Just looking at the claim in the accepted answer that table variables don't participate in logging.
It seems generally untrue that there is any difference in quantity of logging (at least for insert
/update
/delete
operations to the table itself though I have since found that there is some small difference in this respect for cached temporary objects in stored procedures due to additional system table updates).
I looked at the logging behaviour against both a @table_variable
and a #temp
table for the following operations.
- Successful Insert
- Multi Row Insert where statement rolled back due to constraint violation.
- Update
- Delete
- Deallocate
The transaction log records were almost identical for all operations.
The table variable version actually has a few extra log entries because it gets an entry added to (and later removed from) the sys.syssingleobjrefs
base table but overall had a few less bytes logged purely as the internal name for table variables consumes 236 less bytes than for #temp
tables (118 fewer nvarchar
characters).
Full script to reproduce (best run on an instance started in single user mode and using sqlcmd
mode)
:setvar tablename "@T"
:setvar tablescript "DECLARE @T TABLE"
/*
--Uncomment this section to test a #temp table
:setvar tablename "#T"
:setvar tablescript "CREATE TABLE #T"
*/
USE tempdb
GO
CHECKPOINT
DECLARE @LSN NVARCHAR(25)
SELECT @LSN = MAX([Current LSN])
FROM fn_dblog(null, null)
EXEC(N'BEGIN TRAN StartBatch
SAVE TRAN StartBatch
COMMIT
$(tablescript)
(
[4CA996AC-C7E1-48B5-B48A-E721E7A435F0] INT PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT 0,
InRowFiller char(7000) DEFAULT ''A'',
OffRowFiller varchar(8000) DEFAULT REPLICATE(''B'',8000),
LOBFiller varchar(max) DEFAULT REPLICATE(cast(''C'' as varchar(max)),10000)
)
BEGIN TRAN InsertFirstRow
SAVE TRAN InsertFirstRow
COMMIT
INSERT INTO $(tablename)
DEFAULT VALUES
BEGIN TRAN Insert9Rows
SAVE TRAN Insert9Rows
COMMIT
INSERT INTO $(tablename) ([4CA996AC-C7E1-48B5-B48A-E721E7A435F0])
SELECT TOP 9 ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY (SELECT 0))
FROM sys.all_columns
BEGIN TRAN InsertFailure
SAVE TRAN InsertFailure
COMMIT
/*Try and Insert 10 rows, the 10th one will cause a constraint violation*/
BEGIN TRY
INSERT INTO $(tablename) ([4CA996AC-C7E1-48B5-B48A-E721E7A435F0])
SELECT TOP (10) (10 + ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY (SELECT 0))) % 20
FROM sys.all_columns
END TRY
BEGIN CATCH
PRINT ERROR_MESSAGE()
END CATCH
BEGIN TRAN Update10Rows
SAVE TRAN Update10Rows
COMMIT
UPDATE $(tablename)
SET InRowFiller = LOWER(InRowFiller),
OffRowFiller =LOWER(OffRowFiller),
LOBFiller =LOWER(LOBFiller)
BEGIN TRAN Delete10Rows
SAVE TRAN Delete10Rows
COMMIT
DELETE FROM $(tablename)
BEGIN TRAN AfterDelete
SAVE TRAN AfterDelete
COMMIT
BEGIN TRAN EndBatch
SAVE TRAN EndBatch
COMMIT')
DECLARE @LSN_HEX NVARCHAR(25) =
CAST(CAST(CONVERT(varbinary,SUBSTRING(@LSN, 1, 8),2) AS INT) AS VARCHAR) + ':' +
CAST(CAST(CONVERT(varbinary,SUBSTRING(@LSN, 10, 8),2) AS INT) AS VARCHAR) + ':' +
CAST(CAST(CONVERT(varbinary,SUBSTRING(@LSN, 19, 4),2) AS INT) AS VARCHAR)
SELECT
[Operation],
[Context],
[AllocUnitName],
[Transaction Name],
[Description]
FROM fn_dblog(@LSN_HEX, null) AS D
WHERE [Current LSN] > @LSN
SELECT CASE
WHEN GROUPING(Operation) = 1 THEN 'Total'
ELSE Operation
END AS Operation,
Context,
AllocUnitName,
COALESCE(SUM([Log Record Length]), 0) AS [Size in Bytes],
COUNT(*) AS Cnt
FROM fn_dblog(@LSN_HEX, null) AS D
WHERE [Current LSN] > @LSN
GROUP BY GROUPING SETS((Operation, Context, AllocUnitName),())
Results
+-----------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+---------------+------+---------------+------+------------------+
| | | | @TV | #TV | |
+-----------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+---------------+------+---------------+------+------------------+
| Operation | Context | AllocUnitName | Size in Bytes | Cnt | Size in Bytes | Cnt | Difference Bytes |
+-----------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+---------------+------+---------------+------+------------------+
| LOP_ABORT_XACT | LCX_NULL | | 52 | 1 | 52 | 1 | |
| LOP_BEGIN_XACT | LCX_NULL | | 6056 | 50 | 6056 | 50 | |
| LOP_COMMIT_XACT | LCX_NULL | | 2548 | 49 | 2548 | 49 | |
| LOP_COUNT_DELTA | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysallocunits.clust | 624 | 3 | 624 | 3 | |
| LOP_COUNT_DELTA | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysrowsets.clust | 208 | 1 | 208 | 1 | |
| LOP_COUNT_DELTA | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysrscols.clst | 832 | 4 | 832 | 4 | |
| LOP_CREATE_ALLOCCHAIN | LCX_NULL | | 120 | 3 | 120 | 3 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_INTERIOR | Unknown Alloc Unit | 720 | 9 | 720 | 9 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysallocunits.clust | 444 | 3 | 444 | 3 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysallocunits.nc | 276 | 3 | 276 | 3 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.syscolpars.clst | 628 | 4 | 628 | 4 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.syscolpars.nc | 484 | 4 | 484 | 4 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysidxstats.clst | 176 | 1 | 176 | 1 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysidxstats.nc | 144 | 1 | 144 | 1 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysiscols.clst | 100 | 1 | 100 | 1 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysiscols.nc1 | 88 | 1 | 88 | 1 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysobjvalues.clst | 596 | 5 | 596 | 5 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysrowsets.clust | 132 | 1 | 132 | 1 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysrscols.clst | 528 | 4 | 528 | 4 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysschobjs.clst | 1040 | 6 | 1276 | 6 | 236 |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysschobjs.nc1 | 820 | 6 | 1060 | 6 | 240 |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysschobjs.nc2 | 820 | 6 | 1060 | 6 | 240 |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.sysschobjs.nc3 | 480 | 6 | 480 | 6 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.syssingleobjrefs.clst | 96 | 1 | | | -96 |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | sys.syssingleobjrefs.nc1 | 88 | 1 | | | -88 |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_MARK_AS_GHOST | Unknown Alloc Unit | 72092 | 19 | 72092 | 19 | |
| LOP_DELETE_ROWS | LCX_TEXT_MIX | Unknown Alloc Unit | 16348 | 37 | 16348 | 37 | |
| LOP_FORMAT_PAGE | LCX_HEAP | Unknown Alloc Unit | 1596 | 19 | 1596 | 19 | |
| LOP_FORMAT_PAGE | LCX_IAM | Unknown Alloc Unit | 252 | 3 | 252 | 3 | |
| LOP_FORMAT_PAGE | LCX_INDEX_INTERIOR | Unknown Alloc Unit | 84 | 1 | 84 | 1 | |
| LOP_FORMAT_PAGE | LCX_TEXT_MIX | Unknown Alloc Unit | 4788 | 57 | 4788 | 57 | |
| LOP_HOBT_DDL | LCX_NULL | | 108 | 3 | 108 | 3 | |
| LOP_HOBT_DELTA | LCX_NULL | | 9600 | 150 | 9600 | 150 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysallocunits.clust | 456 | 3 | 456 | 3 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.syscolpars.clst | 644 | 4 | 644 | 4 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysidxstats.clst | 180 | 1 | 180 | 1 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysiscols.clst | 104 | 1 | 104 | 1 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysobjvalues.clst | 616 | 5 | 616 | 5 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysrowsets.clust | 136 | 1 | 136 | 1 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysrscols.clst | 544 | 4 | 544 | 4 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysschobjs.clst | 1064 | 6 | 1300 | 6 | 236 |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.syssingleobjrefs.clst | 100 | 1 | | | -100 |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_CLUSTERED | Unknown Alloc Unit | 135888 | 19 | 135888 | 19 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_INTERIOR | Unknown Alloc Unit | 1596 | 19 | 1596 | 19 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_LEAF | sys.sysallocunits.nc | 288 | 3 | 288 | 3 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_LEAF | sys.syscolpars.nc | 500 | 4 | 500 | 4 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_LEAF | sys.sysidxstats.nc | 148 | 1 | 148 | 1 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_LEAF | sys.sysiscols.nc1 | 92 | 1 | 92 | 1 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_LEAF | sys.sysschobjs.nc1 | 844 | 6 | 1084 | 6 | 240 |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_LEAF | sys.sysschobjs.nc2 | 844 | 6 | 1084 | 6 | 240 |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_LEAF | sys.sysschobjs.nc3 | 504 | 6 | 504 | 6 | |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_INDEX_LEAF | sys.syssingleobjrefs.nc1 | 92 | 1 | | | -92 |
| LOP_INSERT_ROWS | LCX_TEXT_MIX | Unknown Alloc Unit | 5112 | 71 | 5112 | 71 | |
| LOP_MARK_SAVEPOINT | LCX_NULL | | 508 | 8 | 508 | 8 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_COLUMNS | LCX_CLUSTERED | Unknown Alloc Unit | 1560 | 10 | 1560 | 10 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_HEADER | LCX_HEAP | Unknown Alloc Unit | 3780 | 45 | 3780 | 45 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_ROW | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.syscolpars.clst | 384 | 4 | 384 | 4 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_ROW | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysidxstats.clst | 100 | 1 | 100 | 1 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_ROW | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysrowsets.clust | 92 | 1 | 92 | 1 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_ROW | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysschobjs.clst | 1144 | 13 | 1144 | 13 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_ROW | LCX_IAM | Unknown Alloc Unit | 4224 | 48 | 4224 | 48 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_ROW | LCX_PFS | Unknown Alloc Unit | 13632 | 169 | 13632 | 169 | |
| LOP_MODIFY_ROW | LCX_TEXT_MIX | Unknown Alloc Unit | 108640 | 120 | 108640 | 120 | |
| LOP_ROOT_CHANGE | LCX_CLUSTERED | sys.sysallocunits.clust | 960 | 10 | 960 | 10 | |
| LOP_SET_BITS | LCX_GAM | Unknown Alloc Unit | 1200 | 20 | 1200 | 20 | |
| LOP_SET_BITS | LCX_IAM | Unknown Alloc Unit | 1080 | 18 | 1080 | 18 | |
| LOP_SET_BITS | LCX_SGAM | Unknown Alloc Unit | 120 | 2 | 120 | 2 | |
| LOP_SHRINK_NOOP | LCX_NULL | | | | 32 | 1 | 32 |
+-----------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+---------------+------+---------------+------+------------------+
| Total | | | 410144 | 1095 | 411232 | 1092 | 1088 |
+-----------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+---------------+------+---------------+------+------------------+