Performance analysis and query optimization are crucial duties while working with SQL Server. To assist developers and DBAs in troubleshooting and monitoring SQL query performance, SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) comes with a number of built-in tools. Client statistics are one such underappreciated yet effective instrument. 

In SSMS, what are client statistics?
In SSMS, client statistics give specific details about how a query operates from the standpoint of the client (SSMS), as opposed to the SQL Server engine. Client statistics provide information on the duration of each client-side step and aid in comparing different executions of the same query, whereas execution plans describe how the query is carried out.

How to Enable and Use Client Statistics in SSMS?

  • Open SSMS and connect to your SQL Server.
  • Open a New Query window.
  • Click on the Query menu.
  • Select Include Client Statistics (or press Shift + Alt + S).
  • Run your SQL query.

You’ll notice a new tab named "Client Statistics" appears next to the "Results" and "Messages" tabs as above.
It will show multiple results where we can comapare persormance result as below. Note: Statistics will show up to 10 results. After that, it will add in 10th result as the latest.

Statistics
Key Metrics in Client Statistics

1. Query Profile Statistics

Statistic Description
Number of SELECT statements Count of SELECT statements executed.
Rows returned by SELECT statements How many rows were returned?
Network packets sent/received Useful for analyzing network impact.
TDS (Tabular Data Stream) packet count Helps in understanding low-level client-server communication.

2. Time Statistics


Statistic		 Description
Client processing time Time taken by SSMS to process and display the result.
Total execution time Overall time including server processing + client overhead.
Wait time on server replies Time spent waiting for the server to respond.

3. Aggregate Totals
When you run the same query multiple times (e.g., for performance comparison), SSMS shows:

Statistic Description
Average Mean of all runs for that metric.
Last Metrics for the most recent run.
High Highest value among all runs.
Low Lowest value among all runs.

Why Use Client Statistics?
Benefits

  • Helps in query optimization.
  • Assists in identifying network delays.
  • Aids in performance tuning during development or testing.
  • Enables comparative analysis of different query versions.

Real-World Scenario Example
Suppose you're optimizing a stored procedure. You can,

  • Enable client statistics.
  • Run the stored procedure once with your original query.
  • Modify your query (e.g., by adding an index or changing a join).
  • Re-run and compare the Total execution time, Network packets, and Rows returned.

This helps you quantify improvements or spot regressions easily.

Limitations to Keep in Mind

  • Client Statistics reflect client-side performance, not full server-side analysis.
  • They don't replace Execution Plans or Dynamic Management Views (DMVs).
  • Useful mainly during development or testing, not in production environments.

Conclusion
Client Statistics in SSMS are a simple yet powerful feature to understand query performance from the client perspective. Though often overlooked, they are valuable for developers and DBAs working on performance tuning and query optimization. Next time you run a SQL query in SSMS, give Client Statistics a try it might give you insights you weren't expecting!

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