How is sys.servers query_timeout set?

Great answers. In summary … Use SSMS to set server “remote query timeout”. Use sp_serveroption to override local “remote query timeout” in sys.servers

Thank you both.

'remote query timeout' is the timeout for a remote operation on your server.

sys.servers lists the local and linked servers that have been configured, and the query_timeout column is the timeout specified for connections made through that linked server. Normally this is set at 0 which means use the remote servers default.

You would set this either through SSMS or sp_serveroption

Let's see if I'm keeping correctly track of the precedece. For a linked server:

• If sys.servers value is 0, use sp_configure value
• If sys.servers value is <>0, use sys.servers value
• Change sys.servers value using sp_serveroption http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms178532.aspx