Patent ID: 7730045

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; a memory coupled to the at least one processor; a database index residing in the memory that references a database table, the database index comprising: a plurality of components that each correspond to a column in the database table; a plurality of fields that contain information regarding usage of the plurality of components wherein the plurality of fields include: an indication of how one of the plurality of components has been used; a correlation of the plurality of components to a corresponding plurality of query identifiers to indicate each query that used a corresponding one of the plurality of components in the database index; a plurality of last used timestamps correlated to a corresponding plurality of query identifiers to indicate a timestamp for each query that used the database index; maintenance statistics that indicate which components in the database index were modified when the database index was modified; and an index component monitoring mechanism that monitors usage of the plurality of components in the database index and writes information regarding the usage to the plurality of fields in the database index, wherein the index component monitoring mechanism includes the option of being turned on and off.