The first step in optimizing a query is looking at it’s execution plan. An execution plan is a visual representation of the operations performed by the database engine in order to return the data ...

We define the search space for a given query as the set of all the possible execution plans for that query, and any possible plan in this search space returns the same results. As discussed, the basic ...

Unlock the full InfoQ experience by logging in! Stay updated with your favorite authors and topics, engage with content, and download exclusive resources. Dany Lepage discusses the architectural ...

The relational engine processes the data returned from the storage engine into the format defined for the result set and returns the result set to the client. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Step 3 is, as noted, ...

In earlier versions of SQL Server, after selecting a join algorithm, SQL Server had to process it even if a better alternative might be available. In SQL Server 2017, the query optimizer can now sense ...

An update to the cardinality estimator feature in SQL Server 2022 will be one of the biggest changes to the database engine since its inception. Database engines like SQL Server are incredibly complex ...

(You can also use a query hint to force SQL Server to use the columnstore index). Columnstore index usage will show up in the query execution plan, just like any other type of index. Columnstore ...