View query execution plan in SQL Server with this method

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

RELATED CONTENT Microsoft SQL Server Performance Monitoring and Tuning 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 Determining the source of full transaction logs in SQL Server 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 Adding non-clustered indexes to SQL Server columns Change collation to SQL Server 2005 after upgrading databases

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

From my perspective, the best approach to review a SQL Server query plan is via the graphical approach with either Management Studio or Query Analyzer. Just review the tool bar on each application to find the correct icon. After you run the query, you will see the graphical query plan in the results section of the window as a separate tab. From that point forward, hover your mouse over the icon on the far left of the window to obtain the overall sub tree cost. Then review the other icons with high percentages of the query plan to determine the potential issues. As you make changes to the query, continue to review the query plan and validate the overall sub tree cost is decreasing.