The JOIN query hint applies to all joins within the query. While this is similar to the join hint that can be specified for an individual join between a pair of tables within a large more complex query, the query hint applies to all joins within the query, whereas the join hint applies only to the pair of tables in the join with which it is associated.
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Use the FAST number_rows query hint when you want to retrieve only the first n rows out of a relatively large result set.
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Query hints are an easy way to influence the actions of query optimization. However, you need to very carefully consider their use, as in most cases SQL Server is already choosing the right plan.
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Query processing is performed by the Relational Engine in SQL Server. SQL Server takes four steps to process a query: parsing, algebrizing, optimizing, and execution.
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There are five key elements of a successful DevOps program to enhance collaboration between DBAs and database developers and shorten time to market.
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Advice from virtualization vendors about how to configure demand-based memory allocation technology for SQL Server varies, and its important to know how it can impact performance.
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Running SQL Server in a virtualized environment can introduce both good contention and bad contention, and it’s critical to understand how this can impact performance.
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Learn about best practices for configuring SQL Server tempdb for multiple data files.
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This three-part article presesnts best practices for configuring SQL Server tempdb, including where to place it, initial sizing and configuring multiple files.
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Learn best practices for where to place SQL Server tempdb.
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Use of SQL Server tempdb as temporary storage makes it likely to contain a disproportionate amount of creation and destruction of many small objects, which can lead to latch contention.
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There is a common misconception that table variables are in-memory structures and as such will perform quicker than temporary tables. Thanks to a DMV called sys.dm_db_session_space_usage, which shows tempdb usage by session, you can prove that’s not the case. After restarting SQL Server to clear the DMV, run the following script to confirm that your […]
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