Trace Flags (Transact-SQL)
Trace flags are used to temporarily set specific server characteristics or to switch off a particular behavior. For example, if trace flag 3205 is set when an instance of SQL Server starts, hardware compression for tape drivers is disabled. Trace flags are frequently used to diagnose performance issues or to debug stored procedures or complex computer systems.
The following table lists and describes the trace flags that are available in SQL Server.
Note
Trace flag behavior may not be supported in future releases of SQL Server.
Trace flag |
Description |
|---|---|
260 |
Prints versioning information about extended stored procedure dynamic-link libraries (DLLs). For more information about __GetXpVersion(), see Creating Extended Stored Procedures. Scope: global or session |
1204 |
Returns the resources and types of locks participating in a deadlock and also the current command affected. Scope: global only |
1211 |
Disables lock escalation based on memory pressure, or based on number of locks. The SQL Server Database Engine will not escalate row or page locks to table locks. Using this trace flag can generate excessive numbers of locks. This can slow the performance of the Database Engine, or cause 1204 errors (unable to allocate lock resource) because of insufficient memory If both trace flag 1211 and 1224 are set, 1211 takes precedence over 1224. However, because trace flag 1211 prevents escalation in every case, even under memory pressure, we recommend that you use 1224. This helps avoid "out-of-locks" errors when many locks are being used. Scope: global or session |
1222 |
Returns the resources and types of locks that are participating in a deadlock and also the current command affected, in an XML format that does not comply with any XSD schema. Scope: global only |
1224 |
Disables lock escalation based on the number of locks. However, memory pressure can still activate lock escalation. The Database Engine escalates row or page locks to table (or partition) locks if the amount of memory used by lock objects exceeds one of the following conditions:
If both trace flag 1211 and 1224 are set, 1211 takes precedence over 1224. However, because trace flag 1211 prevents escalation in every case, even under memory pressure, we recommend that you use 1224. This helps avoid "out-of-locks" errors when many locks are being used. Note Lock escalation to the table- or HoBT-level granularity can also be controlled by using the LOCK_ESCALATION option of the ALTER TABLE statement. Scope: global or session |
1448 |
Enables the replication log reader to move forward even if the async secondaries have not acknowledged the reception of a change. Even with this trace flag enabled the log reader always waits for the sync secondaries. The log reader will not go beyond the min ack of the sync secondaries. This trace flag applies to the instance of SQL Server, not just an availability group, an availability database, or a log reader instance. Takes effect immediately without a restart. This trace flag can be activated ahead of time or when an async secondary fails. |
2528 |
Disables parallel checking of objects by DBCC CHECKDB, DBCC CHECKFILEGROUP, and DBCC CHECKTABLE. By default, the degree of parallelism is automatically determined by the query processor. The maximum degree of parallelism is configured just like that of parallel queries. For more information, see Configure the max degree of parallelism Server Configuration Option. Parallel DBCC should typically be left enabled. For DBCC CHECKDB, the query processor reevaluates and automatically adjusts parallelism with each table or batch of tables checked. Sometimes, checking may start when the server is almost idle. An administrator who knows that the load will increase before checking is complete may want to manually decrease or disable parallelism. Disabling parallel checking of DBCC can cause DBCC to take much longer to complete and if DBCC is run with the TABLOCK feature enabled and parallelism set off, tables may be locked for longer periods of time. Scope: global or session |
3042 |
Bypasses the default backup compression pre-allocation algorithm to allow the backup file to grow only as needed to reach its final size. This trace flag is useful if you need to save on space by allocating only the actual size required for the compressed backup. Using this trace flag might cause a slight performance penalty (a possible increase in the duration of the backup operation). For more information about the pre-allocation algorithm, see Backup Compression (SQL Server). |
3205 |
By default, if a tape drive supports hardware compression, either the DUMP or BACKUP statement uses it. With this trace flag, you can disable hardware compression for tape drivers. This is useful when you want to exchange tapes with other sites or tape drives that do not support compression. Scope: global or session |
3226 |
By default, every successful backup operation adds an entry in the SQL Server error log and in the system event log. If you create very frequent log backups, these success messages accumulate quickly, resulting in huge error logs in which finding other messages is problematic. With this trace flag, you can suppress these log entries. This is useful if you are running frequent log backups and if none of your scripts depend on those entries. |
3608 |
Prevents SQL Server from automatically starting and recovering any database except the master database. If activities that require tempdb are initiated, then model is recovered and tempdb is created. User databases will be started and recovered when accessed. Some features, such as snapshot isolation and read committed snapshot, might not work. Use for Move System Databases and Move User Databases. Do not use during normal operation. |
3625 |
Limits the amount of information returned to users who are not members of the sysadmin fixed server role, by masking the parameters of some error messages using '******'. This can help prevent disclosure of sensitive information. Scope: global only |
4199 |
Controls multiple query optimizer changes previously made under multiple trace flags. For more information, see this Microsoft Support article Scope: global or session |
4616 |
Makes server-level metadata visible to application roles. In SQL Server, an application role cannot access metadata outside its own database because application roles are not associated with a server-level principal. This is a change of behavior from earlier versions of SQL Server. Setting this global flag disables the new restrictions, and allows for application roles to access server-level metadata. Scope: global only |
6527 |
Disables generation of a memory dump on the first occurrence of an out-of-memory exception in CLR integration. By default, SQL Server generates a small memory dump on the first occurrence of an out-of-memory exception in the CLR. The behavior of the trace flag is as follows:
Scope: global only |
7806 |
Enables a dedicated administrator connection (DAC) on SQL Server Express. By default, no DAC resources are reserved on SQL Server Express. For more information, see Diagnostic Connection for Database Administrators. Scope: global only |
8032 |
Reverts the cache limit parameters to the SQL Server 2005 RTM setting which in general allows caches to be larger. Use this setting when frequently reused cache entries do not fit into the cache and when the optimize for ad hoc workloads Server Configuration Option has failed to resolve the problem with plan cache. Warning Trace flag 8032 can cause poor performance if large caches make less memory available for other memory consumers, such as the buffer pool. |
8207 |
Enables singleton updates for Transactional Replication. Updates to subscribers can be replicated as a DELETE and INSERT pair. This might not meet business rules, such as firing an UPDATE trigger. With trace flag 8207 an update to a unique column that affects only one row (a singleton update) is replicated as an UPDATE and not as a DELETE or INSERT pair. If the update affects a column on which has a unique constraint or if the update affects multiple rows, the update is still replicated as a DELETE or INSERT pair. |
9485 |
Disables SELECT permission for DBCC SHOW_STATISTICS. |
Remarks
In SQL Server, there are two types of trace flags: session and global. Session trace flags are active for a connection and are visible only to that connection. Global trace flags are set at the server level and are visible to every connection on the server. Some flags can only be enabled as global, and some can be enabled at either global or session scope.
The following rules apply:
A global trace flag must be enabled globally. Otherwise, the trace flag has no effect. We recommend that you enable global trace flags at startup, by using the -T command line option.
If a trace flag has either global or session scope, it can be enabled with the appropriate scope. A trace flag that is enabled at the session level never affects another session, and the effect of the trace flag is lost when the SPID that opened the session logs out.
Trace flags are set on or off by using either of the following methods:
Using the DBCC TRACEON and DBCC TRACEOFF commands.
For example, DBCC TRACEON 2528: To enable the trace flag globally, use DBCC TRACEON with the -1 argument: DBCC TRACEON (2528, -1). To turn off a global trace flag, use DBCC TRACEOFF with the -1 argument.
Using the -T startup option to specify that the trace flag be set on during startup.
The -T startup option enables a trace flag globally. You cannot enable a session-level trace flag by using a startup option. For more information about startup options, see Database Engine Service Startup Options.
Use the DBCC TRACESTATUS command to determine which trace flags are currently active.
Examples
The following example sets trace flag 3205 on by using DBCC TRACEON.
DBCC TRACEON (3205,-1)
See Also
Reference
DBCC INPUTBUFFER (Transact-SQL)
DBCC OUTPUTBUFFER (Transact-SQL)