Module 8: Server Management

Overview
Server-level and instance-level resources such as memory and processes Database-level resources such as logical and physical storage structures

User sessions and their activity

Concurrency structures

Managing Memory
Memory is managed at: Server level ensure proper memory distribution among database, operating system and applications Instance level Oracle allows memory needs to be allocated and managed by the DBA or automatically managed as it is in SQL Server The size and performance of the memory components are viewed in Oracle using dynamic performance views and OEM SQL Server performance can be viewed through dynamic management objects, memory related counters using Performance Monitor, SQL Profiler, and various DBCC statements SQLServer:Buffer Manager, SQLServer:Cache Manager, SQLServer:Memory Manager

Managing Processes
Oracle background processes can be configured to ensure optimal performance while SQL Server background processes are not configurable (except checkpoint) Oracle shared server processes are configured using parameters such as DISPATCHER, SHARED_SERVERS, MAX_SHARED_SERVERS, while SQL Server worker threads can be controlled using max worker threads configuration option In Oracle the number and performance of the processes can be viewed using dynamic performance views and Oracle Enterprise Manager SQL Server performance can be viewed through dynamic management objects, process related counters (such as Page Faults/sec, Thread Count/sec.) using Performance Monitor, SQL Profiler.

Demonstration 1: Using Performance Monitor

Demonstration 1
Using Performance Monitor

Managing Storage
Tasks in managing database files:

Expanding the data or transaction log space

Shrinking the data and transaction log space Adding and removing data and transaction log files SQL Server transaction logs combine the functions of Oracle redo logs and rollback segments Oracle has multiple fixed-size redo logs which are switched to in cyclic order following a checkpoint. SQL Server transaction logs are variable size and are released after a checkpoint or log backup. Management of table spaces involves creating, dropping, renaming and changing status Because SQL Server uses fixed-size extents, their administration does not involve the same tasks as found in Oracle under certain configurations

Managing Sessions and Transactions

In Oracle, data dictionary tables and views are used to relate sessions, transactions and resources In SQL Server, views, stored procedures, and utilities can be used to provide equivalent data

Locks and Latches

DBMS monitor lockrelated waits using data dictionary views and stored procedures DBMS use latches/mutex to protect internal database structures Monitor blocking in SQL Server with Blocked Process Threshold Deadlock Graph Profiler event allows visualizing deadlock information

Demonstration 2: Capturing Deadlock Information

Demonstration 2

Capturing Deadlock Information

Review
We learned that server, internal and external database processes, and database are the components that need to be monitored We learned the types of monitoring cover availability, errors and performance We saw the operating system tools to check performance to server hardware and operating system components We learned how the various subcomponents of the database and instance can be monitored using counters and logs We were introduced to tools for monitoring SQL Server database and server such as Performance Monitor, SQL Server Agent, SQL Profiler, Dynamic Management Views