Best SQL Server DBA Books — Recommended by Harman Research

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• T-SQL Fundamentals — Itzik Ben-Gan (Microsoft Press) — Best-in-class SQL Server T-SQL teaching. Start here, then go deep.
• T-SQL Querying — Itzik Ben-Gan / Adam Machanic / Dejan Sarka — Advanced query optimization, window functions, and complex T-SQL patterns.
• SQL Server Internals — Kalen Delaney — Storage engine, query processor, transactions — the canonical internals book.
• SQL Server Query Performance Tuning — Grant Fritchey (Apress) — Practical execution-plan analysis and tuning patterns.
• Pro SQL Server Always On Availability Groups — Apress — Covers HA/DR, AGs, replication, and modern SQL Server topology.
• Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Administration — Microsoft Press — Current-version DBA reference for SQL Server 2022 features.
• Pro Azure SQL Database for the Database Administrator — Apress — Azure SQL Database / Managed Instance for cloud DBAs.
• Brent Ozar Practical SQL Server Tuning — Brent Ozar (sp_Blitz creator) — No-nonsense tuning advice from the maintainer of the most-used SQL Server health tool.
• T-SQL Window Functions — Itzik Ben-Gan (Microsoft Press) — Window functions deep-dive — critical modern T-SQL pattern.