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.
8 For example, db_cache_size’s VALUE=25165824 and
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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
9
longer the DISPATCHER init
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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_ – REMOTE_LISTENER
n – 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_ENABLE
D
– 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
– asm_power_limit – log_archive_local_first
– 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
– fileio_network_adapters – smtp_out_server
– gcs_server_processes – sqltune_category
– instance_type – streams_pool_size

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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_typetype of instance to be executed

Description from
V$PARAMETER
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 disk groups to mount automatically
V$PARAMETER
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
Example when
Group1,disk groups are mounted/dismounted
Group2

– asm_diskstring
Description from disk set locations for discovery
V$PARAMETER
Default Value {null}
Notes Oracle uses this parameter to perform
automatic discoveries for which disks are
available. The instance needs read/write access
Example to the directory
/dev1, /dev2 to be considered.

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•
Server Manageability
10g Initialization Parameters:

– asm_power_limit
Description from number of processes for disk rebalancing
V$PARAMETER
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
Example faster
5 but consumes more CPU and i/o.

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

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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 size in bytes of the streams pool
V$PARAMETER
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 create stored outlines for DML statements
V$PARAMETER
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
Example the outlines linked to the specified category.
FALSE

– ddl_wait_for_locks
Description from Disable NOWAIT DML lock acquisitions
V$PARAMETER
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 set resumable_timeout
V$PARAMETER
Default Value 0
Notes Time (in seconds) SQL statements are allowed to
wait before timing out.
Example 20000

– sqltune_category
Description from Category qualifier for applying hintsets
V$PARAMETER
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 PL/SQL code-type
V$PARAMETER
Default Value INTERPRETED
Notes Tells Oracle how PL/SQL is compiled within the
database. Two values:
INTERPRETED: compiles PL/SQL into bytecode
Example NATIVE:
NATIVE compiles PL/SQL into native (machine)
code
– plsql_debug
Description from PL/SQL debug
V$PARAMETER
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
Example parameter
TRUE 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 PL/SQL optimize level
V$PARAMETER
Default Value 0
Notes PL/SQL optimization levels during compilation. This
can result in improved compiled code. Three
values:
0: compile similar to Oracle9i’s compilation
1: applies several optimization algorithms for
Example PL/SQL
2 compilation
2: applies the most advanced optimization
– plsql_warnings
Description from PL/SQL compiler warnings settings
V$PARAMETER
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 3rd-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 skip unusable indexes if set to TRUE
V$PARAMETER
Default Value TRUE
Notes Two values:
TRUE: skips error reporting on indexes and index
partitions and allows for DML on base tables with
UNUSABLE indexes.
FALSE: tells Oracle to return an error when DML on
36 Example base
FALSEtables with UNUSABLE indexes occurs.
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 Object Management
• LOBs:
– DBA_LOG_GROUPS: new columns (TABLESPACE_NAME, FORMAT, PARTITIONED)
– V$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 Maximum Flashback Database log retention time

V$PARAMETER
Default Value in minutes.
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 default database recovery file location
V$PARAMETER
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,
Example flashback logs, and RMAN backup files.
/u01/oracle/recov

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 Backup and Recovery
• 10g Initialization Parameters:

– db_recovery_file_dest_size
Description from database recovery files size limit
V$PARAMETER
Default Value 2G
Notes The upper limit in size for the “flash recovery”
Example directory.
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 Database Unique Name
V$PARAMETER
Default Value {ORACLE_SID}
Notes Helpful for Data Guard, DB_UNIQUE_NAME is the
global unique database name. This differentiates
different databases with the same DB_NAME and
Example the same DB_DOMAIN
ORAPROD
– log_archive_config
Description from log archive config parameter
V$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
Example names
NOSEND in NORECEIVE
the Data Guard configuration. 0-9 unique
DG_CONFIG=ORA_PROD
44
names are allowed)
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 High Availability
• Data Guard:
• 10g Initialization Parameters:

– log_archive_local_first
Description from Establish EXPEDITE attribute default value
V$PARAMETER
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
Example the
FALSElocal archive copying. Good for fast LAN
environments.

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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.

•Description from
10g Initialization
V$PARAMETER
Parameter: gcs_server_processes
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 RDBMS's LDAP access option
V$PARAMETER
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
Example the
SSL database “wallet”
SSL: connect with SSL

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 Tips
49 © 2003 Expand Beyond Corp. Confidential. Recipient may not forward without permission.
 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
Expand
without
Beyond
permission.
Corp. Confidential. Recipient may not forward without permission.