configuration-element-dta.md

title	Configuration Element (DTA) | Microsoft Docs
ms.custom
ms.date	06/13/2017
ms.prod	sql-server-2014
ms.reviewer
ms.technology	tools-other
ms.topic	conceptual
dev_langs	XML
helpviewer_keywords	Configuration element
ms.assetid	1478e56f-57c4-4441-bac9-1ac91453839b
author	stevestein
ms.author	sstein
manager	craigg

Configuration Element (DTA)

Specifies a user-specified configuration consisting of existing and hypothetical physical design structures for the Database Engine Tuning Advisor to analyze when tuning a workload.

Syntax

  
<DTAInput>  
    <Server>...</Server>  
    <Workload>...</Workload>  
    <TuningOptions>...</TuningOptions  
    <Configuration [SpecificationMode="Relative" | "Absolute"]>  
    ...code removed here...  
    </Configuration>  
</DTAInput>  

Element Attributes

Configuration Attribute

Description

SpecificationMode

Optional. Specifies whether Database Engine Tuning Advisor should analyze the specified configuration in relation to the current existing configuration, or as a completely new, standalone one. Use a string data type to specify this attribute with one of the following allowed values: Relative: Evaluates the specified configuration in relation to the current existing configuration of physical design structures (indexes, indexed views, partitioning) in the database that is being tuned. For example: <Configuration SpecificationMode="Relative"> Absolute: Evaluates the specified configuration as a standalone configuration. When Absolute is specified, Database Engine Tuning Advisor does not consider the existing configuration. For example: <Configuration SpecificationMode="Absolute">

Element Characteristics

Characteristic	Description
Data type and length	None.
Default value	None.
Occurrence	Optional. Can use once for each DTAInput element.

Element Relationships

Relationship	Elements
Parent element	DTAInput Element (DTA)
Child elements	Server Element for Configuration (DTA)

Example

For a usage example of this element, see the XML Input File Sample with User-specified Configuration (DTA).

See Also

XML Input File Reference (Database Engine Tuning Advisor)