How often are indexes updated?

  • When an index is created with STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, how frequently is the index updated? Is it updated every time the table has new rows created on it?

  • I'm pretty sure the index always gets updated when rows are INSERTed, UPDATEd or DELETEd regardless of the setting, because it must or the database would lose track of rows in the table. What is not updated is statistics on any queries that use the table.

    If you add the INDEX with STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = ON, then existing statistics would be retained for all impacted queries, impairing the optimizer's ability to utilize the new INDEX to improve a queries performance. With it OFF, then the statistics would be updated when the INDEX is added.

    Someone else may be better equipped to explain this than me though.

    While they're at it, why did MS have to use STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE instead of STATISTICS_RECOMPUTE? The double negative drives me batty! :w00t:


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    My advice:
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  • Golfer22 (12/25/2012)


    When an index is created with STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF, how frequently is the index updated? Is it updated every time the table has new rows created on it?

    Within the same operation as the base table. SQL's indexes are never out of sync with the table.

    STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE has nothing to do with the index itself. If it's set on it just means that that index's statistics object is not automatically updated.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
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