Introduction

An Oracle server is a relational database management system (RDBMS),

that is, a server component that manages a relational database model.

An RDBMS (or a database server) is able to:

• Manage large amounts of data in a multiuser environment so that

many users can concurrently access the same data.
• Maintain relationships between data.
• Provide secure access to data using over a user authorization concept.
• Recover data automatically to the most recent consistent status
after a system failure
• Deliver high performance for processing data requests

Terminology

database:
An Oracle database is a collection of data, logically treated as a unit. The
data is physically stored in one or several files. Oracle manages data in
logical units called tablespaces. A database object, such as a table, is always
created in a particular tablespace. A tablespace consists of one or more files.
Data store block wise each block size by default 8k.

Oracle instance:
The combination of Oracle (background) processes and memory
buffers is called an Oracle instance. Every running Oracle database is linked
to an Oracle instance. Moreover, every Oracle database needs its own
instance.
SGA
Every time an Oracle instance is started, a shared memory region called
the System Global Area (SGA) is allocated. The SGA allocated by an
Oracle instance can only be accessed by the processes of this instance. This
means that each instance has its own SGA When the instance is stopped,
the SGA is deallocated.

processes
Every time an Oracle instance is started, Oracle background processes are
started. When an instance shuts down, the processes are stopped

system identifier (DBSID)

Every database is uniquely identified in the network by its system identifier.
On SAP systems, the system identifier must consist of exactly three
characters, the first of which must be an uppercase letter, while the other
two can be uppercase letters or digits. Because the term system identifier is
also used for SAP systems, we consequently distinguish between the
database system identifier (referred to as DBSID) and the SAP system
identifier (referred to as SAPSID)

Database architecture
Oracle Instance and Database: Architecture Overview
After an Oracle instance is started, a special process, the Listener allows the
database clients and the instance to communicate with each other.
Note: The listener process is not part of an Oracle instance; it is part of
networking processes that work with Oracle.
In SAP installations, dedicated servers are used. When a work process makes
a request to connect to the database, the listener creates a dedicated server
process and establishes an appropriate connection.
• The separate server process created on behalf of each work process
(generally, for each user process) is called a shadow process.
• To handle database requests from several SAP system users, a work
process communicates with its corresponding shadow process.
• When a work process has lost its connection to the database system, it
automatically reconnects after the database server is available again and a
database request is to be processed.
Oracle background processes perform various tasks required for the
database to function properly.
Initialization parameters:-
Each database has its own parameter file.The instance for oracle database
is started using an initialization parameter file.Parameters contained in this
file
Examples of instance paramters:-
Db_cache_size -- specifies the size of the buffer pool.
Log_buffer – specifies the amount of memory that oracle uses when
buffering redo entries.
Log_Archives_start= True. specifies that the archive is started automatically.
CONTROL_FILES Specifies one or more names of control files.
Staring order :-
1. Spfile.ora
2. Init<sid>.ora or pfile or initialization file.
CONTROL FILE : -
Every oracle database has a control file, which is a small binary files
necessary for the database to start and operate successfully.control file
contains entries that specify the physical structure and state of the
database.such as table space information,names and location of data files
and redolog files or the current log sequence number.If physical structure
of database changes(for example when creating new data files or redolog
files).The control file is automatically updated by oracle.control files can
be changed only by oracle no database administrator or any other user
can edit the control files directly.after opening the database the control
file must be available for writing. If for some reasons the control file is
not accessable the databse can’t function properly.
Oracle control files can be mirrored for security
reasons several copies can be stored at different locations.oracle updates
these files at the same time.In SAP Installation the control file is stored
in 3 copies at different locations which is specified in init <sid >.ora file.
Which must be created on three physically separated disks.

Database files : --
it contains tables/index/data each database file is madeup of
oracle blocks. The very first block contains SCN(system change
number)number.each database file represent a particular oracle
table space.As the blocks are getting modified in the database file
then scn number gets incremented.
Database writer is the background
process which takes modified data(dirty buffers) from database
buffer cache(part of sga) and writes them to database files in the
hard disk.
REDOLOG FILES :--
These files contain latest changes made by user, any modification
(create, insert,update,alter,drop) are initially written to redolog
file,although they are actually meant for database files.
Log writer (LGWR) is the background process
which writes from redolog buffer to redolog files.