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When to use Oracle Bitmap Indexes

Indexing your Oracle Database for best performance? There are cases, depending on data structures and queries, where b-tree indexes are not useful (e.g. scan access paths perform inadequately). In these cases, bitmap indexes may be a better solution.

This free tutorial will identify some use cases for bitmap indexes, including the more advanced capabilites: using bitmap join indexes to denormalize a snowflake schema, and to enable star transformations in queries that join fact tables to several dimension tables (time permitting). John will also demonstrate how to achieve star transformation EVEN IN STANDARD EDITION !

Bitmap indexes are a powerful tool, but they need to be used with care. Inappropriate use may cause problems worse than those they solve.

This training will benefit any Oracle DBA administering a Data Warehouse or VLDB and “power” developers working in same.

Instructor: Oracle Certified Master DBA John Watson

This free training is segmented into several separate lessons:

  1. Agenda (3:37) (click on video below)
  2. Cases Where B-Tree Indexes Do Not Work (13:40)
  3. What is an Oracle Bitmap Index (7:00)
  4. A QUICK Review of Data Warehouse Terms and Star and Snowflake Schemas (4:58)
  5. Star Transformations (Even in Oracle Standard Edition!) (13:22)
  6. Bitmap Join Indexes and Locking Issues with all Bitmaps (10:20)

Date: Nov 2, 2017