18 Managing Clusters

Choose Appropriate Tables for the Cluster

Use clusters for tables for which the following conditions are true:

• The tables are primarily queried--that is, tables that are not predominantly inserted into or updated.

• Records from the tables are frequently queried together or joined.

Choose Appropriate Columns for the Cluster Key

Choose cluster key columns carefully. If multiple columns are used in queries that join the tables, make the cluster key a composite key. In general, the characteristics that indicate a good cluster index are the same as those for any index. For information about characteristics of a good index, see "Guidelines for Managing Indexes".

A good cluster key has enough unique values so that the group of rows corresponding to each key value fills approximately one data block. Having too few rows for each cluster key value can waste space and result in negligible performance gains. Cluster keys that are so specific that only a few rows share a common value can cause wasted space in blocks, unless a small SIZE was specified at cluster creation time (see "Specify the Space Required by an Average Cluster Key and Its Associated Rows").

Too many rows for each cluster key value can cause extra searching to find rows for that key. Cluster keys on values that are too general (for example, male and female) result in excessive searching and can result in worse performance than with no clustering.

A cluster index cannot be unique or include a column defined as long.

Specify the Space Required by an Average Cluster Key and Its Associated Rows

The CREATE CLUSTER statement has an optional clause, SIZE, which is the estimated number of bytes required by an average cluster key and its associated rows. The database uses the SIZE parameter when performing the following tasks:

• Estimating the number of cluster keys (and associated rows) that can fit in a clustered data block

• Limiting the number of cluster keys placed in a clustered data block. This maximizes the storage efficiency of keys within a cluster.

SIZE does not limit the space that can be used by a given cluster key. For example, if SIZE is set such that two cluster keys can fit in one data block, any amount of the available data block space can still be used by either of the cluster keys.

By default, the database stores only one cluster key and its associated rows in each data block of the cluster data segment. Although block size can vary from one operating system to the next, the rule of one key for each block is maintained as clustered tables are imported to other databases on other machines.

If all the rows for a given cluster key value cannot fit in one block, the blocks are chained together to speed access to all the values with the given key. The cluster index points to the beginning of the chain of blocks, each of which contains the cluster key value and associated rows. If the cluster SIZE is such that more than one key fits in a block, blocks can belong to more than one chain.

Specify the Location of Each Cluster and Cluster Index Rows

If you have the proper privileges and tablespace quota, you can create a new cluster and the associated cluster index in any tablespace that is currently online. Always specify the TABLESPACE clause in a CREATE CLUSTER/INDEX statement to identify the tablespace to store the new cluster or index.

The cluster and its cluster index can be created in different tablespaces. In fact, creating a cluster and its index in different tablespaces that are stored on different storage devices allows table data and index data to be retrieved simultaneously with minimal disk contention.

Estimate Cluster Size and Set Storage Parameters

The following are benefits of estimating cluster size before creating the cluster:

• You can use the combined estimated size of clusters, along with estimates for indexes and redo log files, to determine the amount of disk space that is required to hold an intended database. From these estimates, you can make correct hardware purchases and other decisions.

• You can use the estimated size of an individual cluster to better manage the disk space that the cluster will use. When a cluster is created, you can set appropriate storage parameters and improve I/O performance of applications that use the cluster.

Whether or not you estimate table size before creation, you can explicitly set storage parameters when creating each nonclustered table. Any storage parameter that you do not explicitly set when creating or subsequently altering a table automatically uses the corresponding default storage parameter set for the tablespace in which the table resides. Clustered tables also automatically use the storage parameters of the cluster.

Creating Clustered Tables

To create a table in a cluster, you must have either the CREATE TABLE or CREATE ANY TABLE system privilege. You do not need a tablespace quota or the UNLIMITED TABLESPACE system privilege to create a table in a cluster.

You create a table in a cluster using the CREATE TABLE statement with the CLUSTER clause. The emp and dept tables can be created in the emp_dept cluster using the following statements:

CREATE TABLE emp (
   empno NUMBER(5) PRIMARY KEY,
   ename VARCHAR2(15) NOT NULL,
   . . .
   deptno NUMBER(3) REFERENCES dept)
   CLUSTER emp_dept (deptno);  

CREATE TABLE dept (
   deptno NUMBER(3) PRIMARY KEY, . . . )
   CLUSTER emp_dept (deptno);

Creating Cluster Indexes

To create a cluster index, one of the following conditions must be true:

• Your schema contains the cluster.

• You have the CREATE ANY INDEX system privilege.

In either case, you must also have either a quota for the tablespace intended to contain the cluster index, or the UNLIMITED TABLESPACE system privilege.

A cluster index must be created before any rows can be inserted into any clustered table. The following statement creates a cluster index for the emp_dept cluster:

CREATE INDEX emp_dept_index
   ON CLUSTER emp_dept
   TABLESPACE users
   STORAGE (INITIAL 50K
      NEXT 50K
      MINEXTENTS 2
      MAXEXTENTS 10
      PCTINCREASE 33);

The cluster index clause (ON CLUSTER) identifies the cluster, emp_dept, for which the cluster index is being created. The statement also explicitly specifies several storage settings for the cluster and cluster index.

Altering Clustered Tables

You can alter clustered tables using the ALTER TABLE statement. However, any data block space parameters, transaction entry parameters, or storage parameters you set in an ALTER TABLE statement for a clustered table generate an error message (ORA-01771, illegal option for a clustered table). The database uses the parameters of the cluster for all clustered tables. Therefore, you can use the ALTER TABLE statement only to add or modify columns, drop non-cluster-key columns, or add, drop, enable, or disable integrity constraints or triggers for a clustered table. For information about altering tables, see "Altering Tables".

Altering Cluster Indexes

You alter cluster indexes exactly as you do other indexes. See "Altering Indexes".

Dropping Clustered Tables

To drop a cluster, your schema must contain the cluster or you must have the DROP ANY CLUSTER system privilege. You do not need additional privileges to drop a cluster that contains tables, even if the clustered tables are not owned by the owner of the cluster.

Clustered tables can be dropped individually without affecting the cluster, other clustered tables, or the cluster index. A clustered table is dropped just as a nonclustered table is dropped, with the DROP TABLE statement. See "Dropping Table Columns".

Dropping Cluster Indexes

A cluster index can be dropped without affecting the cluster or its clustered tables. However, clustered tables cannot be used if there is no cluster index; you must re-create the cluster index to allow access to the cluster. Cluster indexes are sometimes dropped as part of the procedure to rebuild a fragmented cluster index. For information about dropping an index, see "Dropping Indexes".