STATE columns - bitmap index or not?

Should a STATE column be indexed using a bitmap index or b-tree index? Is 50 too high a cardinality to consider using a bitmap index? Any rule of thumb here, or should I create both types of index and "set timing on" to test the speed of queries using that index?

Clearly, a GENDER column with only two unique values would be an unambiguous candidate for a bitmap index; past what number does the utility of a bitmap index provide diminishing returns?

Thanks very much.

• Dana

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http://www.deja.com/ Received on Mon Feb 12 2001 - 07:06:23 CST