SQL Server Execution Plans - Red Gate Software

Summary
Chapter 1: Execution Plan Basics
In this chapter, we've approached how the optimizer and the storage engine work
together to bring data back to your query. These operations are expressed in the
estimated execution plan and the actual execution plan. I described a number of options
for obtaining either of these plans: graphically, output as text, or as XML. Either the
graphical plans or the XML plans will give us all the data we need, but it's going to be up
to you to decide which to use and when, based on the needs you're addressing and how
you hope to address them.
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