Which method is recommended for inserting data into a columnstore index?

The recommended method for inserting data into a columnstore index is through a bulk insert. This method is optimized for high efficiency and performance, particularly when dealing with large volumes of data. Columnstore indexes are designed primarily for analytical workloads, where data is often loaded in large batches rather than one row at a time.

Bulk inserts take advantage of the architecture of columnstore indexes by allowing data to be loaded in bulk, reducing logging overhead and improving performance. This method also minimizes fragmentation and helps maintain the efficiency of columnstore indexes, which can benefit from the optimized data storage and retrieval mechanisms that are in place for bulk operations.

In contrast, other methods such as normal inserts generally involve row-by-row operations, which can be significantly slower and less efficient when dealing with large datasets. Sequential inserts can work well but are not as optimized as bulk inserts for this scenario, while indexed inserts apply additional locking mechanisms that can hinder performance and are not suitable for bulk loading into columnstore indexes specifically.