ORACLE DBA BEGINNER LEVEL

TRAINING
05/01/2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Oracle Architecture
Oracle database and instance
Archive log mode in Oracle
Oracle Storage structures
2. Parameter files (spfile and pfile)
3. Dictionary views
4. Other Important DBA Queries .
5. Shutdown options in Oracle.
6. Basic Unix Commands for DBA.
7.Oracle Shared Server Vs Dedicated Server Architecture.
Domain : Life Sciences and Health Care.
Author : Alamuru Prasadu Reddy.
Mail id : alamuru.prasadureddy@tcs.com

TCS Public

Title of the Document

ORACLE ARCHITECTURE
ORACLE DATABASE AND INSTANCE
The database is the set of files stored on disk where as Instance
(SGA+ PGA+ Process) is the collection of oracle background
processes and memory. An instance can mount and open one and
only one database whereas database can be mounted and opened by
one or more instances.
Multiple instances can run concurrently on the same computer,
each accessing its own physical database. In large-scale cluster
systems, Oracle Real Application Clusters enables multiple
instances to mount a single database.

Figure: The Memory Architecture in Oracle 11g

Internal Use

Title of the Document

BACKGROUND PROCESSES :
Following are the 5 mandatory Background processes :
Data Base Writer Process (DBWn):
Database Writer writes from database buffer cache to datafile.
Database Writer writes the dirty buffer (modified) and cold
buffer (which are not recently used) to the datafile.
Database writer writes contents to the datafile when,
Server process is not able to find the free buffers after
searching a threshold No. of dirty buffers.
DBWn periodically writes buffer to advance the checkpoint,
which is the position in the redo log from where the instance
recovery begins.
Log Writer Process (LGWR):
It is responsible for writing the contents of Redo log buffer to a
redo log file on the disk. Redo is nothing but the information of
changes made to the database.
LGWR writes one contiguous portion of the buffer to disk. LGWR
writes:
A commit record when a user process commits a transaction.
Redo log buffers
o Every three seconds.
o When the redo log buffer is one-third full.
o When a DBWn process writes modified buffers to disk.

Internal Use

Title of the Document

Checkpoint Process (CKPT):

When a checkpoint occurs, Oracle must update the headers of all
data files to record the details of the checkpoint .It also increments
the SCN which acts as the starting point during instance recovery.
SCN is the System Change Number that is assigned
(& incremented) every time someone commits
(i.e. transaction completes) and acts as the internal timestamp
For Oracle. This is done by the CKPT process.

System Monitor Process (SMON):

The system monitor process (SMON) performs instance recovery,
if necessary (when the system shutdowns due to power cut or due
the abrupt shut down of system), at instance startup.
SMON is responsible for cleaning up of temporary segments that
are no longer in use and coalescing contiguous free extents within
dictionary managed table space.
If any terminated transactions are skipped during instance recovery
it recovers them when the table space is brought back online.
Process Monitor Process (PMON):
The process monitor performs process recovery when a user
process fails or terminates abnormally. PMON is responsible for
cleaning up the database buffer cache for failed /abnormally
terminated process and freeing resources that the user process was
using.
It also rollbacks all the un committed data for this process.

Internal Use

Title of the Document

Figure: Oracle Processes Architecture in Oracle 11g

Internal Use

Title of the Document

SGA: (SYSTEM GLOBAL AREA)

The System Global Area (SGA) is a group of shared memory areas
that are dedicated to an Oracle instance (an instance is your
database programs and RAM).
SGA consists of database buffer cache, Redo buffer cache, shared
pool, large pool, Stream pool, and Java pool.
Database buffer cache:
The database buffer cache is the portion of the SGA that holds
Copies of Data blocks read from data files. The buffers in the
cache are organized in two lists: the write list and the least recently
used (LRU) list.
The write list holds dirty buffers, which contain data that has been
Modified but has not yet been written to disk. The LRU list holds
Free buffers, pinned buffers, and dirty buffers that have not yet
Been moved to the write list. Free buffers do not contain any
Useful data and are available for use. Pinned buffers are currently
Being accessed.
Redo Buffer Cache:
The redo log buffer is a circular buffer in the SGA that holds
information about changes made to the database by INSERT,
UPDATE, DELETE, CREATE, DROP or ALTER.
Shared Pool:
The shared pool portion of the SGA contains the library cache, the
dictionary cache, buffers for parallel execution messages and
control structures.

Internal Use

Title of the Document

Large Pool (optional):

It is used to provide large memory allocations for:
Session memory for the shared server and the Oracle XA
interface (used where transactions
Interact with more than one database).
I/O server processes.
Oracle backup and restore operations.
Java Pool (optional):
Java pool memory is used in server memory for all session-specific
Java code and data within the JVM.
Streams Pool (optional):
In a single database, we can specify that Streams of memory be
allocated from a pool in the SGA called the Streams pool.

PGA: (PROGRAM GLOBAL AREA)

A program global area (PGA) is a memory region that contains
data and control information for a server process. It is a non shared
memory created by Oracle when a server process is started.
The PGA memory can be classified as follows:
Private SQL Area: Private SQL area contains data such as
bind information and runtime memory structures.
Cursors and SQL Areas.
Session Memory: Session memory is the memory allocated
to hold a session's variables and other information related to
the session.

Internal Use

Title of the Document

Figure: The Complete Oracle Architecture of 11d Database.

Internal Use

Title of the Document

ARCHIVE LOG MODE IN ORACLE

Following are the steps to be followed to configure database in
archive log mode.
Set the Archive redo log destination directories.
Shut down the database.
Startup the database in mount mode.
Then query ALTER DATABASE ARCHIVE LOG
Open the database.
Significance:
When we enable this mode redo logs will be archived before
overwriting it. Database backup can be taken even when database
is in Open Mode when the database mode is in archive log mode.
Database can be recovered till the time of failure if have all the
archived log files.
We can find out whether the database is in ARCHIVE LOG mode
or NO ARCHIVELOG mode using the command .
select log_mode from v$database.

ORACLE STORAGE STRUCTURES

Different types of tables paces are:
Permanent Table space (Stores Table & Index data).
Temporary Table space (Stores sorting related temporary
data).
Undo Table space (Stores Undo data).

Internal Use

Title of the Document

Database Block :
The smallest unit of allocation in an Oracle database. One or more
database blocks compose a database extent.
Every database block in a table space has the same number of
bytes.
The different table spaces within a database can have database
blocks with different sizes.
Typically, one or more rows of a table will reside in a database
block, although very long rows may span several database blocks.
A database block can have a size of 2KB, 4KB, 8KB, 16KB, or
32KB. Once any table space, including the SYSTEM and
SYSAUX table spaces, is created with a given block size, it cannot
be changed.
Data Block :
The header contains general block information, such as the block
address and the type of segment (for example, data or index).
Table directory portion of the data block contains information
about the table having rows in this block.
Row Directory contains information about the actual rows in the
block .The data block header, table directory, and row directory are
referred to collectively as overhead.

Internal Use

10

Title of the Document

Figure: Diagram showing the different parts of the Database Block

THE TABLE HIGHER WATER MARK:
For each table Oracle records the number of blocks which have
ever had rows allocated to them. This includes blocks which are
empty but which have previously contained rows.
This is known as the high water mark of the table. In a full table
scan all blocks up to the high water mark are read.
If a table has been the subject of multiple inserts followed by
deletes there may be many blocks which have few or no rows.

Internal Use

11

Title of the Document

Hierarchy from Table space to Data Block in Oracle:

Every database must consists of one or more table spaces.
Every table space must consist of one or more data files and every
table space must belong to one and only database.
Every data file must consist of one or more operating system
blocks. Each operating system block may belong to one and only
data file.
A table space may contain one or more segments and every
segment must exist in one and only table space.
A segment must consists of one or more extents and each extent
must belong to one and only one segment Stores Undo data.
Each extent must be located in one and only data file the space in
the data file may be allocated to one or more extents.
Every oracle block must consist of one or more OS block and every
OS block may be a part of one and only one oracle block.
Figure: Logical and Physical Storage Hierarchy in Oracle

Internal Use

12

Title of the Document

Figure : Segments, Extents, and Data Blocks Within a Table space

Logical Space Management:

Oracle Database must use logical space management to track and
allocate the extents in a table space.

Internal Use

13

Title of the Document

When a database object requires an extent, the database must have

a method of finding and providing it. Similarly, when an object no
longer requires an extent, the database must have a method of
making the free extent available.

Oracle Database manages space within a table space based on the

type that you create. You can create either of the following types of
table spaces:
1) Locally managed table spaces (default):
Locally managed tables paces the record of extent
allocation is made in tables pace header.
Locally managed table space the free and used
space is stored within the bitmap structure stored in
the table spaces data files.
2) Dictionary-managed table spaces:

In dictionary managed tables paces the record of

extent allocation is made in dictionary.
In dictionary managed table space free space is
recorded in the SYS.FET$ table, and used space in
the SYS.UET$ table .
So, Overhead of managing the space in dictionary tables is reduced in
case of locally managed table space. In oracle10g, table space created
will be locally managed table space by default.

Internal Use

14

Title of the Document

PARAMETER FILES
There are two types of parameter files in Oracle.
PFILE:

A PFILE is a static, client-side text file that must be updated with a

standard text editor like "note pad"or "vi".
This file normally reside on the server, however, you need a local
copy if you want to start Oracle from a remote machine.
SPFILE:
An SPFILE (Server Parameter File), on the other hand, is a
persistent server-side binary file that can only be modified with
the "ALTER SYSTEM SET" command .
This means you no longer need a local copy of the pfile to start the
database from a remote machine.
Use the following Syntax for Creating spfile from pfile:
Create spfile=path/spfile from pfile=path/init.ora Default location is
$ORACLE_HOME/database in windows and$ORACLE_HOME/dbs
in UNIX.

Password File :
The Oracle Password File stores passwords for users with
administrative privileges. One needs to create a password files
before remote administrators (like OEM) will be allowed to
connect.
Default location is $ORCALE_HOME/ database in
windows and $ORCALE_HOME/dbs in UNIX.
Using password file give an extended level of authentication.
Using password file we can add the users Whom we want to
grant the login rights.

Internal Use

15

Title of the Document

List of important parameters (10 parameters) from parameter file in

oracle
Following are the few important parameters from parameter file:
Background_dump_dest: It specifies the location for the alert.log file.
background_dump_dest. specifies the directory where trace files of
background processes are being written.
control_files: This parameter specifies the location of control files.
db_domain: This parameter specifies the domain name of the database.
db_files: This parameter indicates the maximum number of database files
that can be opened for a database.
db_name: This parameter must have the same value as the database
name.
log_archive_dest: This parameter specifies location of archive log files.
remote_login_passwordfile: remote_login_passwordfile specifies if
Oracle checks for a password file and if this password file is shared
among databases.
undo_retention: Specifies for how many seconds undo information is
kept.
undo_tablespace: Specifies the undo tables paces when using automatic
undo management.
db_block_size: Determines the size of a database block in bytes.
sga_target: It specifies the total amount of SGA memory available to an
instance

Internal Use

16

Title of the Document

DICTIONARY VIEWS
List of some important Data Dictionary Views in Oracle.
DBA_DATA_FILES: DBA_DATA_FILES view gives the information
about data file details.
DBA_TABLESPACES: This View gives information about all
Table spaces in the database.
DBA_FREE_SPACE: This View gives information about the free
extents in all table spaces in the database.
DBA_USERS: This View gives information about all users of the
database.
DBA_OBJECTS: This View gives information about all objects in the
database.
DBA_SEGMENTS: This View gives information about the storage
allocated for all segments in the database.
DICT: DICT is the synonym for Dictionary; it contains the descriptions
of data dictionary tables and views.
DBA_INDEXES: DBA_INDEXES describes all indexes in the database.
DBA_IND_COLUMNS: DBA_IND_COLUMNS describes the columns
of all the indexes on all tables and clusters in
the database.
ALL_SOURCE: ALL_SOURCE describes the text source of the stored
objects accessible to the current user.

Internal Use

17

Title of the Document

V$session: This view lists session information for each current session
Session is identified uniquely using Sid, serial#
V$locked_Objects: This view lists locks acquired by every transaction
on the system.
V$sqlarea: V$SQLAREA lists statistics on shared SQL area and
contains one row per SQL string. It provides statistics on
SQL statements that are in memory, parsed, and ready for
execution.
V$sysstat: This view lists system statistics.
V$sessstat: This view lists user session statistics.

DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE VIEWS:

Dynamic performance views are the views which are
continuously updated while a database is open and in use .
Dynamic performance views are useful in identifying instance
level performance problems.
Lifetime of the dynamic performance is same as that of instance
lifetime. Dynamic performance views are also called as
V$ views.

Internal Use

18

Title of the Document

Important DBA Queries which are helpful for Beginners

Query to get the schema name along with the number of

objects owned by each schema.
select owner, count (object_type) from dba_objects
group by owner;
Query to get list of all control file, datafiles, redo log file in
single query.
select name from v$datafile union all select name from
v$controlfile union all select member from v$logfile ;
Query to find the list of primary keys of the particular table
in Oracle.
SELECT * FROM ALL_CONS_COLUMNS A JOIN ALL_CONSTRAINT
S C ON A.CONSTRAINT_NAME = C.CONSTRAINT_NAME
WHERE C.TABLE_NAME = tablename AND
C.CONSTRAINT_TYPE = P ;

Query to find the list of foreign keys of the particular table

in Oracle.
SELECT * FROM ALL_CONS_COLUMNS A JOIN ALL_CONSTRAINT
S C ON A.CONSTRAINT_NAME = C.CONSTRAINT_NAME
WHERE C.TABLE_NAME = tablename AND
C.CONSTRAINT_TYPE = R ;

Query to find the Duplicate records in the table.

SELECT COUNT(*) , COLUMN1, COLUMN2 FROM
TABLE_NAME GROUP BY COLUMN1, COLUMN2
HAVING COUNT(*) > 1;

Internal Use

19

Title of the Document

Query to delete the Duplicate records in the table.

DELETE FROM table_name A WHERE a.rowid >
ANY ( SELECT B.rowid FROM table_name B
WHERE A.col1 = B.col1 AND A.col2 = B.col2 );

Query to find the nth Highest salary of a Employee of a Table.

Select * from epm A where &(n-1) = ( select
count(*) from emp B where A.sal < B.sal) ;
Query to find out the free table space in Oracle .
select b.tablespace_name, tbs_size SizeMb, a.free_space FreeMb
from (select tablespace_name, round(sum(bytes)/1024/1024 ,2 )
as free_space
from dba_free_space
group by tablespace_name) a,
(select tablespace_name, sum(bytes)/1024/1024 as tbs_size
from dba_data_files
group by tablespace_name) b
where a.tablespace_name(+)=b.tablespace_name;
Query to find out the Invalid objects in Oracle .
SELECT owner, object_type, object_name, status
FROM dba_objects WHERE status = 'INVALID'ORDER BY
owner, object_type, object_name;
Query to find out the logmode of the database in Oracle .
Select log_mode from the V$database ;
Query to find out the which version of the database you are
working in Oracle .
select * from v$version;

Internal Use

20

Title of the Document

Query to find out the ACL list in Oracle 11g .

SELECT host, lower_port, upper_port, acl
FROM dba_network_acls;
Query to find out the usage of the Temorery table space in
Oracle .
SELECT * from dba_temp_free_space ;
Query to find the all the Database links in database of the
oracle.
SELECT owner, db_link, username, host
FROM dba_db_links ORDER BY owner, db_link;
Query to find the list of the Parameter values in Oracle .
SELECT p.name, p.type, p.value, p.isses_modifiable,
p.issys_modifiable, p.isinstance_modifiable
FROM v$parameter p ORDER BY p.name;
Query to find out general information about the database .
SELECT * FROM v$database;
SELECT * FROM v$instance;
SELECT * FROM v$version;
Query to find out all the jobs & which jobs are currently
running in the database .
select job, log_user, next_date, next_sec, interval, what
from dba_jobs;
select * from user_jobs_running ; select * from all_jobs_running;

Internal Use

21

Title of the Document

Shutdown options in Oracle database

Following three methods are available to shutdown the oracle database:
1. Normal Shutdown
2. Shutdown Immediate
3. Shutdown Abort
1. Normal Shutdown
During normal shutdown, before the oracle database is shut down, oracle
will wait for all active users to disconnect their sessions. As the parameter
name (normal) suggest, use this option to shutdown the database under
normal conditions.
SQL> shutdown
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL>
2. Shutdown Immediate
During immediate shutdown, before the oracle database is shut down,
oracle will rollback active transaction and disconnect all active users.
Use this option when there is a problem with your database and you
dont have enough time to request users to log-off.
SQL> shutdown immediate;
Database closed.
Database dismounted.
ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL>

Internal Use

22

Title of the Document

3. Shutdown Abort
During shutdown abort, before the oracle database is shutdown, all user
sessions will be terminated immediately. Un committed transactions will
not be rolled back. Use this option only during emergency situations
when the shutdown and shutdown immediate doesnt work.
$ sqlplus '/ as sysdba'
SQL*Plus: Release 10.2.0.3.0 - Production on Sun Jan 18 11:11:33 2009
Copyright (c) 1982, 2006, Oracle. All Rights Reserved.
Connected to an idle instance.

SQL> shutdown abort

ORACLE instance shut down.
SQL>

Figure: Diagram showing various stages of the Database Shutdown

Internal Use

23

Title of the Document

Basic UNIX Commands for the DBA

A collection of commonly used UNIX commands by the Oracle
Database Administrator.
File Manipulation
Action

Command

Example

list file contents

cat

cat myfile

append to a file

cat

cat myfile >>newfile

combine two files

cat

cat myfile1 myfile2 >newfile

create a file

cat

cat >newfile

copy a file

cp

cp myfile newfile

create a file

touch

touch newfile

move a file

mv

mv myfile /usr/home/myfile

remove a file

rm

rm myfile

Directory Navigation & Manipulation

Action

Command

change directory

cd

change directory -up 1 level

change directory -home
create directory
remove directory
current path
directory listing
directory listing -long
directory listing -all/long
direcoty listing -all/last created
Kilobytes used in directory

cd
cd
mkdir
rmdir
pwd
ls
ls
ls
ls
du

Internal Use

Example
cd
$ORACLE_HOME
cd ..
cd
mkdir mydir
rmdir mydir
pwd
ls
ls -l
ls -al
ls-lrt
du -k mydir

24

Title of the Document

Miscellaneous

Action
change password
list processes -owner
list processes -everyone
list processes -username
show process for sid
show smon processes

Command
passwd
ps
ps
ps
ps
ps
/usr/ucb/ps show full process path
augxwv
change access privileges
chmod
read/write -owner,group
chmod
read/write/execute- owner,group chmod
read -owner,group,world
chmod
execute -owner,group
chmod
change ownership
chown
default security for new files
umask
change group
newgrp
who else is logged on
who
who owns this session
who
what is my session and group
id
quick top and uptime
w

Internal Use

Example
passwd
ps
ps -e
ps -fu username
ps -ef|grep [sid]
ps -ef|grep smon

chmod XXX
chmod 660 myfile
chmod 770 myfile
chmod 444 myfile
chmod 110 myfile
see access modes
umask 023
newgrp dba
who
who am i
id
w

25

Title of the Document

Change Access Modes

The postion of X effects:
X00 owner privileges | 0X0 group privileges | 00X -world or other
privilegesThe value of X can be:
0 -no privileges
1 -execute
2 -write
3 -write execute
4 -read
5 -read/execute
6 -read/write
7 -read/write/executeUsing the above numeric file modes you can set
access using chmod.
chmod XXX myfile or chmod XXX /usr/home/mydirectory

Oracle Shared vs. Dedicated Server Architecture

Shared Server:
In a Shared Server architecture MANY sessions (user
connections) have ONE server process associated.
Dedicated Server:
In a Dedicated Server architecture ONLY ONE sessions
(user connections) have ONLY ONE server process
associated.

Internal Use

26

Title of the Document

To request a dedicated server connection when Oracle Database is

configured for shared server, users must connect using a net service
name that is configured to use a dedicated server. Specifically, the
net service name value should include the SERVER=DEDICATED
clause in the connect descriptor.
Because a Shared Server architecture use a multi-thread
architecture (one server process has more threads), a Shared
Server is named MTS (Multi-Thread Server) as well.

We can know wether if the database using a Shared Server

architecture or Dedicated architecture
The following select give us the response: SELECT sid,
username, server FROM v$session WHERE type='USER';

Internal Use

27

Title of the Document

Figure: Dedicated Server Architecture in Oracle 11g

Figure: Shared Server Architecture in Oracle 11g

Internal Use

28