Bad doc for NewSequentialId -- what does it mean?

For NewSequentialId, BOL says "Creates a GUID that is greater than any GUID
previously generated by this function on a specified computer.".

This is not right - you do not "specify" a computer, so the word
"specified" is meaningless and unneccessary in the definition. Maybe the
function actually "Creates a GUID that is greater than any GUID previously
generated by this function on a SPECIFIC computer.". But even so, which
computer?

Are the GUIDs increasing on the SQL server that holds the database, or on
the computer that is connected to the server and causing the
NewSequentialId() function to be run? This function probably runs ON the
server, since it can't be run directly from a Query Analyzer window. But
I'm not sure.

This distinction is crucial, because the description doesn't tell you what
happens when six users are connected to one server. Will each execution of
Newsequentialid() by ANY of the connected users result in strictly
increasing GUIDs, or are the GUIDS only increasing within each connected
computer? Inquiring minds want to know. And the word "specified" doesn't
add anything.

Maybe the description should say "Creates a GUID that is greater than any
GUID previously generated by this function on the SQL server.". Assuming
that description is correct, that is, and I'm not sure it is.

If anyone knows the answer, please let me know. Thanks. I have submitted
a Feedback form.

David Walker

On Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:41:52 -0800, DWalker07 wrote:

>For NewSequentialId, BOL says "Creates a GUID that is greater than any GUID
>previously generated by this function on a specified computer.".
>
>This is not right - you do not "specify" a computer, so the word
>"specified" is meaningless and unneccessary in the definition. Maybe the
>function actually "Creates a GUID that is greater than any GUID previously
>generated by this function on a SPECIFIC computer.". But even so, which
>computer?

It just means the computer which is running the function. If you run
newsequentialid on computer X, it should produce a guid greater than
any produced by newsequentialid running on X since the last reboot.

>Are the GUIDs increasing on the SQL server that holds the database, or on
>the computer that is connected to the server and causing the
>NewSequentialId() function to be run? This function probably runs ON the
>server, since it can't be run directly from a Query Analyzer window. But
>I'm not sure.

It's run server-sde.

>This distinction is crucial, because the description doesn't tell you what
>happens when six users are connected to one server. Will each execution of
>Newsequentialid() by ANY of the connected users result in strictly
>increasing GUIDs, or are the GUIDS only increasing within each connected
>computer? Inquiring minds want to know. And the word "specified" doesn't
>add anything.

Bear in mind that you shouldn't rely on the order of the guids in any
semantic way - newsequentialid is purely a performance feature.

GSEJ