Oracle DBA on UNIX and Linux

Michael Wessler received his B.S. in Computer Technology from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. He is an Oracle Certified Database Administrator for Oracle 8 and 8i. He has administered Oracle databases on NT, and various flavors of Unix, and Linux at several different companies ranging from a handful of employees to IT staffs in the thousands. Included in this experience is working at a true .com startup and managing a mission-critical OPS database on a Sun Cluster. Michael has also programmed professionally in COBOL, SQL, and PL/SQL. Currently, he is an Oracle consultant for Perpetual Technologies working at the Department of Defense in Indianapolis, Indiana. Michael is coauthor of Oracle Unleashed, Second Edition; Unix Primer Plus, Third Edition; and COBOL Unleashed. Michael can be reached at mwessler@yahoo.com.

Introduction.


Who Should Read This Book? What Makes This Book Different?



1. Role of the DBA.


What Is a DBA? Types of DBAs. Database Administration Principles. Database Administration Responsibilities. Roles Within the IT Organization. DBA Mindset. Summary.



2. Architecture of the Oracle Server.


Oracle Products Relating to Database Servers. Database Versus Instance. Oracle File Types. Memory Structures. Oracle Processes. Transaction Control. Miscellaneous Database Files. Summary.



3. Planning a Database.


System Architecture. Capacity Planning/Sizing. Optimal Flexible Architecture. Application and Database Considerations. Summary.



4. Machine Setup and Installation.


Pre-Installation Setup. Installing Oracle. Summary.



5. Creating a Database.


Generating Creation Scripts. Creating the Database. Post-Creation Activities. Configuring Net8 for the New Database. Customizing Your .profile File. Summary.



6. Daily Activities.


Database Views. Oracle Startup/Shutdown. User Management. Space Management. Monitoring. Summary.



7. GUI Management Products.


Oracle Enterprise Manager. TOAD. Summary.



8. DBA Utilities.


Export and Import. Common Export/Import Uses. Maintenance Benefits of Export/Import. Advanced Export and Import Techniques. Using SQL*Loader. Using LogMiner. Summary.



9. Backup and Recovery.


Importance of Backups. Backup Types. Incurring Damage on the Database. Performing Backups and Recoveries. Comprehensive Planning and Testing. Summary.



10. When Things Go Wrong.


Responding to Problems. File and Space Management. Locking. "Snapshot Too Old" Rollback Errors. Summary.



11. Oracle Server Tuning.


Database Tuning Approach. Diagnostic Utilities: UTLBSTAT/UTLESTAT and STATSPACK. Tuning Memory Structures. Tuning Rollback Segments. Avoiding File Contention. Wait Events. Locally Managed Tablespaces. Tuning Tables. Indexes. Summary.



12. Unix Operation System Architecture.


Imperative Concepts. Understanding the Kernel. Startup/Shutdown Processes in Unix. Understanding the Hardware Architecture. Summary.



13. Unix Server Monitoring.


Need for Monitoring the Server. Overview of Monitoring the Server. Monitoring Memory Issues. Monitoring Disk I/O. Monitoring the CPU. Monitoring the Network. Summary.



14. Patches and Upgrades.


What Are Patches and Upgrades? When and How to Apply Patches. When and How to Upgrade. Additional Considerations. Summary.



15. Migrations.


What Is a Migration. Reasons to Migrate Your Database. Preparation. Migration Methods. Using ODMA. Summary.



16. Java Inside the Database Server.


Understanding the Role and Future of Java Inside Oracle. Java Overview. Supporting Java with Oracle. Managing Java Inside the Database. Summary.



17. WebDB/Oracle Portal.


What Are WebDB and Oracle Portal? WebDB/Oracle Portal Architecture. Installation. Basic WebDB Maintenance. Log into the Site. Key Differences between Oracle Portal and WebDB. Summary.



18. Internet Application Server (iAS).


Web Environment. Understanding and Using iAS. Installation. Configuration File Location and Apache Control. Summary.



19. 9i Server New Features.


Installing the 9i Server. Setting Up Security and Logging In. Creating a Server Parameter File (SPFILE). Using Oracle-Managed Files. Using Dynamic Memory Parameters and Multiple Block Sizes. Using Undo Tablespaces. Comprehensive Sample Schemas. Miscellaneous Features and Changes. Summary.



20. Growth of the DBA.


Growth of the DBA. Motivation. Continuing Your Education. Getting Certified. Networking with Other DBAs. Learning Systems Administration and Architecture. Learning Java. Summary.



Appendix A. Basic Unix Commands.


Appendix B. vi Editor.


Cursor-Movement Commands. Entering Text. Editing Text. Saving and Exiting. Miscellaneous Commands.



Appendix C. Scripts.


Hot Backup Script.



Glossary.


Index.