Should i use MAXDOP to improve my maintenance stored procedure?

Question

Okay so i understand the basics of MAXDOP, but i want to understand if this a valid scenario for using it.

I have a stored procedure which is quite resource hungry, but has been optimized to the max. It currently takes 30 minutes (local) to refresh an entire system (what is refreshes isnt really important).

This procedure will get executed manually say once every couple of months, or as necessary.

Local (DEV) Server:

• 4 CPU's
• Windows 7
• SQL Server 2008

Live Server:

• 16 CPU's (i believe)
• Windows Server 2008
• SQL Server 2008.

Should i be using MAXDOP here? If it takes 30 minutes on my local, how fast would it (approximately) be with MAXDOP on live?

If so, how and where do i use it? The stored procedure calls other stored procedures, which call others, etc. If i specify MAXDOP for this stored procedure, will it retain this hint for all other stored procedures (ie in the scope of the parent stored procedure)?

Answer 1

I ended up not using MAXDOP - partially because no-one on Stack Overflow gave me any advice!!!! =)