Check and Fix Search Index Inconsistencies

Overview

This page explains how to identify and resolve inconsistencies between the search index and the content repository in Bloomreach Content.

When to Use

Run a search index consistency check if:

Queries do not return expected content present in the repository.
Searches return results for content that no longer exists.
The repository was not shut down cleanly, or the Java process was terminated unexpectedly (for example, due to an Out of Memory error).
Large numbers of rapid save operations have occurred, potentially causing the index to lag behind repository changes.

How Search Indexing Works

Bloomreach Content uses Lucene to index repository nodes and properties. Each cluster node maintains its own local index for optimal query performance. Indexes are not shared between cluster nodes.

Index inconsistencies can occur if:

The repository is not shut down properly.
The Java process is killed unexpectedly.
Excessive save operations outpace the index update process.

To mitigate issues with rapid updates, batch size and throttling options are available in the Groovy Updater.

Enable the Search Index Consistency Check

To check and repair search index inconsistencies during repository startup, configure the following parameters in the SearchIndex section of your workspace configuration:

<param name="enableConsistencyCheck" value="true" />
<param name="autoRepair" value="true" />

To monitor consistency check activity, verify that the following loggers are present in conf/log4j.xml. Adjust log levels as needed for your environment:

<logger name="org.apache.jackrabbit.core.query.lucene.ConsistencyCheck">
  <level value="info"/>
</logger>
<logger name="org.hippoecm.repository.jackrabbit.RepositoryImpl">
  <level value="warn"/>
</logger>

Clustering Support

The search index consistency check and repair process runs during repository startup. The implementation performs double checks to reduce false positives, supporting reliable operation even in active clustered environments.

Recommendations and Impact

The search index consistency check is disabled by default.
Enabling the check increases application startup time.
The check is safe to run and does not affect repository data beyond index repair.
Enable the check only if you suspect index inconsistencies.
After the check completes and repairs are made, disable the check to restore normal startup performance.