Rebuild system table indexes

Available with Standard or Advanced license.

The database uses indexes to quickly identify rows when a client queries the database. Most of the geodatabase system tables have indexes, but the tables that tend to have the greatest amount of change in an enterprise geodatabase that uses traditional versioning and, therefore, require the indexes to be rebuilt most often are the SDE_states, SDE_state_lineages, and SDE_mvtables_modified system tables. As the geodatabase administrator, you can rebuild the indexes on these tables in enterprise geodatabases using the Rebuild Indexes geoprocessing tool.

In a heavily edited geodatabase that uses traditional versioning, you might update indexes on the SDE_states, SDE_state_lineages, and SDE_mvtables_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 SDE_states, SDE_state_lineages, and SDE_mvtables_modified geodatabase system tables using the Rebuild Indexes tool, do the following:

1. Start ArcGIS Pro and connect to the geodatabase as the geodatabase administrator.
2. Open the Rebuild Indexes geoprocessing tool.

   This tool can be found in the Geodatabase Administration toolset of the Data Management toolbox.

3. Use the connection you created in step 1 as the Input Database Connection.
4. Check the Include System Tables check box.
5. Uncheck Rebuild Delta Tables Only.
6. Click Run.

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 Microsoft Windows Scheduled Tasks or the Linux cron daemon.

1. Copy one of the following scripts to a computer where Python and one of the following ArcGIS products are installed:
   • ArcGIS Pro (Desktop Standard or Desktop Advanced)
   • ArcGIS Server

   Alter the scripts with information specific to your site.

   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_mvtables_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.
   
   # Import system modules
   import sys
   import arcpy
   import os
   
   # Provide connection information
   platform = SQL_SERVER
   instance = sqlserver_instance_name
   account_authentication = OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH
   database = database_name
   
   
   # 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)
   
   print ("Creating Database Connection File...")
   # Create Database Connection File
   # Usage: out_folder_path, out_name, database_platform, instance, account_authentication, database
   arcpy.CreateDatabaseConnectionFile_management(temp, "connection.sde", platform, instance, account_authentication, database)
   
   # Rebuild indexes on system tables
   arcpy.RebuildIndexes_management(Connection_File_Name, "SYSTEM", "", "ALL")
   print ("Rebuild Complete")

2. 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.
   • For an ArcGIS Server installation 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.