Partitioned Tables
Partitioned Tables in SQL Server allow a large table to be split into smaller, more manageable pieces called partitions,
based on values in a specific column. Physically, data is distributed across multiple partitions—often aligned with filegroups—but logically, it’s still a single table.
based on values in a specific column. Physically, data is distributed across multiple partitions—often aligned with filegroups—but logically, it’s still a single table.
Partitioning improves:
- Query performance: only relevant partitions are scanned (partition elimination).
- Maintenance: operations like SWITCH and MERGE enable fast data archiving and loading.
- Storage management: optimize I/O across multiple disks.
Common use cases include large transaction tables, time-series data, and archival datasets. Partitioning works best when aligned with indexes and statistics for optimal performance.