In the previous article, I showed a quick and dirty method to try and capture the indexes that may have been just created. We all know that in the hectic life of the DBA, it is easy enough to forget the indexes created more than just a few hours in the past.
In that article, I mentioned that the solution provided was far from a complete solution to the entire problem. A bigger part of the picture involves audits to know when and by whom indexes were created, altered or dropped.
Auditing
On many an occasion I have had clients request help with tracking the changes that have occurred to their indexes. The reasons vary slightly but generally boil down to two large categories: 1) to better understand who is making changes and 2) to help ensure proper indexes are not removed due to code promotions (various apps like to wipe out custom indexes which causes performance issues).
With that in mind, the following provides a solution that will help track indexes that have changed (index definition) or that have been added or removed during the audit interval. The interval can be set per your specific requirements. For this specific solution, I have historically just set this to run once a day. The solution is shown below.
USE DBA;
GO
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[dba_IndexDefChange]
(
[IdxChangeID] [INT] IDENTITY(1, 1) NOT NULL
, [DBName] [sysname] NOT NULL
, [SchemaName] [VARCHAR](25) NULL
, [ObjectName] [sysname] NOT NULL
, [IndexName] [sysname] NOT NULL
, [PollDate] [DATE] NULL
, [ChangeType] [VARCHAR](25) NULL
, CONSTRAINT [PK__dba_IndexDefChan__2E984B70]
PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED ( [IdxChangeID] ASC )
WITH ( PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF
, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON
, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON ) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY];
GO
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[dba_IndexDefs]
(
[IndexDefID] [INT] IDENTITY(1, 1) NOT NULL
, [DBName] [NVARCHAR](128) NOT NULL
, [ObjectID] [INT] NOT NULL
, [IndexID] [INT] NOT NULL
, [SchemaName] [NVARCHAR](128) NULL
, [ObjectName] [NVARCHAR](128) NULL
, [IndexName] [sysname] NULL
, [ObjectType] [VARCHAR](5) NOT NULL
, [IndexColumns] [NVARCHAR](MAX) NULL
, [IncludeColumns] [NVARCHAR](MAX) NULL
, [IsClustered] [VARCHAR](3) NOT NULL
, [IsUnique] [VARCHAR](3) NOT NULL
, [AllowRowLocks] [VARCHAR](3) NOT NULL
, [AllowPageLocks] [VARCHAR](3) NOT NULL
, [LastUpdatedDate] [DATETIME] NULL
, [IndexFillFactor] [TINYINT] NOT NULL
, [data_compression_desc] [NVARCHAR](60) NULL
, [filter_definition] [NVARCHAR](MAX) NULL
, [CreateStatement] [NVARCHAR](MAX) NULL
, [PollDate] [DATE] NOT NULL
, [IndexRev] [INT] NOT NULL
, CONSTRAINT [PK_dba_IndexDefs]
PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[IndexDefID] ASC
, [DBName] ASC
, [ObjectID] ASC
, [IndexID] ASC )
WITH ( PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF
, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON
, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON ) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY];
GO
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[dba_IndexDefsStage]
(
[DBName] [NVARCHAR](128) NOT NULL
, [ObjectID] [INT] NOT NULL
, [IndexID] [INT] NOT NULL
, [SchemaName] [NVARCHAR](128) NULL
, [ObjectName] [NVARCHAR](128) NULL
, [IndexName] [sysname] NULL
, [ObjectType] [VARCHAR](5) NOT NULL
, [IndexColumns] [NVARCHAR](MAX) NULL
, [IncludeColumns] [NVARCHAR](MAX) NULL
, [IsClustered] [VARCHAR](3) NOT NULL
, [IsUnique] [VARCHAR](3) NOT NULL
, [AllowRowLocks] [VARCHAR](3) NOT NULL
, [AllowPageLocks] [VARCHAR](3) NOT NULL
, [LastUpdatedDate] [DATETIME] NULL
, [IndexFillFactor] [TINYINT] NOT NULL
, [data_compression_desc] [NVARCHAR](60) NULL
, [filter_definition] [NVARCHAR](MAX) NULL
, [CreateStatement] [NVARCHAR](MAX) NULL
, [IndexRev] [INT] NOT NULL
, CONSTRAINT [PK_dba_IndexDefsStage]
PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[DBName] ASC
, [ObjectID] ASC
, [IndexID] ASC )
WITH ( PAD_INDEX = OFF, STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF
, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF, ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON
, ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON ) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY] TEXTIMAGE_ON [PRIMARY];
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[dba_IndexDefs]
ADD CONSTRAINT [DF_dba_IndexDefs_PollDate]
DEFAULT ( GETDATE()) FOR [PollDate];
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[dba_IndexDefs]
ADD CONSTRAINT [DF_dba_IndexDefs_IndexRev]
DEFAULT (( 1 )) FOR [IndexRev];
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[dba_IndexDefsStage]
ADD CONSTRAINT [DF_dba_IndexDefsStage_IndexRev]
DEFAULT (( 1 )) FOR [IndexRev];
GO
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[GetIdxDefinitions]
AS
SET NOCOUNT ON;
BEGIN
TRUNCATE TABLE dba_IndexDefsStage;
DECLARE @DBName VARCHAR(256);
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(MAX);
DECLARE indexes CURSOR LOCAL STATIC FORWARD_ONLY READ_ONLY FOR
SELECTname
FROMsys.databases
WHERE source_database_id IS NULL
AND state_desc <> 'offline'
AND DATABASEPROPERTY(NAME, 'IsReadOnly') = 0
AND name <> 'tempdb';
OPEN indexes;
FETCH NEXT FROM indexes
INTO @DBName;
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
SET @SQL = 'Use [' + @DBName
+ '];
With IndexStuff as (
SELECT
icol.object_id
,i.name
,icol.index_id
,REPLACE(REPLACE(STUFF(
(
SELECT '', ['' + c.name + '']'' AS [text()]
FROM sys.index_columns ic
Inner Join sys.columns c
ON ic.object_id = c.object_id
AND ic.column_id = c.column_id
WHERE ic.object_id = icol.object_id
AND ic.index_id = icol.index_id
And ic.is_included_column = 0
ORDER BY ic.key_ordinal
FOR XML PATH(''''), TYPE).value(''.'',''VARCHAR(MAX)'')
, 1, 2, ''''),''['',''''),'']'','''') AS ColList
,REPLACE(REPLACE(STUFF(
(
SELECT '', ['' + c.name + '']'' AS [text()]
FROM sys.index_columns ic
Inner Join sys.columns c
ON ic.object_id = c.object_id
AND ic.column_id = c.column_id
WHERE ic.object_id = icol.object_id
AND ic.index_id = icol.index_id
And ic.is_included_column = 1
ORDER BY ic.key_ordinal
FOR XML PATH(''''), TYPE).value(''.'',''VARCHAR(MAX)'')
, 1, 2, ''''),''['',''''),'']'','''') AS IncludeColList
FROM ['+ @DBName
+ '].sys.index_columns icol
INNER JOIN [' + @DBName
+ '].sys.indexes i
ON icol.object_id = i.object_id
AND icol.index_id = i.index_id
GROUP BY icol.object_id, i.name, icol.index_id
),tmp_indexes as (
SELECT
SchemaName= SCHEMA_NAME(o.schema_id)
,ObjectID = i.object_id,
ObjectName = OBJECT_NAME(i.object_id),
ObjectType = CASE OBJECTPROPERTY(i.object_id, ''IsTable'')
WHEN 1 THEN ''Table'' ELSE ''View'' END,
IndexID = i.index_id,
IndexName = i.name,
IndexColumns = dt.ColList,
IncludeColumns= dt.IncludeColList,
IsClustered = CASE i.type
WHEN 1 THEN ''YES'' ELSE ''NO'' END,
IsUnique = CASE i.is_unique
WHEN 1 THEN ''YES'' ELSE ''NO'' END,
AllowRowLocks = CASE i.ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS
WHEN 1 THEN ''YES'' ELSE ''NO'' END,
AllowPageLocks = CASE i.ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS
WHEN 1 THEN ''YES'' ELSE ''NO'' END,
LastUpdatedDate = STATS_DATE(i.object_id, i.index_id),
IndexFillFactor= i.fill_factor
,p.data_compression_desc
,i.filter_definition
FROM sys.indexes AS i
INNER JOIN IndexStuff dt
ON dt.object_id = i.object_id
AND dt.index_id = i.index_id
INNER JOIN sys.partitions p
ON i.object_id = p.object_id
AND i.index_id = p.index_id
INNER JOIN sys.objects o
ON o.object_id = i.object_id
WHERE OBJECTPROPERTY(i.object_id, ''IsMSShipped'') = 0
AND INDEXPROPERTY(i.object_id, i.name, ''IsAutoStatistics'') = 0
AND i.index_id BETWEEN 1 And 250
)
Insert Into [DBA].[dbo].[dba_IndexDefsStage] ([DBName],[ObjectID],[IndexID],[SchemaName]
,[ObjectName],[IndexName],[ObjectType],[IndexColumns],[IncludeColumns],[IsClustered]
,[IsUnique],[AllowRowLocks],[AllowPageLocks],[LastUpdatedDate],[IndexFillFactor]
,[data_compression_desc],[filter_definition],[CreateStatement])
SELECT DB_NAME() AS DBName
,ti.[ObjectID]
,ti.[IndexID]
,ti.[SchemaName]
,ti.[ObjectName]
,ti.[IndexName]
,ti.[ObjectType]
,ti.[IndexColumns]
,ti.[IncludeColumns]
,ti.[IsClustered]
,ti.[IsUnique]
,ti.[AllowRowLocks]
,ti.[AllowPageLocks]
,ti.[LastUpdatedDate]
,ti.[IndexFillFactor]
,ti.[data_compression_desc]
,ti.[filter_definition]
, CreateStatement = ''CREATE ''
+ CASE WHEN IsUnique = ''YES'' THEN ''UNIQUE '' ELSE '''' END
+ CASE WHEN IsClustered = ''YES'' THEN ''CLUSTERED '' ELSE ''NONCLUSTERED '' END
+ ''INDEX ['' + IndexName + '']''
+'' ON ['' + SchemaName + ''].['' + ObjectName + ''] ''
+ ''('' + IndexColumns + '')''
+ CASE ISNULL(filter_definition,'' '') WHEN '' '' THEN '''' ELSE '' WHERE '' + filter_definition +'''' END
+ CASE WHEN ISNULL(IncludeColumns,'' '') = '' '' THEN '''' ELSE '' INCLUDE('' + IncludeColumns + '')'' END
+ CASE
WHEN IndexFillFactor <> 0 THEN '' WITH (ONLINE = ON, FILLFACTOR = '' + CONVERT(VARCHAR(10),IndexFillFactor) + '',''
WHEN IndexFillFactor = 0 THEN '' WITH (ONLINE = ON,''
END
+ CASE AllowPageLocks WHEN ''YES'' THEN '''' ELSE '' ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = OFF,'' END
+ CASE AllowPageLocks WHEN ''YES'' THEN '''' ELSE '' ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = OFF,'' END
+ '' Data_Compression = ''+ data_compression_desc COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS+'')''
FROM tmp_indexes ti';
EXEC ( @SQL );
FETCH NEXT FROM indexes
INTO @DBName;
END;
CLOSE indexes;
DEALLOCATE indexes;
/* New Indexes v. Old Indexes no longer present
Index Definition has changed
*/INSERT INTO dba_IndexDefChange ( [DBName]
, [SchemaName]
, [ObjectName]
, [IndexName]
, [PollDate]
, [ChangeType] )
SELECTds.[DBName]
, ds.[SchemaName]
, ds.[ObjectName]
, ds.[IndexName]
, GETDATE()
, 'New Index'
FROMdba_IndexDefsStage ds
LEFT OUTER JOIN dba_IndexDefs D
ON D.DBName = ds.DBName
AND D.ObjectName = ds.ObjectName
AND D.IndexName = ds.IndexName
WHERE D.IndexName IS NULL;
INSERT INTO dba_IndexDefChange ( [DBName]
, [SchemaName]
, [ObjectName]
, [IndexName]
, [PollDate]
, [ChangeType] )
SELECTD.[DBName]
, D.[SchemaName]
, D.[ObjectName]
, D.[IndexName]
, GETDATE()
, 'INDEX Removed'
FROMdba_IndexDefs D
LEFT OUTER JOIN dba_IndexDefsStage ds
ON D.DBName = ds.DBName
AND D.ObjectName = ds.ObjectName
AND D.IndexName = ds.IndexName
WHERE ds.IndexName IS NULL;
INSERT INTO dba_IndexDefChange ( [DBName]
, [SchemaName]
, [ObjectName]
, [IndexName]
, [PollDate]
, [ChangeType] )
SELECTD.[DBName]
, D.[SchemaName]
, D.[ObjectName]
, D.[IndexName]
, GETDATE()
, 'INDEX DEFINITION Changed'
FROMdba_IndexDefs D
INNER JOIN dba_IndexDefsStage ds
ON D.DBName = ds.DBName
AND D.ObjectName = ds.ObjectName
AND D.IndexName = ds.IndexName
WHERE ( ds.IndexColumns <> D.IndexColumns
OR ds.IncludeColumns <> D.IncludeColumns
OR ds.IndexFillFactor <> D.IndexFillFactor
OR ds.data_compression_desc <> D.data_compression_desc
OR ds.filter_definition <> D.filter_definition );
/* Index Not currently registered */INSERT INTO dba_IndexDefs ( [DBName]
, [ObjectID]
, [IndexID]
, [SchemaName]
, [ObjectName]
, [IndexName]
, [ObjectType]
, [IndexColumns]
, [IncludeColumns]
, [IsClustered]
, [IsUnique]
, [AllowRowLocks]
, [AllowPageLocks]
, [LastUpdatedDate]
, [IndexFillFactor]
, [data_compression_desc]
, [filter_definition]
, [CreateStatement]
, [PollDate] )
SELECTds.[DBName]
, ds.[ObjectID]
, ds.[IndexID]
, ds.[SchemaName]
, ds.[ObjectName]
, ds.[IndexName]
, ds.[ObjectType]
, ds.[IndexColumns]
, ds.[IncludeColumns]
, ds.[IsClustered]
, ds.[IsUnique]
, ds.[AllowRowLocks]
, ds.[AllowPageLocks]
, ds.[LastUpdatedDate]
, ds.[IndexFillFactor]
, ds.[data_compression_desc]
, ds.[filter_definition]
, ds.[CreateStatement]
, GETDATE()
FROMdba_IndexDefsStage ds
LEFT OUTER JOIN dba_IndexDefs D
ON D.DBName = ds.DBName
AND D.ObjectName = ds.ObjectName
AND D.IndexName = ds.IndexName
WHERE D.IndexName IS NULL;
/* Index Def has Changed */INSERT INTO dba_IndexDefs ( [DBName]
, [ObjectID]
, [IndexID]
, [SchemaName]
, [ObjectName]
, [IndexName]
, [ObjectType]
, [IndexColumns]
, [IncludeColumns]
, [IsClustered]
, [IsUnique]
, [AllowRowLocks]
, [AllowPageLocks]
, [LastUpdatedDate]
, [IndexFillFactor]
, [data_compression_desc]
, [filter_definition]
, [CreateStatement]
, [PollDate]
, IndexRev )
SELECTds.[DBName]
, ds.[ObjectID]
, ds.[IndexID]
, ds.[SchemaName]
, ds.[ObjectName]
, ds.[IndexName]
, ds.[ObjectType]
, ds.[IndexColumns]
, ds.[IncludeColumns]
, ds.[IsClustered]
, ds.[IsUnique]
, ds.[AllowRowLocks]
, ds.[AllowPageLocks]
, ds.[LastUpdatedDate]
, ds.[IndexFillFactor]
, ds.[data_compression_desc]
, ds.[filter_definition]
, ds.[CreateStatement]
, GETDATE()
, d.IndexRev + ds.IndexRev
FROMdba_IndexDefsStage ds
INNER JOIN dba_IndexDefs d
ON d.DBName = ds.DBName
AND d.ObjectName = ds.ObjectName
AND d.IndexName = ds.IndexName
CROSS APPLY ( SELECTMAX(IndexRev) AS IndexRev
FROMdba_IndexDefs id
WHERE d.DBName = id.DBName
AND d.ObjectName = id.ObjectName
AND d.IndexName = id.IndexName ) ca
WHERE ( ds.IndexColumns <> d.IndexColumns
OR ds.IncludeColumns <> d.IncludeColumns
OR ds.IndexFillFactor <> d.IndexFillFactor
OR ds.data_compression_desc <> d.data_compression_desc
OR ds.filter_definition <> d.filter_definition )
AND d.IndexRev = ca.IndexRev;
END;
GOTo make this solution work, I use several tables and a stored procedure. The stored procedure is scheduled via an agent job and scheduled to your requirements. The tables will stage all of the indexes for all of the databases, then log which have changed or have been added or removed. From there, a simple query to the IndexDefChange table will help me learn of which indexes may deserve some attention.
Put a bow on it
This article showed a method to audit for index changes. The weak link in a solution such as this really boils down to the requirement that the solution needs to be in place before the index change occurs. Otherwise, it would all be for naught.
Interested in more back to basics articles? Check these out!
Want to learn more about your indexes? Try this index maintenance article or this index size article.
This is the second article in the 2019 “12 Days of Christmas” series. For the full list of articles, please visit this page.
