SQL Server Wait Type: HADR_SYNC_COMMIT

Wait statistics, in the context of SQL Server, refer to the amount of time that a query spends waiting to access data in the database. When a client application requests data from the database, the request is placed in a queue and the client application must wait for its turn to access the data. The time that the query spends waiting is called a “wait” and is tracked by SQL Server. This information can be used to identify potential performance bottlenecks and optimize the performance of the database. Wait statistics are commonly used by database administrators to diagnose and troubleshoot performance issues in SQL Server.

In order to ensure the availability and durability of data, SQL Server uses a technology called “Always On Availability Groups” (AAG) to replicate data across multiple servers and automatically fail over in the event of a server failure.

One of the wait types associated with AAG is called HADR_SYNC_COMMIT. This wait type is triggered when a SQL Server process is committing a transaction to the local database and is waiting for the transaction to be replicated to the secondary replicas in the AAG.

When a SQL Server process performs a write operation, such as inserting, updating, or deleting data, it must first commit the changes to the local database. This involves writing the changes to the database files and updating the transaction log.

Once the changes have been committed to the local database, they must then be replicated to the secondary replicas in the AAG. This is done to ensure that the data remains available and consistent across all replicas in the AAG.

The process of replicating the changes to the secondary replicas can sometimes take some time, depending on the size and complexity of the transaction. In these cases, the SQL Server process will wait for the replication to complete before it can continue with its work. This waiting is what is known as a HADR_SYNC_COMMIT wait.

While the HADR_SYNC_COMMIT wait type is generally not a cause for concern, it can sometimes indicate a performance issue if it is occurring frequently or for long periods of time. In these cases, it may be necessary to investigate the cause of the issue and take steps to improve performance, such as optimizing the replication process or increasing the systems resources.

Overall, the HADR_SYNC_COMMIT wait type is an important part of how SQL Server uses AAG to ensure the availability and durability of data. By understanding this wait type and its potential impact on performance, database administrators can ensure that their systems are running efficiently and effectively.

More details avilable on this wait type here: http://DatabaseHealth.com/Waits/HADR_SYNC_COMMIT.html

Do you have a favorite tool for monitoring your wait statistics on SQL Server over time? This is something that you can use Database Health monitor to do. More details at http://DatabaseHealth.com.

If you are having performance issues associated with this wait type and need some help, please contact us with our 30 minute consultation link.