SQL/MP Reference Manual
HP NonStop SQL/MP Reference Manual—523352-013
E-19
Considerations—EXPLAIN
Query plan n Specifies the number of the query and whether the plan involves 
parallel execution.
Requested  Specifies whether the sort or hash operation was requested by the 
optimizer or explicitly requested by the user.
SBB for [Insert] 
 [Update]
Specifies whether virtual sequential block buffering (VSBB) is used 
for insert or update operations.
SBB for reads Specifies whether real or virtual sequential block buffering (SBB) is 
used for read operations.
Seq Blocksplit Indicates that the user requested blocks to be split as for sequential 
inserts by specifying the CONTROL TABLE SEQUENTIAL 
BLOCKSPLIT ON option.
Sort cost  Indicates the relative cost of the sort operation. Lower numbers 
indicate more efficient and less costly execution.
Sort key columns Identifies columns used in the sort by column names qualified by 
correlation or table names or (if the sort column is an expression) by 
position in the select list. Also lists collations associated with the sort 
columns.
Sort rows in the  Specifies whether the rows sorted are from the result of a SELECT 
statement or a union of SELECT statements, on the current table, or 
on a composite table.
Sort technique Describes the sort technique: FastSort or insertion into a 
key-sequenced file.
Sort type Describes the type of sort: insertion into an entry-sequenced disk file, 
parallel sorting, parallel sort/merge, Sortmerge, or User Process 
Sort.
SQL request Specifies the type of statement that is the subject of the plan: 
DELETE INSERT-SELECT
UPDATE UNION of SELECT
SELECT UNION of INSERT-SELECTs
INSERT
Table Specifies the fully qualified Guardian name of the table. For scan or 
join operations, the name represents the table being accessed; for 
an INSERT operation, the name represents the table to receive the 
inserted data.
Table selectivity The percentage of the table that is reflected in the result.
Table E-1. EXPLAIN Plan Header Lines (page4of5)
Item Action










