Re: index rebuilding...

"DA Morgan" <damorgan_at_exesolutions.com> wrote in message
> Thank you all for this spirited, if somewhat testosterone-laden,
celebration of
> index balancing.

Now, clearly, I appear to be giving out an impression which it wasn't my intention to give. So I just want to clarify: whilst Don might throw in the odd 'Einstein' comment, and other bits of sarcasm directed against me personally, I have criticised the content of his *writing*. I don't know Don Burleson from Adam, and I'm sure he makes a pretty mean Pavlova whilst juggling icicles on a hot summer's day.

But his article is trash. And whilst my prolix prose might give the impression of testosterone oozing with every key-press, that wasn't my intention, and I apologise to the extent that anyone's got that impression.

I just can't stand people trotting out technical garbage and then getting personal about it when called on it. That's all.

In the spirit of backing off, I just quote two small passages:

Don Burleson: "I cannot comprehend that you think that Oracle will re-level a whole index tree in real-time."

Jonathan Lewis: "The mechanism on inserts is simple and recursive: If you need to insert an index entry and the leaf is full, then it splits. But if it splits, the branch block above it has to have an extra entry (pointing to the value that starts the new leaf block) - so Oracle has to insert an entry into the branch block. But if the branch block is full, it has to split - which means the branch block above it has to have a new entry - but if that block is full ..... and so on until the block above is the root block. So what do you do if the root block is full ? Split it in two, and create a new root block above it with just two entries - at which point EVERY leaf block has changed height."

Which is precisely what I said, but I realise no-one believes it when I say it.

>
> My students will no doubt continue to benefit from your knowledge and
wisdom.
>
> Now about that Macallan I had last evening.

Ughhh. Jamieson's or nothing, I'm afraid. Or, if all else fails, this rather fine 1993 Shiraz wot I'm quaffing as we speak.

And who was posting about Bushmill's Paintstripper??? I'd rather rebuild an index, thanks all the same!!

Regards
HJR Received on Sat Feb 01 2003 - 01:29:03 CST