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Table Partitioning in SQL Server – Step by Step

Partitioning in SQL Server task is divided into four steps:

Create a File Group
Add Files to File Group
Create a Partition Function with Ranges
Create a Partition Schema with File Groups

Creating a sample database to perform Table Partitioning in SQL Server:

CREATE DATABASE AutoPartition

Adding File Groups to the database:

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_01_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_02_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_03_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_04_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_05_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_06_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_07_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_08_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_09_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_10_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_11_2020
GO
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILEGROUP FG_12_2020
GO
Here, we are going to set up a month-wise partition for the table. So, initially, we are creating 12 File Groups for the year 2020.

Adding Files to each File Group
ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_012020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_012020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_01_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_022020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_022020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_02_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_032020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_032020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_03_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_042020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_042020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_04_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_052020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_052020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_05_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_062020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_062020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_06_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_072020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_072020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_07_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_082020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_082020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_08_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_092020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_092020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_09_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_102020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_102020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_10_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_112020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_112020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_11_2020
GO

ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition
ADD FILE
(
  NAME = [File_122020],
  FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\File_122020.ndf',
    SIZE = 5 MB,
    MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10 MB
) TO FILEGROUP FG_12_2020
GO

Here, adding one file to each filegroup for data distribution to the physical storage to perform the table partitioning in SQL Server. If you have crores of row per day, then you can add multiple files to the single file group as well, and data will be distributed to the number of files in the filegroup.

Adding a Partition Function with Month wise range
USE AutoPartition
GO
CREATE PARTITION FUNCTION [PF_MonthlyPartition] (DATETIME)
AS RANGE RIGHT FOR VALUES
(
  '2020-01-31 23:59:59.997', '2020-02-29 23:59:59.997', '2020-03-31 23:59:59.997',
  '2020-04-30 23:59:59.997', '2020-05-31 23:59:59.997', '2020-06-30 23:59:59.997',
  '2020-07-31 23:59:59.997', '2020-08-31 23:59:59.997', '2020-09-30 23:59:59.997',
  '2020-10-31 23:59:59.997', '2020-11-30 23:59:59.997', '2020-12-31 23:59:59.997'
);

Here, 12 ranges are defined with the last day of the month and last ms of the day. Users can use the month and year combination as well to perform the table partitioning in SQL Server. But I would recommend to define it with full datetime to perform insert operations quickly. In the above sample code, the partition function is defined with the Right direction.
Adding a Partition Scheme with File Groups to the Partition Function
USE AutoPartition
GO
CREATE PARTITION SCHEME PS_MonthWise
AS PARTITION PF_MonthlyPartition
TO
(
  'FG_01_2020', 'FG_02_2020', 'FG_03_2020',
  'FG_04_2020', 'FG_05_2020', 'FG_06_2020',
  'FG_07_2020', 'FG_08_2020', 'FG_09_2020',
  'FG_10_2020', 'FG_11_2020', 'FG_12_2020',
  'Primary'
);

Adding a filegroup to the partition schema with attaching the partition function
Here, the Primary filegroup is an additional filegroup in the partition scheme definition. The primary filegroup is used to store those rows which are exceeding the partition range in the function. It works when users forget to add new ranges and new filegroups with the file.
Creating a Table with the Partition Scheme
USE AutoPartition
GO
CREATE TABLE orders
(
  [order_id] BIGINT IDENTITY(1,1) NOT NULL,
  [user_id] BIGINT,
  [order_amt] DECIMAL(10,2),
  [address_id] BIGINT,
  [status_id] TINYINT,
  [is_active] BIT,
  [order_date] [datetime]
) ON PS_MonthWise ([order_date]);
GO
CREATE CLUSTERED INDEX CI_orders_order_id ON orders(order_id)
GO
CREATE NONCLUSTERED INDEX IX_user_id ON orders(user_id)
GO

Here, the table is defined with applying the Partition to the column [order_date] of table orders.
Inserting data into Table [orders]
INSERT INTO orders (user_id, order_amt, address_id, status_id, is_active, order_date)
VALUES
(43, 1623.78, 51, 1, 1, '2020-01-14 13:21:51.869'),
(51, 8963.17, 43, 1, 1, '2020-02-17 05:07:43.193'),
(27, 7416.93, 66, 1, 1, '2020-03-21 07:53:07.743'),
(58, 9371.54, 45, 1, 1, '2020-04-26 16:19:27.852'),
(53, 8541.56, 65, 1, 1, '2020-05-08 19:21:58.654'),
(98, 6971.85, 54, 1, 1, '2020-06-17 21:34:52.426'),
(69, 5217.74, 78, 1, 1, '2020-07-03 07:37:51.391'),
(21, 9674.14, 98, 1, 1, '2020-08-27 23:49:53.813'),
(52, 1539.96, 32, 1, 1, '2020-09-01 17:17:07.317'),
(17, 7193.63, 21, 1, 1, '2020-10-23 10:23:37.307'),
(68, 3971.25, 19, 1, 1, '2020-11-30 09:01:27.079'),
(97, 5973.58, 97, 1, 1, '2020-12-06 13:43:21.190'),
(76, 4163.95, 76, 1, 1, '2021-01-03 18:51:17.764')
GO

We have inserted sample rows with each partition range of the partition function. Now let’s check how many rows exist with partition and its filegroups.
Partition details with Row count
Below are the DMVs that return the number of rows that exist in the filegroup with partition range.
SELECT DISTINCT o.name as table_name, rv.value as partition_range, fg.name as file_groupName, p.partition_number, p.rows as number_of_rows
FROM sys.partitions p
INNER JOIN sys.indexes i ON p.object_id = i.object_id AND p.index_id = i.index_id
INNER JOIN sys.objects o ON p.object_id = o.object_id
INNER JOIN sys.system_internals_allocation_units au ON p.partition_id = au.container_id
INNER JOIN sys.partition_schemes ps ON ps.data_space_id = i.data_space_id
INNER JOIN sys.partition_functions f ON f.function_id = ps.function_id
INNER JOIN sys.destination_data_spaces dds ON dds.partition_scheme_id = ps.data_space_id AND dds.destination_id = p.partition_number
INNER JOIN sys.filegroups fg ON dds.data_space_id = fg.data_space_id
LEFT OUTER JOIN sys.partition_range_values rv ON f.function_id = rv.function_id AND p.partition_number = rv.boundary_id
WHERE o.object_id = OBJECT_ID('orders');

Here, the partition range was not defined for January 2021. But we added the last file group with the Primary. Therefore, if rows are exceeding the range, then those will be allocated to the primary filegroup.

Table Rows with Partition Number
Users can find the partition number with each row of the table as well. Users can bifurcate the row allocation to the logical partition number with the help of a $PARTITION() function.
SELECT $PARTITION.PF_MonthlyPartition(order_date) AS PartitionNumber, *
FROM orders

Automate the Partition flow
We have explained the above examples to understand the requirement of post activities and maintenance on the partition function. A primary filegroup is defined to manage those rows which are out of the partition range. However, the database team has to monitor that the range of any partition function is ending or not? To avoid some manual tasks, users can set up the SQL Server job to perform it automatically.
SQL Server job will be executed in a pre-defined scheduled time (monthly or weekly) and helps to find out the partition functions which are needed to be maintained. In the above sample, we used the DATETIME column type for the partition range. Users can write a program with T-SQL statements as below:
Find the Partition Function whose range does not exist for the next month. For example, in the above example, partition range is defined till Dec 2020, and a current timestamp is 2020-12-27 16:27:09.500. After three days, the partition range will be exceeded because the maximum range is 2020-12-31 23:59:59.997 for the order table. Now, we will find the partition functions which are required to be maintained using the below T-SQL.
SELECT o.name as table_name,
  pf.name as PartitionFunction,
  ps.name as PartitionScheme,
  MAX(rv.value) AS LastPartitionRange,
  CASE WHEN MAX(rv.value) <= DATEADD(MONTH, 2, GETDATE()) THEN 1 else 0 END AS isRequiredMaintenance
--INTO #temp
FROM sys.partitions p
INNER JOIN sys.indexes i ON p.object_id = i.object_id AND p.index_id = i.index_id
INNER JOIN sys.objects o ON p.object_id = o.object_id
INNER JOIN sys.system_internals_allocation_units au ON p.partition_id = au.container_id
INNER JOIN sys.partition_schemes ps ON ps.data_space_id = i.data_space_id
INNER JOIN sys.partition_functions pf ON pf.function_id = ps.function_id
INNER JOIN sys.partition_range_values rv ON pf.function_id = rv.function_id AND p.partition_number = rv.boundary_id
GROUP BY o.name, pf.name, ps.name

Here, the above result set returned the partition function (PF_MonthlyPartition) for adding the new range.
The following code helps to insert information to the new temp table for those partition functions that are required to SPLIT.
SELECT table_name,
  PartitionFunction,
  PartitionScheme,
  LastPartitionRange,
  CONVERT(VARCHAR, DATEADD(MONTH, 1, LastPartitionRange), 25) AS NewRange,
  'FG_' + CAST(FORMAT(DATEADD(MONTH, 1, LastPartitionRange),'MM') AS VARCHAR(2)) +
    '_' +
    CAST(YEAR(DATEADD(MONTH, 1, LastPartitionRange)) AS VARCHAR(4)) AS NewFileGroup,
  'File_'+ CAST(FORMAT(DATEADD(MONTH, 1, LastPartitionRange),'MM') AS VARCHAR(2)) +
    CAST(YEAR(DATEADD(MONTH, 1, LastPartitionRange)) AS VARCHAR(4)) AS FileName,
  'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL13.JRAIYANI\MSSQL\DATA\' AS file_path
INTO #generateScript
FROM #temp
WHERE isRequiredMaintenance = 1

We can also generate a dynamic script to create File Group, File, add a new file group to partition scheme, and new range to the partition function as below:
DECLARE @filegroup NVARCHAR(MAX) = ''
DECLARE @file NVARCHAR(MAX) = ''
DECLARE @PScheme NVARCHAR(MAX) = ''
DECLARE @PFunction NVARCHAR(MAX) = ''

SELECT @filegroup = @filegroup +
    CONCAT('IF NOT EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM AutoPartition.sys.filegroups WHERE name = ''',NewFileGroup,''')
    BEGIN
      ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition ADD FileGroup ',NewFileGroup,'
    END;'),
    @file = @file + CONCAT('IF NOT EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM AutoPartition.sys.database_files WHERE name = ''',FileName,''')
    BEGIN
    ALTER DATABASE AutoPartition ADD FILE
    (NAME = ''',FileName,''',
    FILENAME = ''',File_Path,FileName,'.ndf'',
    SIZE = 5MB, MAXSIZE = UNLIMITED,
    FILEGROWTH = 10MB )
    TO FILEGROUP ',NewFileGroup, '
    END;'),
    @PScheme = @PScheme + CONCAT('ALTER PARTITION SCHEME ', PartitionScheme, ' NEXT USED ',NewFileGroup,';'),
    @PFunction = @PFunction + CONCAT('ALTER PARTITION FUNCTION ', PartitionFunction, '() SPLIT RANGE (''',NewRange,''');')
FROM #generateScript

EXEC (@filegroup)
EXEC (@file)
EXEC (@PScheme)
EXEC (@PFunction)
The above snippets should be taken in a single procedure, and that procedure can be configured with the SQL Server job.

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Thursday, 3 December 2020

Table Partitioning in SQL Server

Table Partitioning in SQL Server – Step by Step

Creating a sample database to perform Table Partitioning in SQL Server:

Adding Files to each File Group

Adding a Partition Function with Month wise range

Adding a Partition Scheme with File Groups to the Partition Function

Adding a filegroup to the partition schema with attaching the partition function

Creating a Table with the Partition Scheme

Inserting data into Table [orders]

Partition details with Row count

Table Rows with Partition Number

Automate the Partition flow

The Zero Trust Methodology

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