How I used DBMS Scheduler to collect system statistics

for an Oracle 10g Database 10g Release 2

Introduction:

There was a need to collect system statistics on an Oracle 10g Database Release 2
(10.2.0.2.0). The job was to suppose collect system statistics after intervals of time.
Although the operating system was AIX but I decided to use DBMS Scheduler. The job
was in a PLSQL Block and it would execute the dbms_stats.gather_system_stats
procedure.

Audience:

Database Administrators

Environment:

Oracle Database: Oracle 10g Database Release 10.2.0.2.0

Operating System: AIX 5.3

Solution:

First I created a job named myjob1; it was created in DEV schema. It would execute after
the interval of 10 minutes and would gather system level statistics. I also did not mention
enabled argument. This argument has two values TRUE (enabled job) or FALSE
(disabled job) after the job is created. FALSE is the default. Lastly I did not mention the
start_time and end_time therefore the job would immediately executed after it was
created. But ‘myjob1’ job would not execute after it was created since it would be
disabled.

SQL> begin
2 dbms_scheduler.create_job (
3 job_name => 'dev.myjob1',
4 job_type => 'PLSQL_BLOCK',
5 job_action => 'BEGIN DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SYSTEM_STATS(interval=>10);
END;',
6 comments => 'Gather System Level Statistics');
7 end;
8 /

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

After the job had been created I viewed DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS table to see that the
myjob1 has been enlisted among other default database jobs.

SQL> SELECT JOB_NAME FROM DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS ;

JOB_NAME
------------------------------
AUTO_SPACE_ADVISOR_JOB
GATHER_STATS_JOB
FGR$AUTOPURGE_JOB
PURGE_LOG
RLM$SCHDNEGACTION
RLM$EVTCLEANUP
MYJOB1

7 rows selected.

Since the job had been disabled, I had to enable the job which was done as follows;

SQL> begin
2 dbms_scheduler.enable('dev.MYJOB1');
3 end;
4 /

Now I viewed DBA_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS table to see whether the job

had been successfully executed.

SQL> select status from dba_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS

2 where job_name='MYJOB1';

STATUS
------------------------------
FAILED

After querying the STATUS column of DBA_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS

table I got to know that the job had failed, then I queried ADDITIONAL_INFO column
of the same table which contains additional information that basically included ORA
errors.

SQL> select ADDITIONAL_INFO

2 from dba_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS
3 where job_name='MYJOB1';

ADDITIONAL_INFO
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
ORA-20000: ORA-20000: Unable to gather system statistics: insufficient
privileges
ORA-06512: at "SYS.DBMS_STATS", line 15822
ORA-06512: at line 1

The job ‘myjob1’ could not be executed from DEV schema because of insufficient
privileges.

SQL> SELECT JOB_NAME FROM DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS ;

JOB_NAME
------------------------------
AUTO_SPACE_ADVISOR_JOB
GATHER_STATS_JOB
FGR$AUTOPURGE_JOB
PURGE_LOG
RLM$SCHDNEGACTION
RLM$EVTCLEANUP

The job ‘myjob1’ was dropped automatically although it was not successful. We have
identified the reason above.
I again created another job myjob2 . This time the job would be executed daily and it
would be enabled after it had been created. Although start_time and end_time were not
been specified which means it will executed as soon as it is created.

SQL> begin
2 dbms_scheduler.create_job (
3 job_name => 'dev.myjob2',
4 job_type => 'PLSQL_BLOCK',
5 job_action => 'BEGIN DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SYSTEM_STATS(interval=>10);
END;',
6 repeat_interval => 'FREQ=DAILY',
7 enabled => TRUE,
8 comments => 'Gather System Level Statistics');
9 end;
10 /

Again I queried DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS to find the job ‘myjob2’ that been created.

SQL> SELECT JOB_NAME FROM DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS ;

JOB_NAME
------------------------------
MYJOB2
AUTO_SPACE_ADVISOR_JOB
GATHER_STATS_JOB
FGR$AUTOPURGE_JOB
PURGE_LOG
RLM$SCHDNEGACTION
RLM$EVTCLEANUP

Now again I looked at the status, the job had started and it had no errors.

SQL> select status, ACTUAL_START_DATE

2 , additional_info
3 from dba_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS
4 where job_name = 'MYJOB2';

STATUS
------------------------------
ACTUAL_START_DATE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
ADDITIONAL_INFO
------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------
SUCCEEDED
11-JAN-08 10.33.03.901012 AM +05:00

I came to know that ‘myjob2’ had successfully executed. The column additional_info of
dba_SCHEDULER_JOB_RUN_DETAILS was empty and there were no errors.

Once the testing was complete after a few days I disabled the job since I did not wanted
to execute the job any more and it was done as follows;

SQL> begin
2 dbms_scheduler.disable('dev.myjob2');
3 end;
4 /
PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

I also verified with the help of DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS table to see that job myjob2
had been disabled.

SQL> select job_name, enabled, state from DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS

2 where job_name = 'MYJOB2';

JOB_NAME ENABL STATE

------------------------------ ----- ---------------
MYJOB2 FALSE DISABLED

Finally I removed the job completely as follows;

SQL> begin
2 dbms_scheduler.drop_job('dev.MYJOB2');
3 end;
4 /

PL/SQL procedure successfully completed.

Reference:

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/appdev.102/b14258/d_sched.htm#CIHD
JEEB
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14231/scheduse.htm#i10215
22
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14237/statviews_2048.htm#
i1587156
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14237/statviews_2048.htm#
i1587156
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14237/statviews_2049.htm#
i1587306
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14237/statviews_4085.htm#
REFRN23348
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14231/schedadmin.htm#sthr
ef3770
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/server.102/b14231/schedadmin.htm#sthr
ef3822

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