Search
SQL Server Expert Blogs
Excellent intro to reading execution plans
Grant wrote an excellent introductory article on execution plan basics and has a more detailed ebook for sale on lulu.com. http://www.simple-talk.com/sql/performance/execution-plan-basics. Code listing link.
One of the tips I thought was useful: You can save the execution plan without opening it by right-clicking within the results and selecting "Save As." You then have to change the filter to "*.*" and when you type the name of the file you want to save add the extension ".sqlplan." This is how the Books Online recommends saving an XML execution plan. In fact, what you get when you save it this way is actually a graphical execution plan file.
Another related article he wrote: http://www.sql-server-performance.com/articles/per/Breaking_Down_Complex_Execution_Plans_p1.aspx
