sys.dm_exec_query_optimizer_info (Transact-SQL)

Article
05/16/2013

Returns detailed statistics about the operation of the SQL Server query optimizer. You can use this view when tuning a workload to identify query optimization problems or improvements. For example, you can use the total number of optimizations, the elapsed time value, and the final cost value to compare the query optimizations of the current workload and any changes observed during the tuning process. Some counters provide data that is relevant only for SQL Server internal diagnostic use. These counters are marked as "Internal only."

Name	Data type	Description
counter	nvarchar(4000)	Name of optimizer statistics event.
occurrence	bigint	Number of occurrences of optimization event for this counter.
value	float	Average property value per event occurrence.

Permissions

Requires VIEW SERVER STATE permission on the server.

Remarks

sys.dm_exec_query_optimizer_info contains the following properties (counters). All occurrence values are cumulative and are set to 0 at system restart. All values for value fields are set to NULL at system restart. All value-column values that specify an average use the occurrence value from the same row as the denominator in the calculation of the average. All query optimizations are measured when SQL Server determines changes to dm_exec_query_optimizer_info, including both user- and system-generated queries. Execution of an already-cached plan does not change values in dm_exec_query_optimizer_info, only optimizations are significant.

Counter	Occurrence	Value
optimizations	Total number of optimizations.	Not applicable
elapsed time	Total number of optimizations.	Average elapsed time per optimization of an individual statement (query), in seconds.
final cost	Total number of optimizations.	Average estimated cost for an optimized plan in internal cost units.
trivial plan	Internal only	Internal only
tasks	Internal only	Internal only
no plan	Internal only	Internal only
search 0	Internal only	Internal only
search 0 time	Internal only	Internal only
search 0 tasks	Internal only	Internal only
search 1	Internal only	Internal only
search 1 time	Internal only	Internal only
search 1 tasks	Internal only	Internal only
search 2	Internal only	Internal only
search 2 time	Internal only	Internal only
search 2 tasks	Internal only	Internal only
gain stage 0 to stage 1	Internal only	Internal only
gain stage 1 to stage 2	Internal only	Internal only
timeout	Internal only	Internal only
memory limit exceeded	Internal only	Internal only
insert stmt	Number of optimizations that are for INSERT statements.	Not applicable
delete stmt	Number of optimizations that are for DELETE statements.	Not applicable
update stmt	Number of optimizations that are for UPDATE statements.	Not applicable
contains subquery	Number of optimizations for a query that contains at least one subquery.	Not applicable
unnest failed	Internal only	Internal only
tables	Total number of optimizations.	Average number of tables referenced per query optimized.
hints	Number of times some hint was specified. Hints counted include: JOIN, GROUP, UNION and FORCE ORDER query hints, FORCE PLAN set option, and join hints.	Not applicable
order hint	Number of times a force order hint was specified.	Not applicable
join hint	Number of times the join algorithm was forced by a join hint.	Not applicable
view reference	Number of times a view has been referenced in a query.	Not applicable
remote query	Number of optimizations where the query referenced at least one remote data source, such as a table with a four-part name or an OPENROWSET result.	Not applicable
maximum DOP	Total number of optimizations.	Average effective MAXDOP value for an optimized plan. By default, effective MAXDOP is determined by the max degree of parallelism server configuration option, and may be overridden for a specific query by the value of the MAXDOP query hint.
maximum recursion level	Number of optimizations in which a MAXRECURSION level greater than 0 has been specified with the query hint.	Average MAXRECURSION level in optimizations where a maximum recursion level is specified with the query hint.
indexed views loaded	Internal only	Internal only
indexed views matched	Number of optimizations where one or more indexed views have been matched.	Average number of views matched.
indexed views used	Number of optimizations where one or more indexed views are used in the output plan after being matched.	Average number of views used.
indexed views updated	Number of optimizations of a DML statement that produce a plan that maintains one or more indexed views.	Average number of views maintained.
dynamic cursor request	Number of optimizations in which a dynamic cursor request has been specified.	Not applicable
fast forward cursor request	Number of optimizations in which a fast-forward cursor request has been specified.	Not applicable
merge stmt	Number of optimizations that are for MERGE statements.	Not applicable

Examples

A. Viewing statistics on optimizer execution

What are the current optimizer execution statistics for this instance of SQL Server?

SELECT * FROM sys.dm_exec_query_optimizer_info;

B. Viewing the total number of optimizations

How many optimizations are performed?

SELECT occurrence AS Optimizations FROM sys.dm_exec_query_optimizer_info
WHERE counter = 'optimizations';

C. Average elapsed time per optimization

What is the average elapsed time per optimization?

SELECT ISNULL(value,0.0) AS ElapsedTimePerOptimization
FROM sys.dm_exec_query_optimizer_info WHERE counter = 'elapsed time';

D. Fraction of optimizations that involve subqueries

What fraction of optimized queries contained a subquery?

SELECT (SELECT CAST (occurrence AS float) FROM sys.dm_exec_query_optimizer_info WHERE counter = 'contains subquery') /
       (SELECT CAST (occurrence AS float) 
        FROM sys.dm_exec_query_optimizer_info WHERE counter = 'optimizations')
        AS ContainsSubqueryFraction;