[dba-SQLServer] Multi-column Clustered index

jwcolby jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Thu Oct 1 10:27:35 CDT 2009


I am reading an article about clustered indexes which recommend against setting multi-column 
clustered indexes where possible.  My understanding is that if data is in a clustered index then the 
data can be directly obtained from that index rather than having to go to the table itself.  My 
understanding is also that the organization of a clustered index is much more efficient than the 
organization of the rest of the table.

I commonly have tables where I have:

PK, FName, LName, Addr, City, St, Zip5, Zip4, HashAddr, HashFamily, HashPerson

Doesn't it makes sense to just place every single field in this table in a clustered index.  In that 
case every field of every record is available from the index and thus no retrieval of field data 
would need to go to the table itself.

If it does make sense, is it possible to get rid of the actual table and ONLY have the clustered 
index remain?  Is that possible?

-- 
John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com



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