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When a stored procedure is first executed SQL Server looks at the input parameters and uses this as guidance to build the query plan. This is known as "parameter sniffing". This is good as long as the input parameters for the first invocation are typical for future invocations. But if that is not the case this will cause performance problems.
Okay, I understand parameter sniffing, How should I handle it ?
There are different approaches to handle parameter sniffing. but we need an example to work with.

CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.getShippingInfo
@OrderID int
AS
BEGIN  
 SET NOCOUNT ON    
 SELECT CustomerName, Address, zipCode, province, country    
 FROM dbo.Orders    
 WHERE OrderID = @OrderID 
END

1. Replace parameters with local variables


This solution is based on assigning the stored procedure parameters to local variables and then using the local variables in the query. This works because SQL Server is not sniffing local variables and using the local variables in place of parameters forces plan generated based on statistics (in effect this disables parameter sniffing).

   1: CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.getShippingInfo

   2: @OrderID int

   3: AS

   4: BEGIN 

   5:     SET NOCOUNT ON

   6:     DECLARE @spOrderID int =  @OrderID  

   7:     SELECT CustomerName, Address, zipCode, province, country   

   8:     FROM dbo.Orders   

   9:     WHERE OrderID = @spOrderID

  10: END

2.Execute using WITH RECOMPILE


This solution forces recompile of the stored procedure on each run, that way forcing a fresh query plan for the current parameters. Note that this will recompile all statements inside the stored procedure.

   1: exec dbo.getShippingInfo @orderID = 12345 WITH RECOMPILE

3.Query hint RECOMPILE


SQL Server 2005 offers the new query hint RECOMPILE which will force recompilation of the individual query. This method is better than the prior method because recompilation will affect only one statement and all other queries in the stored procedure will not be recompiled.

   1: CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.getShippingInfo

   2: @OrderID int

   3: AS

   4: BEGIN 

   5:     SET NOCOUNT ON

   6:     DECLARE @spOrderID int =  @OrderID  

   7:     SELECT CustomerName, Address, zipCode, province, country   

   8:     FROM dbo.Orders   

   9:     WHERE OrderID = @spOrderID OPTION (RECOMPILE)

  10: END

4.Query hint OPTIMIZE FOR


Another new query hint in SQL Server 2005 is OPTIMIZE FOR. It allows specifying a constant that will be used to optimize the query plan instead of the variable. This could be useful if it is known that particular selective value is frequently used to invoke the stored procedure. However, any other parameter value will suffer the same performance problems.

   1: CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.getShippingInfo

   2: @OrderID int

   3: AS

   4: BEGIN 

   5:     SET NOCOUNT ON

   6:     DECLARE @spOrderID int =  @OrderID  

   7:     SELECT CustomerName, Address, zipCode, province, country   

   8:     FROM dbo.Orders   

   9:     WHERE OrderID = @spOrderID OPTION (OPTIMIZE FOR UNKNOWN)
  10: END

Plan Guides


Plan guides in SQL Server 2005 provide the opportunity to optimize a query without changing the actual code of the query. This is especially useful when dealing with third party vendor applications where access to code may not be available. A plan guide allows associating query hints with a query without changing the query.

   1: EXEC sp_create_plan_guide      

   2:     @name = N'SolveParameterSniffing',     

   3:     @stmt = N'SELECT CustomerName, Address, zipCode, province, country FROM dbo.Orders WHERE OrderID = @OrderID',     

   4:     @type = N'OBJECT',     

   5:     @module_or_batch = N'getShippingInfo',     

   6:     @params = NULL,     

   7:     @hints = N'OPTION (RECOMPILE)';

USE PLAN query hint


Another plan stability feature in SQL Server 2005 is the USE PLAN "xml_plan" query hint, which allows forcing the use of a specific plan every time the query is run.