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Move an Existing Index to a Different Filegroup

SQL Server 2012

This topic describes how to move an existing index from its current filegroup to a different filegroup in SQL Server 2012 by using SQL Server Management Studio or Transact-SQL.

In This Topic

Before you begin:

Limitations and Restrictions

Security
To move an existing index to a different filegroup, using:

SQL Server Management Studio

Transact-SQL

Before You Begin

Limitations and Restrictions

If a table has a clustered index, moving the clustered index to a new filegroup moves the table to that filegroup.
You cannot move indexes created using a UNIQUE or PRIMARY KEY constraint using Management Studio. To move these indexes use the CREATE INDEX statement with the (DROP_EXISTING=ON) option in Transact-SQL.

Security

Permissions

Requires ALTER permission on the table or view. User must be a member of the sysadmin fixed server role or the db_ddladmin and db_owner fixed database roles.

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Using SQL Server Management Studio

To move an existing index to a different filegroup using Table Designer

In Object Explorer, click the plus sign to expand the database that contains the table containing the index that you want to move.
Click the plus sign to expand the Tables folder.
Right-click the table containing the index that you want to move and select Design.
On the Table Designer menu, click Indexes/Keys.
Select the index that you want to move.
In the main grid, expand Data Space Specification.
Select Filegroup or Partition Scheme Name and select from the list the filegroup or partition scheme to where you want to move the index.
Click Close.
On the File menu, select Save table_name.

To move an existing index to a different filegroup in Object Explorer

In Object Explorer, click the plus sign to expand the database that contains the table containing the index that you want to move.
Click the plus sign to expand the Tables folder.
Click the plus sign to expand the table containing the index that you want to move.
Click the plus sign to expand the Indexes folder.
Right-click the index that you want to move and select Properties.
Under Select a page, select Storage.
Select the filegroup in which to move the index.

If the table or index is partitioned, select the partition scheme in which to move the index. For more information about partitioned indexes, see Partitioned Tables and Indexes.

If you are moving a clustered index, you can use online processing. Online processing allows concurrent user access to the underlying data and to nonclustered indexes during the index operation. For more information, see Perform Index Operations Online.

On multiprocessor computers using SQL Server 2012, you can configure the number of processors used to execute the index statement by specifying a maximum degree of parallelism value. The Parallel indexed operations feature is not available in every edition of SQL Server. For a list of features that are supported by the editions of SQL Server, see Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2012 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=232473). For more information about Parallel indexed operations, see Configure Parallel Index Operations.
Click OK.

The following information is available on the Storage page of the Index Properties – index_name dialog box:

Filegroup

Stores the index in the specified filegroup. The list only displays standard (row) filegroups. The default list selection is the PRIMARY filegroup of the database.

Filestream filegroup

Specifies the filegroup for FILESTREAM data. This list displays only FILESTREAM filegroups. The default list selection is the PRIMARY FILESTREAM filegroup.

Partition scheme

Stores the index in a partition scheme. Clicking Partition Scheme enables the grid below. The default list selection is the partition scheme that is used for storing the table data. When you select a different partition scheme in the list, the information in the grid is updated.

The partition scheme option is unavailable if there are no partition schemes in the database.

Filestream partition scheme

Specifies the partition scheme for FILESTREAM data. The partition scheme must be symmetric with the scheme that is specified in the Partition scheme option.

If the table is not partitioned, the field is blank.

Partition Scheme Parameter

Displays the name of the column that participates in the partition scheme.

Table Column

Select the table or view to map to the partition scheme.

Column Data Type

Displays data type information about the column.

Note
If the table column is a computed column, Column Data Type displays "computed column."

Allow online processing of DML statements while moving the index

Allows users to access the underlying table or clustered index data and any associated nonclustered indexes during the index operation.

Note
This option is not available for XML indexes, or if the index is a disabled clustered index.

Set maximum degree of parallelism

Limits the number of processors to use during parallel plan execution. The default value, 0, uses the actual number of available CPUs. Setting the value to 1 suppresses parallel plan generation; setting the value to a number greater than 1 restricts the maximum number of processors used by a single query execution. This option only becomes available if the dialog box is in the Rebuild or Recreate state.

Note
If a value greater than the number of available CPUs is specified, the actual number of available CPUs is used.

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Using Transact-SQL

To move an existing index to a different filegroup

In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of Database Engine.
On the Standard bar, click New Query.

Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click Execute.

USE AdventureWorks2012;
GO
-- Creates the TransactionsFG1 filegroup on the AdventureWorks2012 database
ALTER DATABASE AdventureWorks2012
ADD FILEGROUP TransactionsFG1;
GO
/* Adds the TransactionsFG1dat3 file to the TransactionsFG1 filegroup. Please note that you will have to change the filename parameter in this statement to execute it without errors.
*/
ALTER DATABASE AdventureWorks2012 
ADD FILE 
(
    NAME = TransactionsFG1dat3,
    FILENAME = 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11\MSSQL\DATA\TransactionsFG1dat3.ndf',
    SIZE = 5MB,
    MAXSIZE = 100MB,
    FILEGROWTH = 5MB
)
TO FILEGROUP TransactionsFG1;
GO
/*Creates the IX_Employee_OrganizationLevel_OrganizationNode index
  on the TransactionsPS1 filegroup and drops the original IX_Employee_OrganizationLevel_OrganizationNode index.
*/
CREATE NONCLUSTERED INDEX IX_Employee_OrganizationLevel_OrganizationNode
    ON HumanResources.Employee (OrganizationLevel, OrganizationNode)
    WITH (DROP_EXISTING = ON)
    ON TransactionsFG1;
GO

For more information, see CREATE INDEX (Transact-SQL).

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