How to prevent statistics creation on a column?

Question

I have a table with a column that I do not want statistics to be created or updated on. I get a better join cardinality estimate if I force the query optimizer to use density of statistics on the primary key as opposed to a statistics histogram on that column. Auto-update and auto-create statistics are on at the database level and I cannot change that.

If you want to suggest alternatives to preventing statistics creation keep in mind that the table is used in a view referenced by thousands of different queries. I do not have control over the queries that are run.

My initial strategy was to create statistics on the column with the NOCOMPUTE and SAMPLE 0 ROWS options. I was under the impression that SQL Server would not automatically create statistics on a column that already has a statistics object, but this has happened on our dev and QA servers.

New statistics were created for COL_GROUP. My NORECOMPUTE statistic was not updated. I don't know why the statistics were created and I've been unable to trigger that myself by running queries.

Is there a way to prevent SQL Server from automatically creating statistics on one column? My table only has two columns so a solution that prevents auto-stats from being created on a single table would also solve my problem.

Trace flags 4139 and 2371 are on in case it makes a difference.

If you want to play around with the table structure I've included it and sample data below:

CREATE TABLE X_NO_COLUMN_STATS(
    [COL_USER] [varchar](256) NOT NULL,
    [COL_GROUP] [int] NOT NULL,
 CONSTRAINT [PK_X_NO_COLUMN_STATS] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED 
(
    [COL_USER] ASC,
    [COL_GROUP] ASC
)WITH (DATA_COMPRESSION = PAGE)
);

-- prevent stats from being updated on COL_GROUP
CREATE STATISTICS [X_NO_COLUMN_STATS__COL_GROUP] ON X_NO_COLUMN_STATS ([COL_GROUP]) WITH NORECOMPUTE, SAMPLE 0 ROWS;

BEGIN TRANSACTION;
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',104);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',106);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',107);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',108);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',110);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',111);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',112);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',113);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',114);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',116);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',117);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',118);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',121);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',123);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',124);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',125);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',126);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',129);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',132);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',137);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',139);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',140);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',144);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',145);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',147);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',152);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',153);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',154);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',155);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',162);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',163);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',165);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',168);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',169);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',170);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('CUSER1',178);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',102);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',103);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',109);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',110);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',111);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',112);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',114);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',115);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',119);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',120);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',121);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',123);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',124);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',126);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',128);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',136);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',137);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',138);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',142);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',143);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',148);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',151);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',152);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',155);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',156);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',157);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',158);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',165);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',167);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',168);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',169);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',171);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',173);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',176);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',177);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('OUSER19',178);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',104);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',108);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',109);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',111);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',112);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',113);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',114);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',116);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',117);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',118);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',121);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',123);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',124);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',125);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',126);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',129);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',132);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',137);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',139);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',140);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',144);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',145);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',147);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',152);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',154);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',155);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',162);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',163);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',165);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',168);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',169);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',170);
INSERT INTO X_NO_COLUMN_STATS VALUES ('TUSER30',178);
COMMIT TRANSACTION;

I know about sp_autostats but I need something to prevent the creation of automatic statistics. sp_autostats only prevents the statistics from being auto-updated.

Answer 1

I think the trick is to create the user-defined statistic using the same name that the equivalent auto-generated statistic would take.

In my testing, when the correctly-named user-defined Statistic exists, an auto-generated one doesn't get created.

I'm using 15.0.4102.2 with your trace flags 2371 and 4139.

Try dropping the auto-generated statistic (or starting with a new, empty table) and using this:

DECLARE @stmt nvarchar(4000);
    
SELECT @stmt = 
    N'CREATE STATISTICS '
    + QUOTENAME
        (
        N'_WA_Sys_' 
        + RIGHT(N'0000000' + CONVERT(nvarchar(11), column_id), 8) 
        + N'_' 
        + CONVERT(nchar(8), CAST([object_id] AS binary(4)), 2)
        )
    + N' ON '
    + QUOTENAME(OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME([object_id])) 
    + N'.' 
    + QUOTENAME(OBJECT_NAME([object_id])) 
    + N' ('
    + QUOTENAME([name]) 
    + N') WITH NORECOMPUTE, SAMPLE 0 ROWS;'
FROM sys.columns
WHERE 
    [object_id] = OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.X_NO_COLUMN_STATS')
    AND [name] = N'COL_GROUP';

RAISERROR('%s', 0, 1, @stmt) WITH NOWAIT;
    
EXEC sp_executesql @stmt = @stmt

The [auto_created] and [user_created] flags indicate the new statistic was user-defined, and that it is not updated on data-modification:

SELECT stat.[name],
       stat.stats_id,
       stat.auto_created,
       stat.user_created,
       stat.no_recompute,
       sp.[rows],
       sp.rows_sampled,
       sp.modification_counter
FROM sys.stats AS stat
CROSS APPLY sys.dm_db_stats_properties
    (stat.[object_id], stat.stats_id) AS sp
WHERE stat.[object_id] = OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.X_NO_COLUMN_STATS');

name	stats_id	auto_created	user_created	no_recompute	rows	rows_sampled	modification_counter
PK_X_NO_COLUMN_STATS	1	0	0	0	1000	1000	2000
_WA_Sys_00000002_04E4BC85	2	0	1	1	NULL	NULL	NULL

Without using the equivalent naming approach, the auto-generated statistic looks and behaves as expected:

name	stats_id	auto_created	user_created	no_recompute	rows	rows_sampled	modification_counter
PK_X_NO_COLUMN_STATS	1	0	0	0	1000	1000	2000
_WA_Sys_00000002_0E6E26BF	2	1	0	0	1000	1000	2000

Answer 2

Create а new database (let's call it TestStats), disable Auto Create Statistics on and move the X_NO_COLUMN_STATS table there. After this create a view in your database which will point to the table without histogram:

CREATE VIEW X_NO_COLUMN_STATS
AS
    SELECT [COL_USER], [COL_GROUP] FROM TestStats.dbo.X_NO_COLUMN_STATS;
GO

If I got your problem correctly at this point you will achieve what you want. Your CRUD operations will work with a table without statistics (yes, it will be located in another database, and this should be kept in mind always) through the view with the same name as your table was.