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Wavin’ Flag: Sorting Out SQL Server Trace Flags for Microsoft Dynamics NAV

by Jörg A.
Consultant,

Editor's Note: Jörg will be leading the session SQL Performance Featuers with Microsoft Dynamics NAV at Decisions Fall 2010 on November 3.

Just a few months ago we had the FIFA 2010 World Cup (for our American readers: a small soccer tournament that brings a halt to all other activity worldwide every 4 years) with its famous anthem, for which I've named this article.  We've seen a lot of flags from various nations, peacefully waving at each other in and around the stadiums, united in the spirit of sportsmanship. Yep, a flag is actually quite an ancient thing used for communication; in older times probably somewhat less peaceful when the troops followed their banners into battle, or - afterwards - used a white sheet to indicate surrender. The Navy actually made an art of using flags to transfer information in the times before radio or phone - an effective, if not slow, method of communicating (although it might have been little time consuming to waggle a good joke from ship to ship (...but I digress...)

Even today flags are useful and used - and as I'd like to write about NAV/SQL, I'm specifically referring to so called "Trace Flags" (TF). Speaking about SQL Server, we're not talking about colors, of course, but numbers. But the purpose is still the same: with "waving" a certain flag we tell the SQL Server either to do something or to give us some information back.

Confusingly, there are lots of KB articles, BLOGS and best-practice documents around, telling ...

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About Jörg A.

Jörg A. Stryk has worked with Microsoft Dynamics NAV since 1997, version 1.20.

Being project-manager, consultant, administrator, developer or supporter on Microsoft partner-sites and NAV customer-sites, he has thoroughly explored nearly all areas of the application and its technology.

Since 2003 he is focusing on "Dynamics NAV & SQL Server Performance Optimization and Troubleshooting", founding his company "STRYK System Improvement" in 2006. As a freelance consultant, he is supporting Microsoft Dynamics partners and customers with their NAV/SQL projects worldwide.

His book "The NAV/SQL Performance Field Guide" (ISBN 978-3-8370-1442-6) is published in Europe, the United Kingdom and North America.

In recognition of his valuable participation in various NAV communities, he received the Microsoft award "Most Valuable Professional" (MVP) for MS Dynamics NAV in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Visit Jörg Stryk at www.stryk.info or his BLOG http://dynamicsuser.net/blogs/stryk/

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