SQL Server: Query fast, but slow from procedure

performance sql-server stored-procedures

A query runs fast:

DECLARE @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier
SET @SessionGUID = 'BCBA333C-B6A1-4155-9833-C495F22EA908'

SELECT *
FROM Report_Opener
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank

subtree cost: 0.502

But putting the same SQL in a stored procedure runs slow, and with a totally different execution plan

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.ViewOpener @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier AS
SELECT *
FROM Report_Opener
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank

EXECUTE ViewOpener @SessionGUID

Subtree cost: 19.2

I've run

sp_recompile ViewOpener

And it still runs the same (badly), and I've also changed the stored procedure to

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.ViewOpener @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier AS
SELECT *, 'recompile please'
FROM Report_Opener
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank

And back again, trying to really trick it into recompiling.

I've dropped and recreated the stored procedure in order to get it to generate a new plan.

I've tried forcing recompiles, and prevent parameter sniffing, by using a decoy variable:

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.ViewOpener @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier AS

DECLARE @SessionGUIDbitch uniqueidentifier
SET @SessionGUIDbitch = @SessionGUID

SELECT *
FROM Report_Opener
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUIDbitch
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank

I've also tried defining the stored procedure WITH RECOMPILE:

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.ViewOpener @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier 
WITH RECOMPILE
AS
SELECT *
FROM Report_Opener
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank

So that it's plan is never cached, and I've tried forcing a recompile at execute:

EXECUTE ViewOpener @SessionGUID WITH RECOMPILE

Which didn't help.

I've tried converting the procedure to dynamic SQL:

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.ViewOpener @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier 
WITH RECOMPILE AS
DECLARE @SQLString NVARCHAR(500)

SET @SQLString = N'SELECT *
   FROM Report_OpenerTest
   WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
   ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank'

EXECUTE sp_executesql @SQLString,
N'@SessionGUID uniqueidentifier',
@SessionGUID

Which didn't help.

The entity "Report_Opener" is a view, which is not indexed. The view only references underlying tables. No table contains computed columns, indexed or otherwise.

For the hell of it I tried creating the view with 

SET ANSI_NULLS ON
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFER ON

That didn't fix it.

How is it that

  • the query is fast
  • moving the query to a view, and selecting from the view is fast
  • selecting from the view from a stored procedure is 40x slower?

I tried moving the definition of the view directly into the stored procedure (violating 3 business rules, and breaking an important encapsulation), and that makes it only about 6x slower.

Why is the stored procedure version so slow? What can possibly account for SQL Server running ad-hoc SQL faster than a different kind of ad-hoc SQL?

I'd really rather not

  • embed the SQL in code

  • change the code at all

    Microsoft SQL Server  2000 - 8.00.2050 (Intel X86)
Mar  7 2008 21:29:56
Copyright (c) 1988-2003 Microsoft Corporation
Standard Edition on Windows NT 5.2 (Build 3790: Service Pack 2)

But what can account for SQL Server being unable to run as fast as SQL Sever running a query, if not parameter sniffing.

My next attempt will be to have StoredProcedureA call StoredProcedureB call StoredProcedureC call StoredProcedureD to query the view.

And failing that, have the stored procedure call a stored procedure, call a UDF, call a UDF, call a stored procedure, call a UDF to query the view.

To sum up, the following run fast from QA, but slow when put into a stored procedure:

The original:

--Runs fine outside of a stored procedure
SELECT *
FROM Report_OpenerTest
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank

sp_executesql:

--Runs fine outside of a stored procedure
DECLARE @SQLString NVARCHAR(500)
SET @SQLString = N'SELECT *
FROM Report_OpenerTest
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank'

EXECUTE sp_executesql @SQLString,
        N'@SessionGUID uniqueidentifier',
        @SessionGUID

EXEC(@sql):

--Runs fine outside of a stored procedure
DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(500)
SET @sql = N'SELECT *
FROM Report_OpenerTest
WHERE SessionGUID = '''+CAST(@SessionGUID AS varchar(50))+'''
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank'

EXEC(@sql)

Execution Plans

The good plan:

      |--Sort(ORDER BY:([Expr1020] ASC, [Currencies].[Rank] ASC))
           |--Compute Scalar(DEFINE:([Expr1020]=If ([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctCanadianCash') then 1 else If ([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctMiscellaneous') then 2 else If ([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctTokens') then 3 else If ([Currencies].[CurrencyType]
                |--Nested Loops(Left Outer Join, OUTER REFERENCES:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]))
                     |--Filter(WHERE:((([Currencies].[IsActive]<>0 AND [Currencies].[OnOpener]<>0) AND ((((((([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctUSCoin' OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctMiscellaneousUS') OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctUSCash') OR [Currencies].
                     |    |--Nested Loops(Left Outer Join, OUTER REFERENCES:([Currencies].[CurrencyGUID], [Openers].[OpenerGUID]) WITH PREFETCH)
                     |         |--Nested Loops(Left Outer Join)
                     |         |    |--Bookmark Lookup(BOOKMARK:([Bmk1016]), OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Windows]))
                     |         |    |    |--Nested Loops(Inner Join, OUTER REFERENCES:([Openers].[WindowGUID]))
                     |         |    |         |--Bookmark Lookup(BOOKMARK:([Bmk1014]), OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Openers]))
                     |         |    |         |    |--Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Openers].[IX_Openers_SessionGUID]), SEEK:([Openers].[SessionGUID]=[@SessionGUID]) ORDERED FORWARD)
                     |         |    |         |--Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Windows].[IX_Windows]), SEEK:([Windows].[WindowGUID]=[Openers].[WindowGUID]) ORDERED FORWARD)
                     |         |    |--Clustered Index Scan(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Currencies].[IX_Currencies_CurrencyType]))
                     |         |--Clustered Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[OpenerDetails].[IX_OpenerDetails_OpenerGUIDCurrencyGUID]), SEEK:([OpenerDetails].[OpenerGUID]=[Openers].[OpenerGUID] AND [OpenerDetails].[CurrencyGUID]=[Currenc
                     |--Hash Match(Cache, HASH:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]), RESIDUAL:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]=[Openers].[OpenerGUID]))
                          |--Stream Aggregate(DEFINE:([Expr1006]=SUM(If (((([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctMiscellaneous' OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctTokens') OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctChips') OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctCanadianCoin') OR [
                               |--Nested Loops(Inner Join, OUTER REFERENCES:([OpenerDetails].[CurrencyGUID]) WITH PREFETCH)
                                    |--Nested Loops(Inner Join)
                                    |    |--Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Openers].[IX_Openers_OneOpenerPerSession]), SEEK:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]=[Openers].[OpenerGUID]) ORDERED FORWARD)
                                    |    |--Clustered Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[OpenerDetails].[IX_OpenerDetails_OpenerGUIDCurrencyGUID]), SEEK:([OpenerDetails].[OpenerGUID]=[Openers].[OpenerGUID]) ORDERED FORWARD)
                                    |--Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Currencies].[PK_Currencies_CurrencyGUID]), SEEK:([Currencies].[CurrencyGUID]=[OpenerDetails].[CurrencyGUID]) ORDERED FORWARD)

The bad plan

       |--Sort(ORDER BY:([Expr1020] ASC, [Currencies].[Rank] ASC))
            |--Compute Scalar(DEFINE:([Expr1020]=If ([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctCanadianCash') then 1 else If ([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctMiscellaneous') then 2 else If ([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctTokens') then 3 else If ([Currencies].[Currency
                 |--Nested Loops(Left Outer Join, OUTER REFERENCES:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]))
                      |--Filter(WHERE:((([Currencies].[IsActive]<>0 AND [Currencies].[OnOpener]<>0) AND ((((((([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctUSCoin' OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctMiscellaneousUS') OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctUSCash') OR [Currenc
                      |    |--Nested Loops(Left Outer Join, OUTER REFERENCES:([Currencies].[CurrencyGUID], [Openers].[OpenerGUID]) WITH PREFETCH)
                      |         |--Filter(WHERE:([Openers].[SessionGUID]=[@SessionGUID]))
                      |         |    |--Concatenation
                      |         |         |--Nested Loops(Left Outer Join)
                      |         |         |    |--Table Spool
                      |         |         |    |    |--Hash Match(Inner Join, HASH:([Windows].[WindowGUID])=([Openers].[WindowGUID]), RESIDUAL:([Windows].[WindowGUID]=[Openers].[WindowGUID]))
                      |         |         |    |         |--Clustered Index Scan(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Windows].[IX_Windows_CageGUID]))
                      |         |         |    |         |--Table Scan(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Openers]))
                      |         |         |    |--Table Spool
                      |         |         |         |--Clustered Index Scan(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Currencies].[IX_Currencies_CurrencyType]))
                      |         |         |--Compute Scalar(DEFINE:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]=NULL, [Openers].[SessionGUID]=NULL, [Windows].[UseChipDenominations]=NULL))
                      |         |              |--Nested Loops(Left Anti Semi Join)
                      |         |                   |--Clustered Index Scan(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Currencies].[IX_Currencies_CurrencyType]))
                      |         |                   |--Row Count Spool
                      |         |                        |--Table Spool
                      |         |--Clustered Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[OpenerDetails].[IX_OpenerDetails_OpenerGUIDCurrencyGUID]), SEEK:([OpenerDetails].[OpenerGUID]=[Openers].[OpenerGUID] AND [OpenerDetails].[CurrencyGUID]=[Cu
                      |--Hash Match(Cache, HASH:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]), RESIDUAL:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]=[Openers].[OpenerGUID]))
                           |--Stream Aggregate(DEFINE:([Expr1006]=SUM([partialagg1034]), [Expr1007]=SUM([partialagg1035]), [Expr1008]=SUM([partialagg1036]), [Expr1009]=SUM([partialagg1037]), [Expr1010]=SUM([partialagg1038]), [Expr1011]=SUM([partialagg1039]
                                |--Nested Loops(Inner Join)
                                     |--Stream Aggregate(DEFINE:([partialagg1034]=SUM(If (((([Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctMiscellaneous' OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctTokens') OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='ctChips') OR [Currencies].[CurrencyType]='
                                     |    |--Nested Loops(Inner Join, OUTER REFERENCES:([OpenerDetails].[CurrencyGUID]) WITH PREFETCH)
                                     |         |--Clustered Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[OpenerDetails].[IX_OpenerDetails_OpenerGUIDCurrencyGUID]), SEEK:([OpenerDetails].[OpenerGUID]=[Openers].[OpenerGUID]) ORDERED FORWARD)
                                     |         |--Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Currencies].[PK_Currencies_CurrencyGUID]), SEEK:([Currencies].[CurrencyGUID]=[OpenerDetails].[CurrencyGUID]) ORDERED FORWARD)
                                     |--Index Seek(OBJECT:([GrobManagementSystemLive].[dbo].[Openers].[IX_Openers_OneOpenerPerSession]), SEEK:([Openers].[OpenerGUID]=[Openers].[OpenerGUID]) ORDERED FORWARD)

The bad-one is eager spooling 6 million rows; the other one isn't.

Note: This isn't a question about tuning a query. I have a query that runs lightning fast. I just want SQL Server to run fast from a stored procedure.


Solution 1:

I had the same problem as the original poster but the quoted answer did not solve the problem for me. The query still ran really slow from a stored procedure.

I found another answer here "Parameter Sniffing", Thanks Omnibuzz. Boils down to using "local Variables" in your stored procedure queries, but read the original for more understanding, it's a great write up. e.g.

Slow way:

CREATE PROCEDURE GetOrderForCustomers(@CustID varchar(20))
AS
BEGIN
    SELECT * 
    FROM orders
    WHERE customerid = @CustID
END

Fast way:

CREATE PROCEDURE GetOrderForCustomersWithoutPS(@CustID varchar(20))
AS
BEGIN
    DECLARE @LocCustID varchar(20)
    SET @LocCustID = @CustID

    SELECT * 
    FROM orders
    WHERE customerid = @LocCustID
END

Hope this helps somebody else, doing this reduced my execution time from 5+ minutes to about 6-7 seconds.

Solution 2:

I found the problem, here's the script of the slow and fast versions of the stored procedure:

dbo.ViewOpener__RenamedForCruachan__Slow.PRC

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER OFF 
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS OFF 
GO

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.ViewOpener_RenamedForCruachan_Slow
    @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier
AS

SELECT *
FROM Report_Opener_RenamedForCruachan
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank
GO

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER OFF 
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON 
GO

dbo.ViewOpener__RenamedForCruachan__Fast.PRC

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER OFF 
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON 
GO

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.ViewOpener_RenamedForCruachan_Fast
    @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier 
AS

SELECT *
FROM Report_Opener_RenamedForCruachan
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank
GO

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER OFF 
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON 
GO

If you didn't spot the difference, I don't blame you. The difference is not in the stored procedure at all. The difference that turns a fast 0.5 cost query into one that does an eager spool of 6 million rows:

Slow: SET ANSI_NULLS OFF

Fast: SET ANSI_NULLS ON

This answer also could be made to make sense, since the view does have a join clause that says:

(table.column IS NOT NULL)

So there is some NULLs involved.

The explanation is further proved by returning to Query Analizer, and running

SET ANSI_NULLS OFF

.

DECLARE @SessionGUID uniqueidentifier
SET @SessionGUID = 'BCBA333C-B6A1-4155-9833-C495F22EA908'

.

SELECT *
FROM Report_Opener_RenamedForCruachan
WHERE SessionGUID = @SessionGUID
ORDER BY CurrencyTypeOrder, Rank

And the query is slow.

So the problem isn't because the query is being run from a stored procedure. The problem is that Enterprise Manager's connection default option is ANSI_NULLS off, rather than ANSI_NULLS on, which is QA's default.

Microsoft acknowledges this fact in KB296769 (BUG: Cannot use SQL Enterprise Manager to create stored procedures containing linked server objects). The workaround is include the ANSI_NULLS option in the stored procedure dialog:

Set ANSI_NULLS ON
Go
Create Proc spXXXX as
....

Solution 3:

I was facing the same issue & this post was very helpful to me but none of the posted answers solved my specific issue. I wanted to post the solution that worked for me in hopes that it can help someone else.

https://stackoverflow.com/a/24016676/814299

At the end of your query, add OPTION (OPTIMIZE FOR (@now UNKNOWN))

Solution 4:

Do this for your database. I have the same issue - it works fine in one database but when I copy this database to another using SSIS Import (not the usual restore), this issue happens to most of my stored procedures. So after googling some more, I found the blog of Pinal Dave (which btw, I encountered most of his post and did help me a lot so thanks Pinal Dave).

I execute the below query on my database and it corrected my issue:

EXEC sp_MSforeachtable @command1="print '?' DBCC DBREINDEX ('?', ' ', 80)"
GO
EXEC sp_updatestats
GO

Hope this helps. Just passing the help from others that helped me.

Solution 5:

I was experiencing this problem. My query looked something like:

select a, b, c from sometable where date > '20140101'

My stored procedure was defined like:

create procedure my_procedure (@dtFrom date)
as
select a, b, c from sometable where date > @dtFrom

I changed the datatype to datetime and voila! Went from 30 minutes to 1 minute!

create procedure my_procedure (@dtFrom datetime)
as
select a, b, c from sometable where date > @dtFrom

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