• Article

Database Engine Tuning Advisor (General Tab)

You must configure the fields in the General tab before starting a tuning session. It is not necessary to modify the settings of the Tuning Options tab before starting a tuning session.

Options

  • Session name
    Specify a name for the session. The session name associates a name with a tuning session. You can refer to this name to review the tuning session later.

  • File
    Specify a .sql script or trace file for a workload. Specify the path and filename in the associated text box. Database Engine Tuning Advisor assumes that the workload trace file is a rollover file. For more information about rollover files, see Limiting Trace File and Table Sizes.

  • Table
    Specify a trace table for a workload. Specify the fully qualified name of the trace table in the associated text box as follows:

    database_name.owner_name.table_name

    • Make sure that tracing has stopped before using a trace table as a workload.

    • The trace table must exist on the same server that Database Engine Tuning Advisor is tuning. If you create the trace table on a different server, then move it to the server that Database Engine Tuning Advisor is tuning.

  • Xml
    This does not appear unless you import a workload query from SQL Server Management Studio.

    To import a workload query from SQL Server Management Studio:

    1. Type a query into Query Editor and highlight it.

    2. Right-click the highlighted query and click Analyze Query in Database Engine Tuning Advisor.

  • Browse for a workload [file or table]
    When File or Table is selected as the workload source, use this browse button to select the target.

  • Preview the XML workload
    View an XML-formatted workload that has been imported from SQL Server Management Studio.

  • Database for workload analysis
    Specify the first database to which Database Engine Tuning Advisor connects when tuning a workload. After tuning begins, Database Engine Tuning Advisor connects to the databases specified by the USE DATABASE statements contained in the workload.

  • Select databases and tables to tune
    Specify the databases and tables to be tuned. To specify all of the databases, select the check box in the Name column heading. To specify certain databases, select the check box next to the database name. By default, all of the tables for selected databases are automatically included in the tuning session. To exclude tables, click the arrow in the Selected Tables column, and then clear the check boxes next to the tables that you do not want to tune.

  • Selected Tables down arrow
    Expand the tables list to allow selecting individual tables for tuning.

  • Save tuning log
    Create a log and record errors during the session.

Note

Database Engine Tuning Advisor does not automatically update the rows information for the tables displayed on the General tab. Instead it relies upon the metadata in the database. If you suspect that the rows information is outdated, run the DBCC UPDATEUSAGE command for the relevant objects.