Beginners see the query plan first and then create the index on items in WHERE clause.
Experts mostly reverse the sequence.

for questions 1.1
You should use static IP addresses. hope this description helps
https://pimylifeup.com/raspberry-pi-static-ip-address/

#1 add an extent Index
#2 try https://community.intersystems.com/post/repairing-your-index

as posted on stackoverflow:

for details see Class %ZEN.Component.dateText

setting format:
Property format As %ZEN.Datatype.string(MAXLEN = 3, VALUELIST = ",MDY,DMY,YMD", ZENEXPRESSION = 1)
you have exactly 3 formats or "" 

Your guess on values is correct and documented:   
/// The value of this control is always in the canonical form: YYYY-MM-DD

As this is one of the oldest components of ZEN your only chance to achieve
your way of operation is to create your own version inheriting from
Class %ZEN.Component.dateText and overloading the parts you want to change

You might be able to achieve the first part of your description by some tricky JOIN constructs.
Just access to a non-existing column will fail at generating the Query.
Cascading might be easier (also for maintenance)  by filling a TempTable over several cycles
and so assemble the final result.

I would suggest to create a ClassMethod projected to SQL as Stored Procedure.
then instead of the trick with the switch you just provide the parameters that you really have

to rephrase your problem:
- You look for a way to switch on/off  column 1
so you need a switch:  >>> new parameter 
and use it like this:

... WHERE (0=? OR  column1=?) AND column2=?

if your first param is 0   then 2nd param (for column1) is irrelevant 
if your first param is 1   then 2nd param (for column1) is effective 

so execute(0,a,b)   uses any value of column1
whille execute(1,a,b) filters column1 and column2

the maxSCALE = 18 
see Doc on $NORMALIZE()
used in ##class/%Library.Numeric).Normalize()

/// Converts <var>%val</var> to a normalized value.
ClassMethod Normalize(%val As %RawString) As %Numeric [ CodeMode = generator, ServerOnly = 1 ]
{
s %codemode=$$$cMETHCODEMODEEXPRESSION
s %code="$select($zu(115,13)&&(%val=$c(0)):"""",1:$normalize($decimal(%val),"_+%parameter("SCALE")_"))"
QUIT $$$OK
}

But it is no problem to clone this data tape and write a private one

ah!

So you don't use the Caché provided Default Link generator in SMP !!!
So you get the default of datatype class %Numeric  (=> SCALE=2)

It might be enough to add :

$SELECT(columntype["Numeric":"%Numeric (SCALE=4)",1:columntype) 

It's all under your own control.

And therefore you should edit the generated class and not touch any defaults.
I assume it's the Link Generator that uses SCALE=2 if Oracle doesn't provide anything.

default SCALE=2 for %Library.Numeric  (since ever)
https://docs.intersystems.com/irislatest/csp/documatic/%25CSP.Documatic.cls?LIBRARY=%25SYS&CLASSNAME=%25Library.Numeric
 

it makes sense also to display what you group 

SELECT count(*),substr(TimeLogged,1,7), ConfigName
FROM Ens_Util.Log
where TimeLogged %STARTSWITH '2021-07'
and ConfigName = 'operation_Name'
group by substr(TimeLogged,1,7)