INF: Tunable Lock Escalation in SQL Server 6.0 and 6.5

MORE INFORMATION

The following is the decision tree which is used to determine when the number of page locks held on a table should be escalated to a TABLE lock.

Abbreviations used are :
LEmax : LE threshold maximum
LEmin : LE threshold minimum
LEpercent : LE threshold percent
TABesc : number of pages when lock escalation occurs
Total : Number of table pages

if ( LEpercent = 0 )   then
   TABesc = LEmax -- LE threshold min has no significance
else
   TABesc = min { max ( LEmin, LEpercent*Total) , min ( LEmax,
LEpercent*Total) }
				

NOTES:

In the algorithm discussed above, extent locks do not count toward the "lock escalation."

Also, the above applies to individual statements and not to transactions.