SqlBulkCopy

SqlBulkCopy is a .NET class that provides a way to efficiently copy a large number of rows from a data source to a SQL Server table. It is part of the System.Data.SqlClient namespace. This class is particularly useful when dealing with large datasets, as it bypasses some of the overhead associated with standard INSERT statements, leading to significantly faster data insertion.

The SqlBulkCopy class works by staging the data in memory and then sending it to the SQL Server in batches. This batching mechanism is a key contributor to its performance advantage. Users can configure various options for the bulk copy operation, such as the batch size, the timeout period, and whether to enable identity insert. It can also handle mappings between columns in the source data and columns in the destination SQL Server table, allowing for flexibility even if the column names or order differ.

To use SqlBulkCopy, you typically create an instance of the class, specifying the destination SQL Server table. Then, you call the WriteToServer method, passing in a DataTable, an IDataReader, or an XmlReader that contains the data to be copied. The SqlBulkCopy class handles the transaction management and error handling for the operation. It is a powerful tool for scenarios requiring high-performance data loading into SQL Server databases.