How to: Configure the query governor cost limit Option (SQL Server Management Studio)
Use the query governor cost limit option to specify an upper limit on the time period in which a query can run. Query cost refers to the estimated elapsed time, in seconds, required to complete a query on a specific hardware configuration.
To set the query governor cost limit option
In Object Explorer, right-click a server and select Properties.
Click the Connections page.
Select or clear the Use query governor to prevent long-running queries check box.
If you select this check box, in the box below, enter a positive value, which the query governor uses to disallow execution of any query with a running length exceeding that value.