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Message Posted: Wed, 14 May 2008 @ 14:15:43 GMT

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Hello Prem:

To answer your basic question: no, there is no alter to convert a UPI to an identiy column.

To go further: it is normally not a good idea to do this

In Teradata, you pick a PI because that is how you use the data. You use a PI that you reference in a WHERE or an ON. Using the PI is the fastest possible access to your data. If you are making a surogate key (like identity column) to gain a PK or to evenly distribute your data across the AMPs, make sure that is what you really, truly need. Otherwise, ever time you access a row it becomes a full table scan to find it or redistribution must occur in order to join these rows to other tables.

A PI should be defined based on usage as well as distribution.

Hope this helps,

Michael Larkins
Certified Teradata Master
Certified Teradata SQL Instructor

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