Why Can't Database Tables Index Themselves?
 

Here's a thought question for today: why can't database tables index themselves?

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000638.html

... in a modern client-server database, the server should be aware of all the queries flowing through the system, and how much each of those queries cost. Who better to decide what needs to be indexed than the database itself?

it is a mystery

Having a computer pick and choose anything is spotty at best.
I love it when a computer can make recommendations and show me things I might not have thought of otherwise, but if it just indexed itself, I might get semi ticked.... as it would likely not be exactly how I want it.

If everything was automatic what would database experts do then?

At least the Query Cache exists now, and has been a dramatic help on my db driven sites. Would be interesting for a tool to automatically suggest indexes or optimizations to the db administrator. Maybe it could parse a slow queries log or analyze 'show variables' and make recommendations.

Thinking on this Brujah and I'm lost :)

Any DB stuff I've done was auto indexed on whatever fields were defined to be indices. DB queries may be another matter, but can be ... eg on a from and to date - hit in to an indexed "from date" run the query to the "to date" and quit - ignoring all else.

Tho.. can see what you mean - that's another program to give everything sense and avoid human thought :winkwink: