ask | dr. root

Unindexed searches can be seen in the directory server access log. The unindexed search indicator, notes=U, indicates that the search performed was unindexed, which means that the database itself had to be directly searched instead of the index file. Unindexed searches occur either when the All IDs Threshold was reached within the index file used for the search, when no index file existed, or when the index file was not configured in the way required by the search. Unindexed searches add a big overhead to the directory server and recurring unindexed searches should not be ignored.

The following command could be used to check for unindexed searches on the directory server:

grep notes=U access

[15/May/2006:15:08:38 +0100] conn=10728 op=7 msgId=8 - RESULT err=0 tag=101 nentries=5 etime=4 notes=U
[15/May/2006:15:08:43 +0100] conn=10728 op=8 msgId=9 - RESULT err=0 tag=101 nentries=3 etime=5 notes=U
[15/May/2006:15:08:48 +0100] conn=10728 op=9 msgId=10 - RESULT err=0 tag=101 nentries=1 etime=4 notes=U
[15/May/2006:15:08:53 +0100] conn=10728 op=10 msgId=11 - RESULT err=0 tag=101 nentries=3 etime=4 notes=U
[15/May/2006:15:08:58 +0100] conn=10728 op=11 msgId=12 - RESULT err=0 tag=101 nentries=0 etime=5 notes=U
[15/May/2006:15:09:03 +0100] conn=10728 op=12 msgId=13 - RESULT err=0 tag=101 nentries=1 etime=4 notes=U
[15/May/2006:15:08:09 +0100] conn=10728 op=13 msgId=14 - RESULT err=0 tag=101 nentries=0 etime=4 notes=U

As is demonstrated above, high etimes usually accompany unindexed searches.

Note: Access logs contain much more information than is outlined here & this is only meant as a quick "how to" for spotting performance issues.

To have your directory server's performance evaluated professionaly contact Horizon.