---
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:<br /><br /> `Relative`: <br />                  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: <br />`<Configuration SpecificationMode="Relative">`<br /><br /> `Absolute`: <br />                  Evaluates the specified configuration as a standalone configuration. When Absolute is specified, Database Engine Tuning Advisor does not consider the existing configuration. For example:<br />`<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 &#40;DTA&#41;](dtainput-element-dta.md)|  
|**Child elements**|[Server Element for Configuration &#40;DTA&#41;](server-element-for-configuration-dta.md)|  
  
## Example  
 For a usage example of this element, see the [XML Input File Sample with User-specified Configuration &#40;DTA&#41;](xml-input-file-sample-with-user-specified-configuration-dta.md).  
  
## See Also  
 [XML Input File Reference &#40;Database Engine Tuning Advisor&#41;](xml-input-file-reference-database-engine-tuning-advisor.md)