Executive Summary: The current "Indexes List Part" (Page 8704) in the Table Information module lacks critical information such as index field composition, SIFT maintenance status, included columns, and read/write ratios. Administrators must cross-reference multiple sources to assess index health and usage. This proposal enriches the page with additional data columns, visual indicators, computed metrics, and protective guardrails for SIFT indexes.
Current Problem:
- The page does not display which fields compose each index, making it impossible to understand index coverage at a glance.
- SIFT (SumIndexField Technology) maintenance status and SIFT fields are not visible, requiring separate investigation via AL keys or the Key virtual table.
- Included (non-key) columns are not shown, so administrators cannot assess whether an index provides covering query support.
- There is no visual distinction between enabled and disabled indexes or between healthy and highly fragmented indexes.
- "Last Seek/Scan/Lookup/Update" timestamps display misleading default date values (e.g.,
01/01/0001) when the corresponding counter is zero, suggesting activity occurred when it did not. - There is no read-to-write ratio metric to quickly identify write-heavy indexes that may be candidates for removal.
- SIFT indexes can be inadvertently disabled through the "Turn index off" actions, producing a confusing error message from the platform ("Cannot enable or disable primary or unique index") instead of a clear explanation.
Proposed Solution:
- Index Fields & Included Columns: Display the "Column Names" and "Included Fields" from the Database Index virtual table directly on the page.
- SIFT Information: Show "Maintain SIFT" (boolean) and "SIFT Fields" by cross-referencing the Key virtual table, giving immediate visibility into aggregation indexes.
- Visual Styling: Apply red (Unfavorable) styling to all fields of disabled indexes and to the Fragmentation column when fragmentation exceeds 30%.
- FreezeColumn: Lock columns up to "Index Fields" so that key identification columns remain visible during horizontal scrolling.
- Blank Timestamps: Show blank values for Last Seek/Scan/Lookup/Update when the corresponding usage counter is zero, eliminating misleading default dates.
- Reads/Writes Ratio: Add a computed "Reads/Writes" column calculated as (Seeks + Scans + Lookups) / Updates, enabling quick identification of read-heavy vs. write-heavy indexes.
- SIFT Disable Guard: Prevent disabling SIFT indexes via both "Turn index off" and "Turn index off in all companies" actions with a clear error message: "Cannot enable or disable SIFT indexes 'KeyName'."
- Label Cleanup: Remove the misleading "(over the night local time)" text from the turn-on queue information message, as maintenance window timing varies by environment.
Business Value: Provides database administrators and consultants with a single, comprehensive view of index health, structure, and usage patterns — reducing investigation time, preventing accidental SIFT disruptions, and enabling data-driven decisions about index optimization.
