RUNNING, RUNNABLE & SUSPENDED STATE in SQL Server

RUNNING STATE -

The running state in SQL Server refers to a task or request that is currently being executed. When a user executes a query or an application initiates a transaction, SQL Server assigns resources to that request and starts executing it. The request will remain in the running state until it completes or is terminated.

To see which queries are currently running in SQL Server Management Studio, you can open the "Activity Monitor" and look for the "Processes" section. This section shows a list of all currently executing requests, along with information about their resource usage, status, and other details. Queries that are currently executing will have a "Running" status.

For example, if you run the following query in SQL Server Management Studio:

SELECT * FROM Orders

The query will be in the running state while it's executing, and you'll see it in the Activity Monitor with a "Running" status.

RUNNABLE STATE -

The runnable state in SQL Server refers to a task or request that is ready to be executed but is waiting for resources to become available. When a request is submitted to SQL Server, it goes into a queue to wait for resources such as CPU, memory, or I/O to become available. Once the necessary resources become available, the request moves into the runnable state and is ready to be executed.
In SQL Server Management Studio, you can view tasks that are in the runnable state by looking at the "Processes" section in the Activity Monitor. Tasks in the runnable state will have a "Runnable" status.

For example, if you have several queries that are waiting to be executed, but the server is currently busy executing other queries, those waiting queries will be in the runnable state until the necessary resources become available.

SUSPENDED STATE -

The suspended state in SQL Server refers to a task or request that is currently not executing but can be resumed later. This can happen when a request is waiting for a resource such as a lock or a page that is currently being used by another request. When this happens, the request is put into a suspended state until the required resource becomes available.

To view tasks that are in the suspended state in SQL Server Management Studio, you can look at the "Processes" section in the Activity Monitor or use the "sp_who2" command in a new query window. Tasks in the suspended state will have a "Suspended" status.

For example, if you have a query that is running and then is paused because it needs to wait for a resource, such as a locked row, the query will be in the suspended state until the required resource becomes available. Once the resource becomes available, the query will move back into the runnable state and then into the running state.

Understanding the running, runnable, and suspended states in SQL Server is important for troubleshooting performance issues and identifying bottlenecks in your system. The Activity Monitor in SQL Server Management Studio provides a useful tool for monitoring and managing these states.



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