LCK_M_SIX_ABORT_BLOCKERS

Description

This wait occurs when a request is waiting to acquire a Shared Intent Exclusive lock with the low priority options added in SQL Server 2014. This typically happens when read requests are blocked by write transactions (implicit of explicit) been kept open for extended periods of time. The low priority operations must be set to abort blockers for this wait type to accumulate

Resolved by

DBAs and Developers

Suggested solutions

  1. If possible, run low priority tasks outside regular business hours. Using abort blockers will cause interruption to users and could cause application issues
  2. Keep transaction durations short
  3. Ensure transactions isolation levels are appropriate (avoid SERIALIZEABLE and REPEATABLE READ if possible)
  4. Investigate enabling the READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT database setting
  5. Run trace/Profiler/Extended Event session in conjunction with Blocked Process Threshold to determine which queries are being blocked
  6. Indexing, ensure long running queries and transactions are optimised
  7. Ensure locks being escalated correctly: row, page or table (if table is partitioned considered enabling partition escalation)

Additional research

Reducing SQL Server Locks
Understanding Isolation Levels
Identify the Cause of SQL Server Blocking
Lock Escalations

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