You can also partition indexes. You will typically create a partitioned index on a partitioned table, although it is possible to create a partitioned index on an unpartitioned table. If an index on a partitioned table is itself unpartitioned or is partitioned on different column range conditions than those of the source table, then the index is known as a global index. If an index is paritioned in exactly the same fashion as the parent table, it is known as a local index. If the leading columns of the index are also the columns upon which the index is partitioned, then the index is known as a local prefixed index.
Local indexes have some significant advantages over global indexes.
If a partitioned table with a global index has a partition split, merge, or move, then the corresponding index partitions will automatically be subjected to the same maintenance operations. This also lets you export a partitioned table in parallel by running a separate export job for each partition. You can convert a partition into a standalone table, or a table into a single partitioned table. You can truncate individual partitions. You can merge or split partitions.