Home > Ask the SQL Server Experts > Archive: Performance Tuning Questions & Answers > Recovering SQL Server performance without sp_updatestats
Ask The SQL Server Expert: Questions & Answers
EMAIL THIS

Recovering SQL Server performance without sp_updatestats

Jeremy Kadlec EXPERT RESPONSE FROM: Jeremy Kadlec

Pose a Question
Other SQL Server Categories
Meet all SQL Server Experts
Become an Expert for this site


Expert advice on database administration
Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us    Add to Google


>
QUESTION POSED ON: 17 August 2005
I have a third-party application. It is based on .NET and SQL Server 2000. It is running on a clustered pair of Dell 6650 servers, attached to an EMC SAN. But the performance goes into the tank a couple of times each week. We see queries beginning to take much longer and timing out. The central processing unit on the server spikes to 100%. We have learned that we can temporarily recover from this issue by running sp_updatestats. This process takes several minutes to run, but immediately upon completion, the central processing unit drops back to more normal levels and performance returns to normal. We already have jobs scheduled daily that perform reindex and update stats. Yet, for some reason, the statistics get out of whack and we have to run the sp_updatestats to recover. We are running SQL Server 2000 SP3.

>
For a problem that is deceptive like this one, I would recommend getting in touch with the vendor to find out if other customers have the issue and how they have corrected it. Depending on the response, I would probably recommend taking a look at a performance monitoring and management tool that can monitor the system with low overhead on a 24X7 basis. Another configuration to check for the SQL Server database is the 'Auto create statistics' and 'Auto update statistics'. These configurations can be found by opening Enterprise Manager, opening the Databases folder, right clicking on the database, selecting Properties and clicking on the Options tab.


Do you have comments on this Ask the Expert Q&A? Let us know.


Digg This!    StumbleUpon Toolbar StumbleUpon    Bookmark with Delicious Del.icio.us    Add to Google



RELATED CONTENT
Microsoft SQL Server Performance Monitoring and Tuning
Using traces in SQL Server Profiler
SQL Server Mailbag: CALs, witnesses and unwanted changes
SQL Server Mailbag: Data restoration and DB property management
Working with IntelliSense in SQL Server 2008 Management Studio
SQL Server Mailbag: Stored procedures, triggers and SSRS reports
Troubleshooting Distributed Transaction Coordinator errors in SQL Server
Clearing the Windows page file and its effect on server performance
Optimizing SQL Server indexes –- even when they're not your indexes
Performance implications of transaction log autogrowth in SQL Server
The short course on how SQL Server really works

Archive: Performance Tuning
Upgrading to SQL Server 2008 advantages and hardware requirements
Tool to synchronize two SQL Server databases
Performance tuning for SQL Server 2005 and Exchange running on SBS
SQL Server tools don't appear in menu after SQL Server 2005 install
Use SQL Profiler to find long running stored procedures and commands
Maintain large SQL Server database and resolve website 'Timeout Error'
How to retrieve SQL Server database disk space in use
Troubleshoot SQL Server 2005 temporary table performance problems
View query execution plan in SQL Server with this method
Adding non-clustered indexes to SQL Server columns

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS
Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary
contiguity  (SearchSQLServer.com)
contiguous  (SearchSQLServer.com)
drilldown  (SearchSQLServer.com)
hashing  (SearchSQLServer.com)
hybrid online analytical processing  (SearchSQLServer.com)

RELATED RESOURCES
2020software.com, trial software downloads for accounting software, ERP software, CRM software and business software systems
Search Bitpipe.com for the latest white papers and business webcasts
Whatis.com, the online computer dictionary



Search and Browse the Expert Answer Center
Search and browse more than 25,000 question and answer pairs from more than 250 TechTarget industry experts.
Browse our Expert Advice



SQL Solutions - SQL Database Design
HomeNewsTopicsITKnowledge ExchangeTipsAsk the ExpertsMultimediaWhite PapersIT Downloads
About Us  |  Contact Us  |  For Advertisers  |  For Business Partners  |  Site Index  |  RSS
SEARCH 
TechTarget provides technology professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs - from developing strategy, to making cost-effective purchase decisions and managing their organizations' technology projects - with its network of technology-specific websites, events and online magazines.

TechTarget Corporate Web Site  |  Media Kits  |  Site Map




All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2005 - 2009, TechTarget | Read our Privacy Policy
  TechTarget - The IT Media ROI Experts