char - sql server

• Use   varchar/nvarchar   columns   instead   of   text/ntext   columns   whenever   possible.  Because   SQL   Server  stores   text/ntext   columns   on   the  Text/Image   pages   separately   from   the   other   data,   stored  on   the   Data   pages,   it   can   take   more   time   to   get  the   text/ntext   values.    

• Use   char/varchar   columns   instead   of   nchar/nvarchar   if   you   do   not   need   to   store   unicode   data.  The   char/varchar   value   uses   only   one   byte   to   store  one   character,   the   nchar/nvarchar   value   uses   two   bytes  to   store   one   character,   so   the   char/varchar   columns   use  two   times   less   space   to   store   data   in   comparison  with   nchar/nvarchar   columns.  

• Consider   setting   the   'text   in   row'   SQL   Server   2000   table's   option.  The   text,   ntext,   and   image   values   are   stored   on   the  Text/Image   pages,   by   default.   This   option   specifies  that   small   text,   ntext,   and   image   values   will   be  placed   on   the   Data   pages   with   other   data   values   in  a   data   row.   This   can   increase   the   speed   of   read   and  write   operations   and   reduce   the   amount   of   space   used  to   store   small   text,   ntext,   and   image   data   values.  You   can   set   the   'text   in   row'   table   option   by   using  the   sp_tableoption   stored   procedure.