As a SQL Server developer or administrator, you may have encountered situations where your server’s performance is slower than expected. In such cases, it is crucial to identify and optimize the queries causing the slowdown. While there are various tools available for query tuning, one often overlooked feature in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) is the use of statistics IO and time.
When tuning queries, many professionals tend to rely heavily on the SQL Server Execution Plan. However, I personally prefer to use statistics IO and time as my initial go-to tools before diving into the execution plan. These statistics provide valuable insights into the query’s resource usage, such as the number of logical reads, physical reads, and CPU time.
To include the statistics IO and time for your queries in SSMS, you can easily enable them by specifying the following syntax:
SET STATISTICS TIME, IO ONBy executing this command before running your query, SSMS will display the statistics IO and time in the query results. However, you may have noticed that in some cases, these statistics are automatically included when running queries, while in others, you have to explicitly specify them. So, what’s the difference?
The reason behind this behavior lies in the SSMS configuration. By default, SSMS does not display the statistics IO and time for every query. However, you can customize this behavior by following these steps:
- Open SSMS and go to Tools > Options > Query Execution > SQL Server > Advanced.
- On the Advanced screen, select the checkbox for the following options: SET STATISTICS IO and SET STATISTICS TIME.
Once you have enabled these settings, every query executed in a new SSMS query window will automatically include the statistics IO and time. This can save you time and effort, especially when analyzing multiple queries.
Customizing SSMS to suit your preferences is essential for maximizing efficiency. In addition to enabling statistics IO and time, you can explore other customization options, such as enabling the dark theme or displaying completion time in messages. These small tweaks can greatly enhance your productivity.
If you have any tips or tricks related to SSMS customization or query tuning, feel free to share them with me. I would be happy to feature them on the blog and give you due credit.
Remember, when it comes to query performance tuning, don’t underestimate the power of statistics IO and time in SQL Server Management Studio. They can provide valuable insights and help you identify areas for optimization.
Happy querying!