SQL Server, Plan Cache Object

The Plan Cache object provides counters to monitor how Microsoft SQL Server uses memory to store objects such as stored procedures, ad hoc and prepared Transact-SQL statements, and triggers. Multiple instances of the Plan Cache object can be monitored at the same time, with each instance representing a different type of plan to monitor.

This table describes are the SQLServer:Plan Cache counters.

SQL Server Plan Cache counters	Description
Cache Hit Ratio	Ratio between cache hits and lookups.
Cache Object Counts	Number of cache objects in the cache.
Cache Pages	Number of 8-kilobyte (KB) pages used by cache objects.
Cache Objects in use	Number of cache objects in use.

Each counter in the object contains the following instances:

Plan Cache instance	Description
_Total	Information for all types of cache instances.
Sql Plans	Query plans produced from an ad hoc Transact-SQL query, including auto-parameterized queries, or from Transact-SQL statements prepared using sp_prepare or sp_cursorprepare. SQL Server caches the plans for ad hoc Transact-SQL statements for later reuse if the identical Transact-SQL statement is later executed. User-parameterized queries (even if not explicitly prepared) are also monitored as Prepared SQL Plans.
Object Plans	Query plans generated by creating a stored procedure, function, or trigger.
Bound Trees	Normalized trees for views, rules, computed columns, and check constraints.
Extended Stored Procedures	Catalog information for extended stores procedures.
Temporary Tables & Table Variables	Cache information related to temporary tables and table variables.

For more information about caching query plans, see Execution Plan Caching and Reuse.

See Also

Reference

SQL Server, Buffer Manager Object

Concepts

Server Memory Options

Other Resources

Monitoring Resource Usage (System Monitor)

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance