During a recent session at SQLPass, I encountered an interesting performance issue related to Geometry data types in SQL Server. An application developer approached me, seeking a solution to their performance problem. Intrigued, I visited their desk and discovered that they were working extensively with Geometry data types, which was a new experience for me as well.

The developer had written around 500 lines of code using the Geometry data type, and their queries were taking an astonishing 26 seconds to execute. After analyzing the code, I realized that there was a known optimization issue with Geometry data types in SQL Server. To confirm my suspicions, I reached out to my contacts at Microsoft, who pointed me to a KB article that provided a solution.

The recommended solution involved enabling a trace flag, T6534, which was available in various versions of SQL Server, including SQL Server 2012 SP2 CU6, SQL Server 2014 CU8, SQL Server 2014 SP1 CU1, and SQL Server 2016 CTP3. As soon as I enabled the trace flag, the query execution time dropped to sub-seconds, providing a significant performance improvement.

This experience taught me the importance of staying updated with the latest optimizations and best practices for working with different data types in SQL Server. It also made me curious about how many other developers are utilizing Geometry databases in their environments and what use cases they have encountered.

If you are using a Geometry database, I would love to hear about your experiences and the challenges you have faced. Have you ever encountered the T6534 trace flag before, or have you enabled it to optimize your queries?

Optimizing performance is a crucial aspect of database development, and understanding the intricacies of different data types can greatly impact the efficiency of your SQL Server environment. Stay tuned for more articles on SQL Server tips and best practices!