This value is used as an upper limit on the size of the sort data structure. Adjusting this value is one way to improve the efficiency of a sort operation. Virtual memory is the number of pages of virtual memory added to the Sort image to hold the data. The lower this total value is, the more efficient the ordering operation. Elapsed time is the total wall clock time used by the sort or merge operation in hours, minutes, seconds, and hundredths of seconds.
Internal length is the size in bytes of an internal format node.
Output record length is the length of the output record. The length is computed from the input record length, the sort process, and the record reformatting requested. Sort tree size is the number of records that fit in sort's internal data structure. Number of initial runs is one indication of how well the data fits into memory. The maximum merge order is the maximum number of sorted strings that are merged at one time.