>>>... point the table will become miserably fragmented. It's at that point I would suggest that a table is a prime candidate for PACKing.
>
>Doug,
>
>I respectfully disagree. Packing the table at that point will provide for further fragmentation. Defragging the disk will cause the table to become contiguous and because you are not shrinking and growing the table it will remain contiguous indefinitely.

Jim,

I'm thinking I wasn't too clear. Let me revisit this with a (hopefully!) clearer explanation.

I meant internal fragmentation in terms of data sorting where the indexes would have to then work overtime to compensate. It's a perfomance thing at that point. I agree with Pat Adams that the best way to "PACK" a table is to create a new, ordered version and in that process simply do not copy any deleted records.

Has nothing to do IMO with fragmenting the actual file on the disk but does eliminate deleted records.

HTH

Best,