Alternatives to GUID for clustered index

Question

// Plus, I would have to retrieve the db generated GUID instead of create it on the client side.//

((( Note, I wanted to put this as a comment, but the "code" was too big for a simple comment. But this ~could be an answer. )))

You can create a client side (mostly) sequential guid..... As more of a C# developer than a DBA, I like to create all my relationships outside the database, and then send everything down as Xml, let TSQL shred it, and then Upsert everything I need in one db hit (an occasional delete as well I guess). But there are shortcoming to this approach. I think int and bigint will usually "win" the performance contests......BUT........most of the time.........using guid with the client side "sequential" is plenty good enough for my needs. Especially, as you suggest...you have to move that data at some point. Getting PK/FK's to "lineup" using IDENTITY() is doable, but easier with GUID's (IMHO). Now, if I were writing T~ick3t M@ster or an Am@zing online retail website, I would not pick GUID.

Good luck.

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;


namespace MyCompany.MyTechnology.Framework.CrossDomain.GuidExtend
{
    public static class Guid
    {

        /*

        Original Reference for Code:
        http://www.pinvoke.net/default.aspx/rpcrt4/UuidCreateSequential.html

        */


        [DllImport("rpcrt4.dll", SetLastError = true)]
        static extern int UuidCreateSequential(out System.Guid guid);

        public static System.Guid NewGuid()
        {
            return CreateSequentialUuid();
        }


        public static System.Guid CreateSequentialUuid()
        {
            const int RPC_S_OK = 0;
            System.Guid g;
            int hr = UuidCreateSequential(out g);
            if (hr != RPC_S_OK)
                throw new ApplicationException("UuidCreateSequential failed: " + hr);
            return g;
        }


        /*

        Text From URL above:

        UuidCreateSequential (rpcrt4)

        Type a page name and press Enter. You'll jump to the page if it exists, or you can create it if it doesn't.
        To create a page in a module other than rpcrt4, prefix the name with the module name and a period.
        . Summary
        Creates a new UUID 
        C# Signature:
        [DllImport("rpcrt4.dll", SetLastError=true)]
        static extern int UuidCreateSequential(out Guid guid);


        VB Signature:
        Declare Function UuidCreateSequential Lib "rpcrt4.dll" (ByRef id As Guid) As Integer


        User-Defined Types:
        None.

        Notes:
        Microsoft changed the UuidCreate function so it no longer uses the machine's MAC address as part of the UUID. Since CoCreateGuid calls UuidCreate to get its GUID, its output also changed. If you still like the GUIDs to be generated in sequential order (helpful for keeping a related group of GUIDs together in the system registry), you can use the UuidCreateSequential function.

        CoCreateGuid generates random-looking GUIDs like these:

        92E60A8A-2A99-4F53-9A71-AC69BD7E4D75
        BB88FD63-DAC2-4B15-8ADF-1D502E64B92F
        28F8800C-C804-4F0F-B6F1-24BFC4D4EE80
        EBD133A6-6CF3-4ADA-B723-A8177B70D268
        B10A35C0-F012-4EC1-9D24-3CC91D2B7122



        UuidCreateSequential generates sequential GUIDs like these:

        19F287B4-8830-11D9-8BFC-000CF1ADC5B7
        19F287B5-8830-11D9-8BFC-000CF1ADC5B7
        19F287B6-8830-11D9-8BFC-000CF1ADC5B7
        19F287B7-8830-11D9-8BFC-000CF1ADC5B7
        19F287B8-8830-11D9-8BFC-000CF1ADC5B7



        Here is a summary of the differences in the output of UuidCreateSequential:

        The last six bytes reveal your MAC address 
        Several GUIDs generated in a row are sequential 
        Tips & Tricks:
        Please add some!

        Sample Code in C#:
        static Guid UuidCreateSequential()
        {
           const int RPC_S_OK = 0;
           Guid g;
           int hr = UuidCreateSequential(out g);
           if (hr != RPC_S_OK)
             throw new ApplicationException
               ("UuidCreateSequential failed: " + hr);
           return g;
        }



        Sample Code in VB:
        Sub Main()
           Dim myId As Guid
           Dim code As Integer
           code = UuidCreateSequential(myId)
           If code <> 0 Then
             Console.WriteLine("UuidCreateSequential failed: {0}", code)
           Else
             Console.WriteLine(myId)
           End If
        End Sub




        */








    }
}