Rebuild system table indexes—Help

Available with Standard or Advanced license.

Use the Rebuild Indexes tool
Schedule a Python script

The database uses indexes to quickly identify rows that meet a query's predicate filter. Most of the geodatabase system tables have indexes, but the tables that tend to have the greatest amount of change in a versioned enterprise geodatabase and, therefore, require the indexes to be rebuilt most often are the states, state_lineages, and mv_tables_modified system tables. As the geodatabase administrator, you can rebuild the indexes on these tables in geodatabases in IBM DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or PostgreSQL using the Rebuild Indexes geoprocessing tool.

In a heavily edited versioned geodatabase, you might update indexes on the states, state_lineages, and mv_tables_modified tables nightly. To do that, create a stand-alone Python script that calls the Rebuild Indexes tool and schedule it to run using Windows Scheduled Tasks or a cron job.

Use the Rebuild Indexes tool

To rebuild indexes on the states, state_lineages, and mv_tables_modified geodatabase system tables using the Rebuild Indexes tool, do the following:

Start ArcMap or ArcCatalog and connect to the geodatabase as the geodatabase administrator.
Open the Rebuild Indexes geoprocessing tool.
This tool can be found in the Geodatabase Administration toolset of the Data Management toolbox.
Use the connection you created in step 1 as the input workspace.
Check the System tables check box.
Click OK to run the tool.

Schedule a Python script

To run the script, you must be able to connect to the geodatabase as the geodatabase administrator. You can either create a connection file (.sde) and point to that from the script or type the connection information directly in the script. Next, schedule the script to run using Windows Scheduled Tasks or the Linux cron daemon.

Copy one of the following scripts to a computer where Python and one of the following ArcGIS clients are installed:

ArcGIS for Desktop (Standardor Advanced)
ArcGIS Engine with the Geodatabase Update extension
ArcGIS Runtime
ArcGIS for Server (Standard or Advanced)

Alter the scripts with information specific to your site.

This sample script contains the information necessary to connect to an Oracle database to update the indexes on the states, state_lineages, and mv_tables_modified system tables:

# Name: RSysIdxOracle.py
# Description: Rebuilds indexes on the states, state_lineages,
# and mv_tables_modified tables in an enterprise geodatabase
# in Oracle.

# Author: Esri

# Import system modules
import sys
import arcpy
import os

# Provide connection information
database_platform = Oracle
instance = Oracle_instance
account_authentication = OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH | DATABASE_AUTH
#Leave username and password blank if using OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH
username = gdb_admin_user_name
password = gdb_admin_password
version = sde.DEFAULT


# Set local variables
if os.name.lower() == "nt":
   slashsyntax = "\\"
   if os.environ.get("TEMP") == None:
      temp = "c:\\temp"
   else:
      temp = os.environ.get("TEMP")
else:
   slashsyntax = "/"
   if os.environ.get("TMP") == None:
      temp = "/usr/tmp"
   else:
      temp = os.environ.get("TMP")

Connection_File_Name = temp + slashsyntax + "connection.sde"

# Check for the .sde file and delete it if present
if os.path.exists(Connection_File_Name):
   os.remove(Connection_File_Name)

#Variable defined within the script; other variable options commented out at the end of the line
saveUserInfo = "SAVE_USERNAME" #DO_NOT_SAVE_USERNAME
saveVersionInfo = "SAVE_VERSION" #DO_NOT_SAVE_VERSION

print "Creating database connection file..."
# Usage: out_folder_path, out_name, database_platform, instance, account_authentication, username, password, saveUserInfo, version, saveVersionInfo
arcpy.CreateDatabaseConnection_management(temp, "connection.sde", database_platform, instance, account_authentication, username, password, saveUserInfo, version, saveVersionInfo)

# Rebuild indexes on system tables
arcpy.RebuildIndexes_management(Connection_File_Name, "SYSTEM", "", "ALL")
print 'Rebuild Complete'

This sample script contains information to use an operating system authenticated dbo user to connect to SQL Server and update indexes on the sde_states, sde_state_lineages, and sde_mv_tables_modified system tables:

# Name: RSysIdxSqlServer.py
# Description: Rebuilds indexes on the sde_states, sde_state_lineages,
# and sde_mv_tables_modified tables in an enterprise geodatabase
# in SQL Server.

# Author: Esri

# Import system modules
import sys
import arcpy
import os

# Provide connection information
database_platform = SQL_Server
instance = dbms_instance_name
account_authentication = OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH | DATABASE_AUTH
database = database_name
#Leave username and password blank if using OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH
username = gdb_admin_user_name
password = gdb_admin_password
version = sde.DEFAULT


# Set local variables
if os.name.lower() == "nt":
   slashsyntax = "\\"
   if os.environ.get("TEMP") == None:
      temp = "c:\\temp"
   else:
      temp = os.environ.get("TEMP")
else:
   slashsyntax = "/"
   if os.environ.get("TMP") == None:
      temp = "/usr/tmp"
   else:
      temp = os.environ.get("TMP")

Connection_File_Name = temp + slashsyntax + "connection.sde"

# Check for the .sde file and delete it if present
if os.path.exists(Connection_File_Name):
   os.remove(Connection_File_Name)

#Variable defined within the script; other variable options commented out at the end of the line
saveUserInfo = "SAVE_USERNAME" #DO_NOT_SAVE_USERNAME
saveVersionInfo = "SAVE_VERSION" #DO_NOT_SAVE_VERSION

print "Creating database connection file..."
# Usage: out_folder_path, out_name, database_platform, instance, account_authentication, username, password, saveUserInfo, database, version, saveVersionInfo
arcpy.CreateDatabaseConnection_management(temp, "connection.sde",  instance, account_authentication, username, password, saveUserInfo, database, version, saveVersionInfo)

# Rebuild indexes on system tables
arcpy.RebuildIndexes_management(Connection_File_Name, "SYSTEM", "", "ALL")
print 'Rebuild Complete'

In this example, the sde user connects to a PostgreSQL database:

# Name: RSysIdxpg.py
# Description: Rebuilds indexes on the sde_states, sde_state_lineages,
# and sde_mv_tables_modified tables in an enterprise geodatabase
# in PostgreSQL.

# Author: Esri

# Import system modules
import sys
import arcpy
import os

# Provide connection information
database_platform = PostgreSQL
instance = PostgreSQL_servername
database = database_name
account_authentication = DATABASE_AUTH
username = gdb_admin_user_name
password = gdb_admin_password
version = sde.DEFAULT


# Set local variables
if os.name.lower() == "nt":
   slashsyntax = "\\"
   if os.environ.get("TEMP") == None:
      temp = "c:\\temp"
   else:
      temp = os.environ.get("TEMP")
else:
   slashsyntax = "/"
   if os.environ.get("TMP") == None:
      temp = "/usr/tmp"
   else:
      temp = os.environ.get("TMP")

Connection_File_Name = temp + slashsyntax + "connection.sde"

# Check for the .sde file and delete it if present
if os.path.exists(Connection_File_Name):
   os.remove(Connection_File_Name)

#Variable defined within the script; other variable options commented out at the end of the line
saveUserInfo = "SAVE_USERNAME" #DO_NOT_SAVE_USERNAME
saveVersionInfo = "SAVE_VERSION" #DO_NOT_SAVE_VERSION

print "Creating database connection file..."
# Usage: out_folder_path, out_name, database_platform, instance, account_authentication, username, password, saveUserInfo, database, version, saveVersionInfo
arcpy.CreateDatabaseConnection_management(temp, "connection.sde",  instance, account_authentication, username, password, saveUserInfo, database, version, saveVersionInfo)

# Rebuild indexes on system tables
arcpy.RebuildIndexes_management(Connection_File_Name, "SYSTEM", "", "ALL")
print 'Rebuild Complete'

In this example, the sde user connects to a DB2 database:

# Name: RSysIdxDb2.py
# Description: Rebuilds indexes on the states, state_lineages,
# and mv_tables_modified tables in an enterprise geodatabase
# in DB2.

# Author: Esri

# Import system modules
import sys
import arcpy
import os

# Provide connection information
database_platform = DB2
instance = odbc_dsn
account_authentication = OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH | DATABASE_AUTH
#Leave username and password blank if using OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH
username = gdb_admin_user_name
password = gdb_admin_password
version = sde.DEFAULT


# Set local variables
if os.name.lower() == "nt":
   slashsyntax = "\\"
   if os.environ.get("TEMP") == None:
      temp = "c:\\temp"
   else:
      temp = os.environ.get("TEMP")
else:
   slashsyntax = "/"
   if os.environ.get("TMP") == None:
      temp = "/usr/tmp"
   else:
      temp = os.environ.get("TMP")

Connection_File_Name = temp + slashsyntax + "connection.sde"

# Check for the .sde file and delete it if present
if os.path.exists(Connection_File_Name):
   os.remove(Connection_File_Name)

#Variable defined within the script; other variable options commented out at the end of the line
saveUserInfo = "SAVE_USERNAME" #DO_NOT_SAVE_USERNAME
saveVersionInfo = "SAVE_VERSION" #DO_NOT_SAVE_VERSION

print "Creating database connection file..."
# Usage: out_folder_path, out_name, database_platform, instance, account_authentication, username, password, saveUserInfo, version, saveVersionInfo
arcpy.CreateDatabaseConnection_management(temp, "connection.sde", database_platform, instance, account_authentication, username, password, saveUserInfo, version, saveVersionInfo)

# Rebuild indexes on system tables
arcpy.RebuildIndexes_management(Connection_File_Name, "SYSTEM", "", "ALL")
print 'Rebuild Complete'

After you alter the script to contain your connection information, schedule the script to run at a specific time each night.
- On Windows, open Scheduled Tasks from the Control Panel and use the wizard to add a scheduled task. When asked what program to run, browse to your Python script.
- On Linux, create a cron text file that contains information on the day and time you want the script to run, and load the file into cron using the crontab program.
  For example, the following information sets the Python script (named rsysidxdb2.py) to run every Wednesday at 10:00 p.m.:
```
0 22 * * 3 /usr/bin/rsysidxdb2.py
```
  See the Linux man pages provided with your Linux installation for information on using cron.