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Bulk Operations using ADO.NET Core

In this article, I will discuss Bulk Operations in ADO.NET Core with Examples. Please read our previous article discussing ADO.NET Core Distributed Transactions with Examples. Working with large datasets is common in modern applications, whether you’re importing millions of records from a CSV file or syncing databases. That’s where Bulk Operations in ADO.NET Core come into play.

What are Bulk Operations in ADO.NET Core?

Efficient data loading and processing are critical in high‑performance applications. Bulk operations refer to performing a large number of database operations, such as inserts, updates, deletes, or merges, in a single, efficient transaction. Instead of processing rows individually, bulk operations utilize batch processing techniques to handle thousands, or even millions of records, simultaneously. This approach minimizes round-trips to the database server, reduces overhead, and significantly improves performance for large datasets.

Why Do We Need Bulk Operations in ADO.NET Core?

When handling large datasets, traditional row-by-row data processing methods become highly inefficient, slow, and resource-intensive. Bulk operations in ADO.NET Core are needed for the following reasons:

• Performance Optimization: Dramatically reduces the time required to insert or update multiple records by reducing the number of database round-trips and SQL command parsing.
• Reduced Resource Consumption: With one transaction and one execution plan, and minimal server context switches, server resource consumption is lower.
• Network Efficiency: Fewer network calls result in lower bandwidth and costs, especially for cloud-hosted or remote databases, where costs are calculated based on database calls.

The following are some of the real-world reasons where you need to use bulk operations:

Importing large CSV files

• Problem with Normal Approach: Takes hours using INSERT loops.
• Solution via Bulk Operations: Takes seconds with bulk insert.

Syncing APIs with massive payloads

• Problem with Normal Approach: Timeouts and high CPU usage.
• Solution via Bulk Operations: Transaction-safe batch operations.

Updating inventory or pricing data

• Problem with Normal Approach: Slow performance.
• Solution via Bulk Operations: Bulk UPDATE or MERGE.

Archiving or deleting old records

• Problem with Normal Approach: Lock contention and long queries
• Solution via Bulk Operations: Bulk DELETE with minimal locks

Note: In short, Bulk Operations reduce execution time, memory usage, and network round-trips, while ensuring scalability.

What are the Different Ways to Perform Bulk Operations in ADO.NET Core?

There are several strategies available for performing bulk operations in ADO.NET Core. They are as follows:

Using SqlBulkCopy:

The SqlBulkCopy class is a built-in ADO.NET feature designed to efficiently copy large amounts of data from a data source (such as a DataTable or DataRow[]) directly into a SQL Server table. This class is optimized for bulk insert operations, reducing the overhead of individual INSERT commands and significantly improving performance when working with large datasets.

Stored Procedures using Table-Valued Parameters (TVPs):

Table-Valued Parameters enable us to pass a structured set of rows from ADO.NET Core directly into a SQL Server stored procedure, using a DataTable. Instead of sending individual rows one at a time, TVPs enable us to package multiple rows into a single parameter, which the database can then process in bulk. On the SQL side, you can MERGE or loop over the TVP to perform insert, update, and delete operations. This approach minimizes network round-trips and simplifies handling complex insert or update logic within the stored procedure.

SqlDataAdapter with Batch Updates:

The SqlDataAdapter can be configured to perform batch updates by setting the UpdateBatchSize property. This allows multiple rows to be updated or inserted in a single operation. By reducing the number of individual commands sent to the server, batch updates improve efficiency, especially when processing large datasets. It’s a convenient way to perform bulk operations while still using the familiar DataSet and DataTable objects.

MERGE Statement with Raw SQL:

The MERGE statement is a powerful SQL feature that allows you to perform inserts and updates in a single operation based on a defined match condition. By executing raw SQL with MERGE, you can streamline complex bulk operations, such as updating existing rows and inserting new ones simultaneously. Although not a direct ADO.NET feature, using raw SQL within ADO.NET (via SqlCommand) to use MERGE can be an effective way to manage bulk operations.

In the next article, I will discuss Bulk Operations using ADO.NET Core SqlBulkCopy Class with Examples. In this article, I explain Bulk Operations using ADO.NET Core with Examples. I would appreciate your feedback. Please post your feedback, questions, or comments about this article.