title: What is SQL Server doing between the time my first record is returned and when my last record is returned?
body: <p>Say I have a query that returns 10,000 records.  When the first record has returned what can I assume about the state of my query?  </p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Has it finished and is just returning records from the server to my instance of SSMS?  </li>
  <li>Is the query itself still being executed on the server?  </li>
  <li>What is it that causes the 10,000 records to be slowly returned for one query and nearly instantly for another?</li>
  </ol>