You need to recommend a solution that addresses the index fragmentation and index width issue. What should you include in the recommendation? (Each correct answer presents part of the solution…

Changing the data type of lastModified to smalldatetime would reduce column size but does not fully address the root cause, which is that the column should not be part of the clustered index key at all.

Removing the lastModified column from the clustered index reduces the clustered index key width, which directly addresses the index width issue and reduces fragmentation caused by page splits from wide keys. A narrower clustered index key also benefits all nonclustered indexes since they store the clustered index key as a row locator.

Changing the data type of modifiedBy to tinyint would reduce the column's storage size but does not address the fundamental issue that this column should be removed from the clustered index entirely.

Changing the id column to bigint would actually increase the index key width (from 4 bytes to 8 bytes), worsening the index width problem rather than solving it.

Removing the modifiedBy column from the clustered index further narrows the key width, reducing the overall index size and minimizing fragmentation. Columns that are frequently updated (like modifiedBy) in a clustered index key cause excessive page splits and fragmentation.

Removing the id column from the clustered index would remove the primary unique identifier, which is typically the most appropriate column for a clustered index key due to its narrow, unique, and ever-increasing nature.