsets of data quickly
Maintenance in parallel
Improve query performance

5. How do I set it up (What do I need to know?)
What are the pieces I need?
Partition function
Partition scheme
Partition key column
What are aligned indexes and should I use them?
Aligned indexes are built on the same partitioning scheme as the table they belong to

6. How do I set it up (partition functions)
Left vs. Right
-∞ ∞
Left
Right
CREATE PARTITION FUNCTION [pf_MonthlyByDate](datetime) AS RANGE RIGHT FOR VALUES ( N' ', N' ', N' ', N' ' )

7. How do I set it up (partition scheme)
CREATE PARTITION SCHEME ps_MonthlyByDate AS PARTITION pf_MonthlyByDate ALL TO ([PRIMARY]) vs. CREATE PARTITION SCHEME ps_MonthlyByDate AS PARTITION pf_MonthlyByDate TO ([PRIMARY],[PRIMARY],[PRIMARY],n...) or CREATE PARTITION SCHEME ps_MonthlyByDate AS PARTITION pf_MonthlyByDate TO ([FG1],[FG2],[FG3],n...)

8. How do I set it up (apply to a table)
Create a table on the partition scheme that uses a partition function
When should I use the Partitioning Wizard vs. hand coding it?

9. How do I use it (merge and spilt the function)
SWITCH data in and out
SPLIT RANGE
ALTER PARTITION SCHEME [ps_MonthlyByDate] NEXT USED [PRIMARY]; ALTER PARTITION FUNCTION [pf_MonthlyByDate]() SPLIT RANGE (' ');
MERGE RANGE
ALTER PARTITION FUNCTION [pf_MonthlyByDate]() MERGE RANGE (' ');

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4/2/2016