Explain Plan

What is EXPLAIN?

For each query executed in the database, PE will generate a execution plan i.e step-by-step process to
fetch the data or to complete the task
The EXPLAIN facility provides an "English" translation of the plan the SQL Optimizer develops to service
a request.

The EXPLAIN is an excellent facility for the following activities:

Determining Access Paths
Validating the use of indexes
To determine locking profiles
Estimate the query runtime

Sample Syntax for Explain is.

EXPLAIN Select Emp_ID, Emp_Name from Emp_Table ;

If we pass an explain command in front of a query statement or Simply Press F6 key, there are a several
estimated confidence messages that the optimizer will relay to the user is

High Confidence - Statistics available on an Index or Column.

Low Confidence Statistics are not available and filter on any index (PI or SI) column.
No Confidence Statistics are not available and filter on NON-index column.

Understanding the EXPLAIN Terminology you should know the Keywords.

Keyword Explanation
Pseudo tables are the dummy tables, Whenever we place a request which
Locking involves full table scan and needs data to be retrieved from all AMPS then the
Pseudo parsing engine identifies a gatekeeper AMP which can command all other AMP
Table to lock for a particular request from the user and does not allow multiple user to
access the same table to prevent global deadlock

Locking Indicates that an ACCESS, READ, WRITE, or EXCLUSIVE lock has been
table for placed on the table

Select - Read
 All operatins related to data like insert,update,delete - Wrire
All operations realted to definition change i.e ALTER (adding new column,droping new
column),DROP,CREATE - Exclusive

Locking Indicates that an ACCESS, READ, or WRITE, lock is placed on rows read or
rows for written

All AMPs All AMPs are receiving the AMP steps and are involved in providing the answer
retrieve set

Join Types

The fastest join possible. It uses a UPI to retrieve a single row after using a UPI
Nested join
or a USI in the WHERE to reduce the join to a single row.

Rows of one table are matched to the other table on common domain columns
Merge join
after being sorted into the same sequence, normally Row Hash

Product Rows of one table are matched to all rows of another table with no concern for
join domain match

ROWID A very fast join. It uses the ROWID of a UPI to retrieve a single row after using
join a UPI or a USI in the WHERE to reduce the join to a single row.

Below are the some examples

Example for FULL TABLE SCAN

EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM Emp_Table;

1. First, we lock a distinct SQL_CLASS."pseudo table" for read on a RowHash to prevent global deadlock
for SQL_CLASS.Emp_Table.

2. Next, we lock SQL_CLASS.Emp_Table for read.

3. We do an all-AMPs RETRIEVE step from SQL_CLASS.Emp_Table by way of an all-rows scan with no

residual conditions into Spool 1 (group_amps), which is built locally on the AMPs. The size of Spool 1 is
estimated with low confidence to be 6 rows (342 bytes). The estimated time for this step is 0.03 seconds.

4. Finally, we send out an END TRANSACTION step to all AMPs involved in processing the request.
-> The contents of Spool 1 are sent back to the user as the result of statement 1. The total estimated time
is 0.03 seconds.

If you see all-AMPs RETRIEVE by way of an all-rows scan in your plan, that means teradata is doing a
Full Table Scan. So it is reading every row in the table.

Explain Example Unique Primary Index (UPI)

EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM Emp_Table WHERE Emp_No = 123000;

1. First, we do a single-AMP RETRIEVE step from SQL_CLASS.Emp_Table by way of the unique

primary index "SQL_CLASS.Emp_Table.Emp_No = 123000" with no residual conditions. The estimated
time for this step is 0.01 seconds.
-> The row is sent directly back to the user as the result of statement 1. The total estimated time is 0.01
seconds.

In the Emp_table, Emp_no is the Unique Primary Index. So USI used in where clause. So it gives Single-
AMP retrieve by way of the Unique Primary Index. This is the fastest query!

Explain Example Non-Unique Primary Index (NUPI)

EXPLAIN SELECT * FROM Sales_Table WHERE Product_ID = 1000;

1. First, we do a single-AMP RETRIEVE step from SQL_CLASS.Sales_Table by way of the primary

index"SQL_CLASS.Sales_Table.Product_ID = 1000" with no residual conditions into Spool 1 (one-amp),
which is built locally on that AMP. The size of Spool 1 is estimated with low confidence to be 2 rows (66
bytes). The estimated time for this step is 0.02 seconds.
-> The contents of Spool 1 are sent back to the user as the result of statement 1. The total estimated time
is 0.02 seconds.

Explain Example Unique Seconday Index (USI)

Explain SELECT * FROM Emp_Table WHERE
First_name="Sachin" and
Last_name=""tendulkar"
1. First, we do a two-AMP RETRIEVE step from SQL_CLASS.Emp_Table by way of unique index # 12
"SQL_CLASS.Emp_Table.Last_name = 'tendulkar ' , SQL_CLASS.Emp_Table.First_name = 'Sachin'"
with no residual conditions. The estimated time for this step is 0.01 seconds.
->The row is sent directly back to the user as the result of statement 1. The total estimated time is 0.01
seconds.

Explain Example Redistributed to All-AMPs

EXPLAIN SELECT Emp.*, Dept**

FROM Emp_Table as Emp
INNER JOIN
Department_Table as Dept
ON Emp.Dept_No = Dept.Dept_No;

4. We do an all-AMPs RETRIEVE step from SQL_CLASS.Emp by way of an all-rows scan with a

condition of ("NOT (SQL_CLASS.Emp.Dept_No IS NULL)") into Spool 2 (all_amps), which
is redistributed by the hash code of (SQL_CLASS.Emp.Dept_No) to all AMPs. Then we do a SORT to
order Spool 2 by row hash. The size of Spool 2 is estimated with low confidence to be 6 rows (294 bytes).
The estimated time for this step is 0.01 seconds.

5 We do an all-AMPs JOIN step from SQL_CLASS.Dept by way of a RowHash match scan, which is
joined to Spool 2 (Last Use) by way of a RowHash match scan. SQL_CLASS.Dept and Spool 2 are
joined using a merge join, with a join condition of ("Dept_No = SQL_CLASS.Dept.Dept_No").