dm_db_index_usage_stats - lookups

  • Hi all, and merry xmas!!!

    I just wanted some clarification on the user_lookups column in the index usage stats DMV. I've been looking through hoping to identify some indexes that potentially require some rework. I have found a number of indexes where the user lookup count is extremely high, but the seeks/scans and updates are very low, zero even.

    Does mean that, an index has a seek operation performed on it (Index A user seeks increases by 1)...but the query isn't satisfied by the index so a key lookup is performed on another index (Index B user lookups increases by 1) - so in this case, potentially we have indexes that are purely being used for key lookups?

    Appreciate its a lot more in-depth than my example, but am I on the right lines?

    Many thanks

    D

    'Only he who wanders finds new paths'

  • You will only find lookups > 0 on clustered indexes. It is the number of key lookups that are done *to* that clustered index after a seek operation (or sometimes a scan) is done on a non-covering nonclustered index.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Thanks Gail that was pretty much what I thought!

    Merry xmas 🙂

    D

    'Only he who wanders finds new paths'

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