How does defining a multi-column Primary Key during modeling impact the Primary Index?

Defining a multi-column Primary Key during modeling indicates that the combination of the specified columns must uniquely identify each record within the table. However, this does not impose strict requirements on how the Primary Index is defined.

The Primary Index is a mechanism used by Teradata for distributing data across the nodes in a database, as well as for facilitating quick data access. When creating a table, you can choose a different set of columns for the Primary Index that may not necessarily match the Primary Key. This allows for flexibility in structuring your data and optimizing performance based on access patterns.

Using the Primary Key primarily ensures data integrity by enforcing that the key columns uniquely identify records. In contrast, choosing a Primary Index based on different columns can improve efficiency in data retrieval and storage based on your specific operational needs.

Thus, the flexibility that exists in the relationship between the Primary Key and the Primary Index is captured aptly by the option indicating that the Primary Index can be independent from the Primary Key definition. This design choice allows for a more tailored database architecture, facilitating both integrity and performance.