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Re: Bitmap Indexes

From: Shaibal Talukder <shaibal_talukder_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 11:43:46 -0800
Message-ID: <F001.0040A9A7.20020208112341@fatcity.com>


Helen,
Thanks. My confusion was not about bitmap index. Anyway Kirtis explanations helped to clarify my doubts.
Shaibal

>From: "Helen J Mitchell" 
>Reply-To: ORACLE-L@fatcity.com 
>To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L 
>Subject: Re: Bitmap Indexes 
>Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 09:18:30 -0800 
> 
>Hi, 
> 
>Here is an article about it bitmap indexes ... I hope this gives you information. 
> 
>Helen 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Shaibal Talukder 
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L 
> Sent: Friday, February 08, 2002 6:58 AM 
> Subject: RE: Bitmap Indexes 
> 
> 
> Kirti, 
> 
> Just cureous. Normally bitmap indexes ae ae used for low cardinality columns. I am confused when you state - "Just one table uses it(bitmap index), with b-tree indexes 
> 
> >for PKry and one other non-unique index" 
> 
> If you mean - you use Bitmap index for the non unique index with b-tree index for PKey I am OK with that. 
> 
> Shaibal 
> 
> >From: "Deshpande, Kirti" 
> >Reply-To: ORACLE-L@fatcity.com 
> >To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L 
> >Subject: RE: Bitmap Indexes 
> >Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2002 19:58:20 -0800 
> > 
> >Ethan, 
> > I have been using bitmap and b-tree indexes on the same table in our data 
> >mart since 7.3.4. Never had a problem with query performance. Now we have 
> >partitioned the tables in 8.1.7.x and most tables that were using bitmaps do 
> >not need to use them anymore. Just one table uses it, with b-tree indexes 
> >for PKry and one other non-unique index. No problems so far. 
> > The only issue we had with bitmap indexes was the way it used up extents, 
> >if those were not droppped before the dataloads. The problem still exists 
> >with 8.1.7.x. Have not tried with 9i yet.. 
> > 
> >HTH, 
> > 
> >- Kirti 
> > 
> > 
> >-----Original Message----- 
> >Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2002 3:07 PM 
> >To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L 
> > 
> > 
> >Posted on behalf of a friend... 
> > 
> > 
> >Fellow Oracle data warehouse DBAs (if this isn't you, you can delete this 
> >note now): 
> > I have a question regarding Oracle's bitmap indexes. We have been DABBLING 
> >with bitmap indexes with mixed results here. In 
> >many cases, they are great solutions. In some cases, where we have a mix of 
> >bitmap and b-tree indexes on the same table, we occasionally get into 
> >trouble --- this has to do with the Oracle optimizer deciding, on the fly, 
> >to convert a regular b-tree index into a bitmap. It does this so that it 
> >can AND or OR the various bitmap indexes together. Sounds great on the 
> >surface but when this occurs, response time goes in the toilet. 
> > 
> >In one situation we have, we have a fact table with two bitmap indexes and a 
> >few other b-tree indexes. A particular query we run bogs down (NEVER 
> >COMPLETES) with this mix of indexes. Based on the access path that's being 
> >chosen, we know which b-tree index is being converted on the fly. If we 
> >convert that b-tree index into a bitmap (so we now have 3 bitmap indexes and 
> >Oracle does not need to create the third one on the fly), the query really 
> >runs well. If we replace the bitmap indexes with b-tree indexes (so we only 
> >have b-tree indexes), we get decent response times. (This is all on Oracle 
> >8.1.7.2.0, by the way.) 
> > 
> >I'm wondering if the rest of you data warehouse DBAs have gone "whole hog" 
> >with bitmap indexes. My testing shows that when Oracle doesn't have to 
> >create a bitmap index on the fly, the queries respond wonderfully. So, I'm 
> >wondering if our dabbling is actually a bad validation approach and, 
> >instead, we should be 'running' with LOTS bitmap indexes instead of 
> >'crawling' with only a few of them. In other words, maybe we're not "taking 
> >all of our medication", as someone else put it recently. 
> > 
> >Any insight would be most appreciated. I'm not looking for insight on the 
> >query I have used as an example. I'm looking for a generalized answer that 
> >says, "Yes, if you start using bitmap indexes, you should go TOTALLY to 
> >bitmap indexes" or, "Hmmm, we're using some bitmap indexes and some b-tree 
> >indexes and don't have the problem you have". 
> >-- 
> >Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com 
> >-- 
> >Author: Post, Ethan 
> > INET: Ethan.Post@ps.net 
> >-- 
> >Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com 
> >-- 
> >Author: Deshpande, Kirti 
> > INET: kirti.deshpande@verizon.com 
> > 
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> 
> 
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> -- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com -- Author: Shaibal Talukder INET: shaibal_talukder@hotmail.com Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051 FAX: (858) 538-5051 San Diego, California -- Public Internet access / Mailing Lists -------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: ListGuru@fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). 
><< Helenarticlerevised21_bitmap_index.doc >> 
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Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
-- 
Author: Shaibal Talukder
  INET: shaibal_talukder@hotmail.com

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Received on Fri Feb 08 2002 - 13:43:46 CST

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