Work with cluster keys

Cluster keys enable analytical operations to be performed more efficiently in a utility network when working with nonspatial junction and edge objects. The cluster keys are consumed by the network topology when enabled and can be helpful when running operations that query the network topology, such as a trace.

To enhance the efficiency of analytical operations involving large amounts of nonspatial data, the utility network can partition a dataset into a uniform grid of cells. These cells facilitate locating nonspatial objects with their associated spatial features in the network topology, thereby improving processing efficiency. The CLUSTERKEY attribute field can be added to classes associated with utility network versions 4 through 7 using the Enable Cluster Keys tool. The CLUSTERKEY attribute field is populated with an integer value indicating the specific grid cell where an object is located using the Calculate Cluster Keys tool. Information about whether cluster keys have been enabled for the utility network is available on the Network Properties tab of the Utility Network Properties dialog box in the General section.

Requirements

To calculate cluster keys, the following requirements must be met:

• The network topology must be disabled. Enable the network topology to update and use the cluster key values in the network topology.
• The utility network schema must contain the CLUSTERKEY attribute field on all classes. Use the Enable Cluster Keys tool to add the attribute field to classes in utility network versions 4 through 7.

• License:

  The active portal account must be assigned a license with the ArcGIS Advanced Editing user type extension to use this tool in an enterprise deployment.

To benefit from cluster keys in your network, it is recommended that you calculate cluster keys with a disabled topology after performing a data load operation to efficiently cluster spatial features and nonspatial objects.

Calculate cluster keys for your data

To use the Calculate Cluster Keys tool to populate the CLUSTERKEY attribute field, complete the following steps:

1. On the Analysis tab, in the Geoprocessing group, click Tools to open the Geoprocessing pane.
2. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for and select Calculate Cluster Keys.
3. For the Input Utility Network parameter, specify a utility network.
4. For the Extent parameter, choose an option from the drop-down menu.
5. Under Advanced Options, for the Overwrite parameter, specify whether existing cluster key values will be overwritten for the features in the specified extent.
   • Checked—Existing cluster key values will be overwritten for all features in the specified extent.
   • Unchecked—Existing cluster key values will not be overwritten for features in the specified extent. This is the default.
6. Click Run.

   The CLUSTERKEY attribute for all features and locatable objects in the specified extent are updated with integer values indicating their location within the network topology grid.