Welcome to Oracle 10g

Data Dictionary and

Initialization Parameters
 

Paper 520

Presentation by Ari Kaplan

CEO, Expand Beyond Corporation
www.xb.com

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 Agenda
• Server parameter file
• Summary
– New initialization parameters
– New static data dictionary views
– New dynamic data dictionary views
– New columns in existing data dictionary views
• 10g Details
– Server Manageability
– Database Self-Management
– Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
– Database Automatic Statistics
– Object Management
– Backup and Recovery
– High Availability
– Security
• Tips
– ALTER SYSTEM
– Viewing undocumented parameters

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 The SPFILE
• “Server Parameter” file
• Stored on server
• Binary, rather than text
• Can maintain dynamic changes to
parameter values

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 The SPFILE
• Example 1:
CREATE SPFILE FROM PFILE=‘/u01/oracle/dbs/initPROD.ora’

• Example 2:
CREATE SPFILE ‘/u01/oracle/dbs/spfilePROD.ora’ FROM
PFILE=‘/u01/oracle/dbs/initPROD.ora’

• Must have SYSDBA or SYSOPER privileges

SQLPLUS> SHOW PARAMETERS SPFILE

/u01/oracle/dbs/spfilePROD.ora

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 The SPFILE
• 9iR2 RMAN:
BACKUP is used to back-up the SPFILE
- RMAN backs up the SPFILE in the backup set
If the SPFILE is lost / damaged, use RESTORE
SPFILE:
- Start the instance without the SPFILE
- Run RESTORE SPFILE in RMAN

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 The SPFILE
• *SPPARAMETER – contents of the SPFILE
• *RMAN_CONFIGURATION - maintain the
persistent configuration parameters for RMAN,
the standard Oracle backup and recovery utility

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 Initialization Parameter History
• Oracle 10g
– 27 new parameters
– 10 marked “ISDEPRECATED”
– 110 in V$OBSOLETE_PARAMETER
• Oracle 9iR1
– 46 new parameters
– 16 obsolete
– 3 renamed
• Oracle 8.1
– 28 new parameters
– 62 obsolete
• Oracle 8.0
– 75 new parameters
– 26 obsolete

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 10g Initialization Parameters
• New V$PARAMETER columns
– ISDEPRECATED (10 parameters are TRUE)
• buffer_pool_keep buffer_pool_recycle drs_start
• fast_start_io_target global_context_pool_size log_archive_start
• max_enabled_roles parallel_automatic_tuning parallel_server
• parallel_server_instances plsql_compiler_flags
– ISINSTANCE_MODIFIABLE (144 TRUE, 112 FALSE): for clustered
databases such as RAC, this shows if the parameter can be modified on global
(TRUE) or local (FALSE)
• Examples of FALSE: spfile, sessions, processes, sessions, dml_locks, utl_file_dir, …
• Examples of TRUE: sga_target, cpu_count, shared_pool_size, log_archive_dest,
undo_retention, statistics_level, …
– DISPLAY_VALUE: displays data slightly better in some cases. For example,
db_cache_size’s VALUE=25165824 and DISPLAY_VALUE=24M
db_recovery_file_dest_size’s VALUE=2147483648 and DISPLAY_VALUE=2G

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 10g initialization parameters
In 10g, the init parameters are broken into:
– “BASIC”, with 29 parameters that should be
modified for tuning
– “ADVANCED” for the fine-tuning of databases
and to keep us all employed. This is a nice
reduction in the number of parameters. For
example, shared server environments are handled
by Oracle (SHARED_SERVERS init parameter,
no longer the DISPATCHER init parameter)

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 10g initialization parameters
• “Basic” parameters:
– LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n
– CLUSTER_DATABASE
– LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_STATE_n
– COMPATIBLE – NLS_LANGUAGE, NLS_TERRITORY
– CONTROL_FILES – OPEN_CURSORS
– DB_BLOCK_SIZE – PGA_AGGREGATE_TARGET
– DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST – PROCESSES
– DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_n – REMOTE_LISTENER
– REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE
– DB_DOMAIN
– ROLLBACK_SEGMENTS
– DB_NAME – SESSIONS
– DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST – SGA_TARGET
– DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE – SHARED_SERVERS
– DB_UNIQUE_NAME – STAR_TRANSFORMATION_ENABLED
– INSTANCE_NUMBER – UNDO_MANAGEMENT
– JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES – UNDO_TABLESPACE

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 New 10g initialization
parameters
• New 10g parameters (to be discussed later):
– asm_diskgroups – ldap_directory_access
– asm_diskstring – log_archive_config
– log_archive_local_first
– asm_power_limit
– plsql_code_type
– create_stored_outlines
– plsql_debug
– db_flashback_retention_target – plsql_optimize_level
– db_recovery_file_dest – plsql_warnings
– db_recovery_file_dest_size – resumable_timeout
– db_unique_name – sga_target
– ddl_wait_for_locks – skip_unusable_indexes
– – smtp_out_server
fileio_network_adapters
– sqltune_category
– gcs_server_processes
– streams_pool_size
– instance_type

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 Static Data Dictionary History
• Oracle 10g
– 497 new static tables
• 295 SYS
• 202 non-SYS
– 127 deprecated static tables
• Oracle 9iR2
– 64 new static views
• Oracle 9iR1
– 96 new static views
– 117 existing views with changed columns
• Oracle 8.1
– 166 new static views
– 113 existing views with changed columns
• Oracle 8.0
– 119 new static views
– 72 existing views with changed columns

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 10g Static Data Dictionary
• Deprecated tables (from Oracle9iR2):
- 46 AQ - 6 Census - 10 CWM2 - 10 LBAC
- 22 ODM - 11 QA - 6 SA

• New tables (from Oracle9iR2):

- 295 SYS (OLAP, AQ, Streams, DIR, WRI / WRH, Rule_Set, Scheduler, …)
- 7 SYSTEM
- 7 DBSNMP
- 15 WMSYS
- 15 EXFSYS
- 3 ORDSYS
- 17 MDSYS
- 1 XDB
- 73 OLAPSYS
- 43 DMSYS
- 5 CTXSYS
- 12 WKSYS
- 12 WK_TEST

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 Static Data Dictionary Views

• All following views have USER_, ALL_

and DBA_ versions, unless otherwise noted

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 Dynamic Data Dictionary
• Oracle 10g
History
– 671 new dynamic SYS views
– 275 new dynamic non-SYS views (OLAPSYS, ORDSYS, DMSYS, etc.)
– 227 deprecated dynamic views
• Oracle 9iR2
– 4 new v$views
• Oracle 9iR1
– 69 new V$ views
– 64 renamed V$ views
• Oracle 8.1
– 84 new V$ views
– 35 existing views with changed columns
• Oracle 8.0
– 180 new V$ views
– 20 existing views with changed columns

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 10g Dynamic Data Dictionary
• Deprecated views in Oracle 10g (from Oracle9iR2):
- 101 EXU7 - 18 DBA_SA_ - 18 ALL_SA_
- 13 DBA_LBAC - 30 AQ$
• New SYS views in Oracle 10g (from Oracle9iR2):
- 6 ALL_* views - 16 AQ$* views - 2 DATABASE_
- 6 DATAPUMP_ - 173 DBA*_ - 27 DBA_ADVISOR_*
- 64 DBA_HIST_* - 15 DBA_SCHEDULER*_
- 7 DBA_STREAMS*_ - 22 EXU10* - 76 GV_$*
- 97 KU$_* - USER_ - 77 V_$*
- New non-SYS Views in Oracle 10g (from Oracle9iR2):
- 91 OLAPSYS - 42 WMSYS - 32 EXFSYS
- 5 ORDSYS - 9 MDSYS - 6 WK_TEST
- 71 DMSYS - 7 CTXSYS - 12 WKSYS

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 Dynamic views

• V$ and GV$
• Can extract individual node from GV$ view

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 •
Server Manageability
10g provides for easier installation, configuration, management (and dropping!) of databases.
• Much improved Oracle Enterprise Manager
• Automatically configure RAC clustered environments
• Automatic Storage Management (this was part of Oracle 9i, but there are additional
improvements in 10g): new volume manager for Oracle-based files. Oracle attempts to optimally
create and distribute datafiles, log files, and controlfiles. Mirroring and available disks are taken
into consideration, and Oracle can redistribute the files for balancing if there are I/O bottlenecks.
• Transparent gateway: use SELECT to refer to remote functions in non-Oracle databases.
• 10g Initialization Parameters:

– instance_type
Description from V$PARAMETER type of instance to be executed
Default Value rdbms
Notes Two values: RDBMS for a database instance, ASM for an
Automatic Storage instance
Example ASM

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•
Server Manageability
10g Initialization Parameters:

– asm_diskgroups
Description from V$PARAMETER disk groups to mount automatically
Default Value {null}
Notes List of disk groups for the ASM to mount at STARTUP or
“ALTER_DISKGROUP ALL MOUNT”. Oracle dynamically
modifies this parameter when disk groups are
mounted/dismounted
– asm_diskstring
Example Group1, Group2

Description from V$PARAMETER disk set locations for discovery

Default Value {null}
Notes Oracle uses this parameter to perform automatic discoveries
for which disks are available. The instance needs read/write
access to the directory to be considered.
Example /dev1, /dev2

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• 10g Initialization Parameters:
Server Manageability
– asm_power_limit
Description from V$PARAMETER number of processes for disk rebalancing
Default Value 1
Notes ASM power for automatic disk rebalancing. This is on a
scale of 1 to 11. 1 takes longer but consumes fewer CPU and
i/o resources. 11 is faster but consumes more CPU and i/o.
– fileio_network_adapters5
Example

Description from V$PARAMETER Network Adapters for File I/O

Default Value {null}
Notes Lists the addresses of network adapters to access disks.
Useful for NAS (network attached storage).
Example otn1.oracle.com, adapt2.ebay.com, …

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 Database Self-Management
• Automatic Workload Repository: a set of tables that is a repository of
workload statistics, enabling Oracle 10G to self-manage. Querying against
this repository is a wealth of information, analogous to the BSTAT/ESTAT
and tracing options for tuning in Oracle 9. Stored in a separate repository
database with OEM.
• 10g Views: New columns:
– V$AW_CALC (SESSION_ID, CURR_DML_COMMAND,
PREV_DML_COMMAND, AGGR_FUNC_LOGICAL_NA,
AGGR_FUNC_LOGICAL_NA, AGGR_FUNC_PRECOMPUTE,
AGGR_FUNC_CALCS)
– V$AW_SESSION_INFO: new columns (SESSION_ID)
• Automatic Storage Management: (previously described)
• Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor: Oracle 10G self-analyzes its
performance, looks for bottlenecks, and can automatically adjust database
configuration.

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 Database Self-Management
• Automatic UNDO RETENTION tuning: Oracle 10G can dynamically adjust
the init parameter UNDO_RETENTION, which looks at the space in the
UNDO tablespaces and automatically adjusts as new SQL queries are
executed. This helps to avoid the “snapshot too old” errors.
• 10g Views:
– V$UNDOSTAT: new columns
• MAXQUERYID
• ACTIVEBLKS
• UNEXPIREDBLKS
• EXPIREDBLKS
• TUNED_UNDORETENTION
• Automatic Checkpoint tuning: Oracle 10G self-tunes checkpoint frequencies
to optimize recovery time.

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 •
Database Self-Management
Users can now have more than one TEMP tablespace defined with a “tablespace group”, so creating large objects such as indexes or running large GROUP BY or
DISTINCT queries can spill into additional TEMP tablespaces without failing as in Oracle 9 and earlier versions.
• SGA:
• 10g Initialization Parameter:

– sga_target

Description from V$PARAMETER Target size of SGA

Default Value 0
• Cache:
Notes Total size of DB_CACHE_SIZE, SHARED_POOL_SIZE,
• 10g View: V$DB_CACHE_ADVICE new columns:
• ESTD_PHYSICAL_READ_TIME
• ESTD_PCT_OF_DB_TIME_FOR_READS
LARGE_POOL_SIZE, and JAVA_POOL_SIZE. Oracle’s ASM
(Automatic Shared Memory) automatically and dynamically
adjusts the SGA components during runtime. Additional pools
are not affected: log buffer, KEEP/RECYCLE buffer cache, and
Oracle Streams pool.
Example 500M

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• SGA:
• Fixed SGA Size, Redo Buffers, Buffer Cache Size, Shared Pool Size, Large Pool Size,
Java Pool Size, Granule Size, Maximum SGA Size, Free SGA Memory Available
• 10g Initialization Parameters:
– BUFFER_CACHE and SHARED_POOL_SIZE are now self-tuning
– JAVA_POOL_SIZE is now dynamic
• 10g Initialization Parameter:
– STREAMS_POOL_SIZE

Description from V$PARAMETER size in bytes of the streams pool

Default Value 0
Notes Size of the Streams pool in the SGA. By default this is 10% of
the shared pool.
Example 500M

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• SGA:
• 10g Views:
– New V$SGAINFO ; more high-level than V$SGASTAT
Name Null? Type
---------------------------------- -------- ----------------------------
INST_ID NUMBER
NAME VARCHAR2(25)
BYTES NUMBER
RESIZEABLE VARCHAR2(3)

– V$SGA_DYNAMIC_COMPONENTS: new column:

• USER_SPECIFIED_SIZE
– V$SHARED_POOL_ADVICE: new columns:
• ESTD_LC_LOAD_TIME
• ESTD_LC_LOAD_TIME_FACTOR

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• Sessions:
• 10g Views: V$SESSION: new columns:
– SQL_ID
– SQL_CHILD_NUMBER
– PREV_SQL_ID
– PREV_CHILD_NUMBER
– BLOCKING_SESSION_STATUS
– BLOCKING_SESSION
– SEQ#
– EVENT#
– EVENT
– P1TEXT
– P1
– P1RAW
– P2TEXT
– P2
– P2TAW
– P3TEXT
– P3
– P3RAW
– WAIT_CLASS_ID
– WAIT_CLASS#
– WAIT_CLASS
– WAIT_TIME
– SECONDS_IN_WAIT
– STATE
– SERVICE_NAME

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• Sessions:
• V$SESSION_EVENT: new column:
– EVENT_ID
• V$SESSION_LONGOPS: new column:
– SQL_ID
• V$SESSION_WAIT: new columns:
– WAIT_CLASS_ID
– WAIT_CLASS#
– WAIT_CLASS

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• WAIT statistics:
• 10g now stores historical repository of waits, and includes better analysis capabilities to see what
sessions are waiting for.
• 10g Views: new column (HASH) in:
– V$LATCH
– V$LATCH_CHILDREN
– V$LATCH_PARENT
– V$LATCHNAME
• Tablespace:
• Rename Tablespace: before Oracle 10G, the DBA would need to create a new tablespace, copy
(or export/import data) into the new tablespace, and drop the original tablespace. Now you can
simply RENAME the tablespace extremely quickly.
•  10g Views:
– DBA_TABLESPACES: new columns:
• RETENTION
• BIGFILE
– V$TABLESPACE: new columns:
• BIGFILE
• FLASHBACK_ON

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• Database:
• 10g Views:
• V$DATABASE: new columns:
– SWITCHOVER#
– PLATFORM_ID
– PLATFORM_NAME
– RECOVERY_TARGET_INCARNATION
– LAST_OPEN_INCARNATION#
– CURRENT_SCN
– FLASHNACK_ON
– SUPPLEMENTAL_LOG_DATA_FK
– SUPPLEMENTAL_LOG_DATA_ALL
– DB_UNIQUE_NAME
– STANDBY_BECAME_PRIMARY_SCN
• V$DATABASE_INCARNATION: new columns:
– INCARNATION#
– STATUS
– RESETLOGS_ID
– PRIOR_INCARNATION

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• SQL Tuning:
• 10g Views:
• V$SQL: new columns:
– SQL_FULLTEXT SQL_ID END_OF_FETCH_COUNT
– DIRECT_WRITES APPLICATION_WAIT_TIME CONCURRENCY_WAIT_TIME
– USER_IO_WAIT_TIME PLSQL_EXEC_TIME JAVA_EXEC_TIME
– OPTIMIZER_ENV OPTIMIZER_ENV_HASH_VALUE OLD_HASH_VALUE
– SQL_PROFILE PROGRAM_ID PROGRAM_LINE#
• V$SQL_PLAN: new columns:
– SQL_ID PLAN_HASH_VALUE OBJECT_ALIAS
– OBJECT_TYPE PROJECTION TIME
– QBLOCK_NAME REMARKS
• V$SQL_PLAN_STATISTICS: new columns:
– SQL_ID PLAN_HASH_VALUE
• V$SQL_PLAN_STATISTICS_ALL: new columns:
– SQL_ID PLAN_HASH_VALUE OBJECT_ALIAS
– OBJECT_TYPE PROJECTION TIME
– QBLOCK_NAME REMARKS
• V$SQL_SHARED_CURSOR: new columns:
– SQL_ID CHILD_ADDRESS CHILD_NUMBER
– ANYDATA_TRANSFORMATION INCOMPLETE_CURSOR TOP_LEVEL_RPI_CURSOR
– DIFFERENT_LONG_LENGTH LOGICAL_STANDBY_APPLY DIFF_CALL_DURN
– BIND_UACS_DIFF PLSQL_CMP_SWITCHS_DIFF
• V$SQL_SHARED_MEMORY: new columns:
– SQL_FULLTEXT SQL_ID
• V$SQLAREA: new columns:
– SQL_ID END_OF_FETCH_COUNT DIRECT_WRITES
– APPLICATION_WAIT_TIME CONCURRENCY_WAIT_TIME CLUSTER_WAIT_TIME
– USER_IO_WAIT_TIME PLSQL_EXEC_TIME JAVA_EXEC_TIME
– OLD_HASH_VALUE PROGRAM_ID

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• SQL Tuning:
• 10g Initialization Parameter:
– create_stored_outlines
Description from V$PARAMETER create stored outlines for DML statements
Default Value {null}
Notes Tells Oracle if SQL queries automatically create outlines.
TRUE creates outlines, FALSE disables the features, and
setting to {category_name} stores the outlines linked to the
specified category.
Example– ddl_wait_for_locks FALSE

Description from V$PARAMETER Disable NOWAIT DML lock acquisitions

Default Value FALSE
Notes TRUE – DDL statements wait to complete if there are blocking
locks on the object. FALSE – DDL statements time-out if there
are blocking locks
Example TRUE

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• SQL Tuning:
• 10g Initialization Parameter:
– resumable_timeout
Description from V$PARAMETER set resumable_timeout
Default Value 0
Notes Time (in seconds) SQL statements are allowed to wait before
timing out.
Example 20000

– sqltune_category

Description from V$PARAMETER Category qualifier for applying hintsets

Default Value DEFAULT
Notes Used with the DBMS_SQLTUNE package to connect SQL
profiles for SQL statements with tuning categories
Example

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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• PL/SQL Tuning:
• 10g Initialization Parameter:
– plsql_code_type
Description from V$PARAMETER PL/SQL code-type
Default Value INTERPRETED
Notes Tells Oracle how PL/SQL is compiled within the database. Two
values:
INTERPRETED: compiles PL/SQL into bytecode
NATIVE: compiles PL/SQL into native (machine) code
Example– plsql_debug NATIVE

Description from V$PARAMETER PL/SQL debug

Default Value FALSE
Notes Tells Oracle if PL/SQL can be compiled for debugging
purposes. Two values:
TRUE: PL/SQL will be compiled in debugging mode. Note that
this overrides the plsql_code_type parameter to always be
INTERPRETED
FALSE: PL/SQL is compiled without debugging
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 Database Manual Monitoring / Management / Tuning
• PL/SQL Tuning:
• 10g Initialization Parameter:
– plsql_optimize_level

Description from V$PARAMETER PL/SQL optimize level

Default Value 0
Notes PL/SQL optimization levels during compilation. This can result
in improved compiled code. Three values:
0: compile similar to Oracle9i’s compilation
1: applies several optimization algorithms for PL/SQL
compilation
– plsql_warnings 2: applies the most advanced optimization
Example 2

Description from V$PARAMETER PL/SQL compiler warnings settings

Default Value DISABLE:ALL
Notes Tells Oracle how much detail, if any, to display with warning
messages during PL/SQL compilation.
Qualifier values:
Example ERROR SEVERE
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 Database Automatic Statistics
• Automatic Optimizer Statistics Collection: collects statistics for objects that are either stale or don’t have them at all.
• 10g Initialization Parameter:
– Statistics_level: default is TYPICAL, and the other option is BASIC. The SMON process wakes up every 2-3 hours, reviews the number of rows
affected by INSERT / UPDATE / DELETE commands since the last statistics gathering. This process replaces the old DBMS_STATS built-in package.
• 10g Views:
– *_TAB_MODIFICATIONS: determines which tables have stale statistics and which should be updated via the SMON background process.

• Database Advisors: 
– Oracle tracks usage more than Tivo. The DBA can collect data on what Oracle functions are being used (Parallel Queries, IOTs, etc) for information and
tracking.
– Segment Advisor: Stores data on object growth trends and helps make DBAs with capacity planning. The Segment Advisor also looks within tables to
see if any should be defragmented. This new online defragmentation includes reducing the highwater mark from empty blocks, or if data is out of whack
with PCTUSED / PCTFREE, tables can be rebuilt online to compact data.
– Redo Log Sizing Advisor: self-explanatory
– SQL Tuning Advisor, SQL Access Advisor: makes suggestions for improving the syntax of SQL statements, the way some 3 rd-party vendors did prior to
Oracle 10G. Also recommends adding indexes, materialized views, etc.
– Transaction Rollback and Recovery Monitoring: predict how long a rollback will take, monitor long-running transactions being recovered for
performance.

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 •
Object Management
Tablespaces: New SYSAUX tablespace is for system auxiliary objects. Now you do not need to put everything into the SYSTEM
tablespace.
• Object Types:New “Sorted Hash Cluster” object type. Useful to retrieve data in the exact order it was INSERTed
• Tables:
– DBA_TABLES:
• MAXTRANS deprecated.
• New columns COMPRESSION (DISABLED, ENABLED, null) and DROPPED (YES, NO)
– DBA_TAB_COLS: new columns (HISTOGRAM, QUALIFIED_COL_NAME)
– DBA_TAB_COLUMNS: new column (HISTOGRAM)
– DBA_TAB_COL_STATISTICS: new column (HISTOGRAM)
– DBA_TAB_MODIFICATIONS: new column (DROP_SEGMENTS)
• Indexes:
– DBA_INDEXES new columns (IOT_REDUNDANT_PKEY_ELIM, DROPPED)
• 10g Initialization Parameter:
– skip_unusable_indexes

Description from V$PARAMETER skip unusable indexes if set to TRUE

Default Value TRUE
Notes Two values:
TRUE: skips error reporting on indexes and index partitions
and allows for DML on base tables with UNUSABLE indexes.
FALSE: tells Oracle to return an error when DML on base
tables with UNUSABLE indexes occurs.
36 Example FALSE
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 Object Management
• LOBs:
– DBA_LOG_GROUPS: new columns (TABLESPACE_NAME, FORMAT, PARTITIONED)
– V$TEMPORARY_LOBS: new column (ABSTRACT_LOBS)
• Log Groups:
– DBA_LOG_GROUPS: new columns (LOG_GROUP_TYPE, GENERATED)
• Materialized Views:
– DBA_MVIEWS: new columns (UNKNOWN_TRUSTED_FD, STALE_SINCE)

• Online Segment Shrink: This new online defragmentation includes reducing the
highwater mark from empty blocks, or if data is out of whack with PCTUSED /
PCTFREE, tables can be rebuilt online to compact data. This is possible with tables,
indexes, and materialized views.

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 Backup and Recovery
• 10g has new automated disk-based backup & recovery features.
• New / improved commands:
– DROP DATABASE command: physically deletes all datafiles, spfiles, controlfiles, redo logs
– ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS: no longer need to backup the database instance following this command
– ALTER DATABASE BEGIN BACKUP: No longer need to cycle through each tablespace to put into hot backup mode. Can now do
the entire database
– Automatic TSPITR (tablespace point-in-time recovery)
•  10g Views:
– V$ARCHIVE_DEST: new columns (VALID_NOW, VALID_TYPE, VALID_ROLE, DB_UNIQUE_NAME, VERIFY, EXPEDITE)
– V$ARCHIVE_DEST_STATUS: new columns (DB_UNIQUE_NAME)
– V$ARCHIVED_LOG (RESETLOGS_ID, IS_RECOVERY_DEST_FILE, FAL)
– V$FAST_START_SERVERS: new column (XID)
– V$FAST_START_TRANSACTIONS: new columns (XIS, PXID, RCVSERVERS)
– V$INSTANCE_RECOVERY: new columns (OPTIMAL_LOGFILE_SIZE, ESTD_CLUSTER_AVAILABLE_TIME,
WRITES_MTTR, WRITES_LOGFILE_SIZE, WRITES_LOG_CHECKPOINT_SETTINGS, WRITES_OTHER_SETTINGS,
WRITES_AUTOTUNE, WRITES_FULL_THREAD_CKPT)

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 Backup and Recovery
• 10g Initialization Parameters:
– db_flashback_retention_target

Description from V$PARAMETER Maximum Flashback Database log retention time in minutes.
Default Value 1440
Notes The upper limit for time (in minutes) that the database should
retain data for flashing back information.
Example 2000

– db_recovery_file_dest

Description from V$PARAMETER default database recovery file location

Default Value /usr/db/flash_recovery_area
Notes This is the “flash recovery” directory or disk group. The “flash
recovery” directory contains copies of controlfiles, redo logs,
archived redo logs, flashback logs, and RMAN backup files.
Example /u01/oracle/recov

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 Backup and Recovery
• 10g Initialization Parameters:

– db_recovery_file_dest_size
Description from V$PARAMETER database recovery files size limit
Default Value 2G
Notes The upper limit in size for the “flash recovery” directory.
Example 4G

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 Backup and Recovery
• RMAN:
• 10g can automatically create and recover datafiles that have never been backed up. Also when RMAN detects a
corrupt backup it can automatically go one backup into the past to recover.
• The DURATION clause of the BACKUP command sets the seconds that a backup is allowed to run, at which point
RMAN can pause and/or resume.
• Can alert the DBA when the backup is about to run out of space.
• 10g Views:
– V$DATAFILE_COPY: new columns (IS_RECOVERY_DEST_FILE, RMAN_STATUS_RECID, RMAN_STATUS_STAMP)
– V$BACKUP_PIECE: new columns (BYTES, IS_RECOVERY_DEST_FILE, RMAN_STATUS_RECID,
RMAN_STATUS_STAMP, COMPRESSED)
– V$BACKUP_SINC_ID: new columns (RMAN_STATUS_RECID, RMAN_STATUS_STAMP)
– V$DATAFILE_COPY: new columns (IS_RECOVERY_DEST_FILE, RMAN_STATUS_RECID, RMAN_STATUS_STAMP)
– V$PROXY_ARCHIVELOG: new columns (TAG, RMAN_STATUS_RECID, RMAN_STATUS_STAMP)
– V$PROXY_DATAFILE: new columns (RMAN_STATUS_RECID, RMAN_STATUS_STAMP)

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 Backup and Recovery
• Flashback Query Improvements:
• Can recover an entire database to an earlier point-in-time, reducing or removing the need to use the traditional tape backup
and recovery methods.

• FLASHBACK DATABASE: entire database restored to a point-in-time

• FLASHBACK TABLE command: entire table restored to a point-in-time. Oracle now puts dropped tables into the “recycle
bin” for quick and easy recovery. In SQL*Plus you can type “SHOW RECYCLEBIN bin_name”

• Flashback drop: restore a table that was dropped entirely

• Flashback version query: view data at the row-level and the history of changes
• Flashback transaction query: view data and changes on a transaction-level for more finely-grained auditing and investigating.

• 10g Views: New FLASHBACK_TRANSACTION_QUERY: view database transaction-level changes

• 10g Initialization Parameters: db_flashback_retention_target, db_recovery_file_dest, db_recovery_file_dest_size (previously
explained)

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 Backup and Recovery
• LogMiner Improvements:
• 10g’s log miner now supports index-organized tables, LONG datatypes, multibyte data
• 10g Views:
– V$LOGMNR_CONTENTS: new columns (TABLE_NAME, DATA_OBJV#,
SAFE_RESUME_SCN, XID, PXID, AUDIT_SESSIONID)
– V$LOGMNR_DICTIONARY: new columns (DB_CREATED, DB_VERSION_TIME,
DB_CHARACTER_SET, DB_VERSION, DB_STATUS, DB_TXN_SCN)
– V$LOGMNR_LOGS: new columns (TYPE, BLOCKSIZE, FILESIZE)
– V$LOGMNR_PARAMETERS: new columns (REQUIRED_START_DATE,
REQUIRED_START_SCN, OPTIONS)

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 High Availability
• Data Guard: 10g Initialization Parameters:
– db_unique_name
Description from V$PARAMETER Database Unique Name
Default Value {ORACLE_SID}
Notes Helpful for Data Guard, DB_UNIQUE_NAME is the global
unique database name. This differentiates different databases
with the same DB_NAME and the same DB_DOMAIN
Example ORAPROD
– log_archive_config
Description from V$PARAMETER log archive config parameter

Default Value ‘SEND, RECEIVE, NODG_CONFIG’

Notes Tells Oracle information on how to send redo logs to remote
destinations in Data Guard environments.
SEND/NOSEND (send the redo logs to remote destinations or
not)
RECEIVE/NORECEIVE (receive redo logs from remote
destinations or not)
DG-CONFIG/NODG_CONFIG (list of unique database names in
the Data Guard configuration. 0-9 unique names are allowed)
Example
44 NOSEND NORECEIVE DG_CONFIG=ORA_PROD
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 High Availability
• Data Guard:
• 10g Initialization Parameters:

– log_archive_local_first
Description from V$PARAMETER Establish EXPEDITE attribute default value
Default Value TRUE
Notes For Data Guard configurations:
TRUE: uses the ARC background processes to send redo logs to
remote destinations once an online log is archived. Good for
slow WAN networks.
FALSE: uses the ARC background processes to send logs to
remote destinations simultaneously to the local archive copying.
Good for fast LAN environments.
Example FALSE

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 High Availability
• RAC (Real Application Clusters):
• As part of the new Enterprise Manager, Oracle now provides clusterware management software similar to the
3rd-party software available prior to Oracle 10G. It provides a nice dashboard of overall node statuses with
drilldown capabilities.
• Automatic Workload Management: DBAs create workloads and then manage CPU resources for each process.
• Zero Downtime Patching: by using RAC, you can apply patches (database or server) to one node at a time to
avoid downtime.
• Upgrade Oracle versions “online” with the Rolling Upgrade. Uses logical standby databases and SQL apply
technology
• New RAC 10g Views:
– DB_UNIQUE_NAME: can dynamically add a standby database without shutting down the primary database.

• 10g Initialization Parameter: gcs_server_processes

Description from V$PARAMETER

Default Value 0 (if CLUSTER_DATABASE=FALSE)
2 (if CLUSTER_DATABASE=TRUE)
Notes For RAC, specifies the initial number of server processes. This
is part of the Global Cache Services (cache fusion)
Example 20

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 Security
• Kerberos: SASL in addition to PKI. Supports Simple Authentication and Security Layer in addition to Public Key Infrastructure. Used
while communicating among databases. Can also use Kerberos-enabled database links to protect data as it is transmitted.
• Fine-grained auditing:
• Fine-grained auditing now includes UPDATE, INSERT, DELETE
• 10g Views: New columns in:
– DBA_FGA_AUDIT_TRAIL (STATEMENT_TYPE, EXTENDED_TIMESTAMP, PROXY_SESSIONID, GLOBAL_UID, INSTANCE_NUMBER)
• Auditing:
• 10g Views: New columns in:
– DBA_AUDIT_EXISTS, DBA_AUDIT_OBJECT, DBA_AUDIT_STATEMENT, DBA_AUDIT_TRAIL (EXTENDED_TIMESTAMP,
PROXY_SESSIONID, GLOBAL_UID, INSTANCE_NUMBER, OS_PROCESS, TRANSACTIONID, SCN, SQL_BIND, SQL_TEXT)
– DBA_AUDIT_POLICIES (SEL, INS, UPD, DEL, AUDIT_TRAIL, POLICY_COLUMN_OPTIONS)
– DBA_AUDIT_SESSION (EXTENDED_TIMESTAMP, PROXY_SESSIONID, GLOBAL_UID, INSTANCE_NUMBER, OS_PROCESS)
• EUS: Enterprise User Security. Single sign-on capabilities. A central OID/LDAP repository. Can manage Oracle Label Security policies
and user label authorities.
• 10g Views: New columns in:
– DBA_POLICIES: (IDX, POLICY_TYPE, LONG_PREDICATE)

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 Security
• VPD (Virtual Private Database): supports parallel query operations.
• 10g Views: New columns in:
– V$VPD_POLICY (SQL_ID)
• 10g Initialization Parameter:

– ldap_directory_access
Description from V$PARAMETER RDBMS's LDAP access option
Default Value NONE
Notes Three values that determines if / how Oracle authenticates to
the Internet Directory: This is for enterprise security.
NONE: Oracle doesn’t authenticate at all
PASSWORD: connect with the password stored in the database
“wallet”
SSL: connect with SSL
Example SSL

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 Tips
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 ALTER SYSTEM
The ALTER SYSTEM command can improve uptime

SELECT NAME, VALUE

FROM v$parameter

WHERE issys_modifiable IN (’DEFERRED’, ‘IMMEDIATE’);

ALTER SYSTEM SET max_dump_file_size = 100000;

• Oracle9/8i updates for this command

• Change the initSID.ora file (unless using SPFile)

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 ALTER SYSTEM
SELECT NAME, VALUE
FFROM v$parameter
WHERE issys_modifiable IN (’DEFERRED’,‘IMMEDIATE);

NAME VALUE ISSAYS MOD

Timed_statistics False IMMEDIATE
Log_checkpoint_interval 5000000 IMMEDIATE
Log_checkpoint_timeout 21600 IMMEDIATE
Object_cache_optimal_size 102400 DEFERRED
Background_dump_dest /u02/oracle/PHIS/bdump IMMEDIATE
Sort_area_size 5096000 DEFERRED

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 Undocumented Parameters
• Each undocumented parameter begins with an
underscore
• Examples:
– _offline_rollback_segments
– _corrupted_rollback_segments
– _allow_reset_logs_corruption
• They should only be used under the direction of a
senior DBA or Oracle support.

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 Undocumented Parameters
“Hidden” INIT.ORA: X$KSPPI and X$KSPPSV
X$KSPPI X$KSPPSV
Name Type Name Type
----------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ----------------------- ---------------------------------

ADDR RAW(4) ADDR RAW(4)

INDX NUMBER INDX NUMBER
INST_ID NUMBER INST_ID NUMBER
KSPPINM VARCHAR2(64) KSPPSTVL VARCHAR2(512)
KSPPITY NUMBER KSPPSTDF VARCHAR2(9)
KSPPDESC VARCHAR2(64) KSPPSTVF NUMBER
KSPPIFLG NUMBER

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 Undocumented Parameters
To see the hidden init.ora parameters and session/instance values:

SELECT
a.ksppinm "Parameter", a.ksppdesc "Description",
b.ksppstvl "Session Value", c.ksppstvl "Instance Value"
FROM
x$ksppi a, x$ksppcv b, x$ksppsv c
WHERE
a.indx = b.indx AND a.indx = c.indx
AND a.ksppinm LIKE '/_%' escape '/'

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 Undocumented Parameters
To see all init.ora parameters, “regular” and “hidden”, that have been modified directly
or indirectly, issue:
SQL> SELECT nam.ksppinm || '=' || val.ksppstvl
2 FROM x$ksppi nam, x$ksppsv val
3 WHERE nam.indx = val.indx AND
4 val.ksppstdf ='FALSE’ ORDER BY 1;

NAM.KSPPINM||’=’||VAL.KSPPSTVL
------------------------- ------------------------- ---------
partition_view_enabled=FALSE
_affinity_on=FALSE
_wait_for_sync=TRUE
compatible=8.0.0

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 Database Resources
Oracle Discussion Newsgroups:
comp.databases.oracle.server
comp.databases.oracle.tools
comp.databases.oracle.misc
These can be accessed through a newsgroup
program or “www.deja.com”
Subscribe to LazyDBA:
email to oracledba-subscribe@lazydba.com
Subscribe to ORACLE-L:
email to ListGuru@fatcity.com, in body enter “SUBSCRIBE
ORACLE-L your_name_here”
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 Database Resources
Other good Oracle sites with links:
www.arikaplan.com : 400 tips ; this presentation
www.ioug.org
www.orafaq.org
www.orafans.com
www.orasearch.com
www.revealnet.com
www.lazydba.com
www.dbdomain.com
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 Questions and Answers:
Welcome to Oracle 10g
Data Dictionary and
Initialization Parameters

Paper 520

Presentation by Ari Kaplan

CEO, Expand Beyond Corporation
www.xb.com

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forward
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