RMAN Incremental Backups

RMAN incremental backups backup only datafile blocks that have changed since a specified previous backup.
We can make incremental backups of databases, individual tablespaces or datafiles.

The primary reasons for making incremental backups parts of your strategy are:
For use in a strategy based on incrementally updated backups, where these incremental backups are
used to periodically roll forward an image copy of the database
To reduce the amount of time needed for daily backups
To save network bandwidth when backing up over a network
To be able to recover changes to objects created with the NOLOGGING option. For example, direct load
inserts do not create redo log entries and their changes cannot be reproduced with media recovery. They do,
however, change data blocks and so are captured by incremental backups.
To reduce backup sizes for NOARCHIVELOG databases. Instead of making a whole database backup
every time, you can make incremental backups.

As with full backups, if you are in ARCHIVELOG mode, you can make incremental backups if the database is
open; if the database is in NOARCHIVELOG mode, then you can only make incremental backups after a
consistent shutdown.

One effective strategy is to make incremental backups to disk, and then back up the resulting backup sets to a
media manager with BACKUP AS BACKUPSET. The incremental backups are generally smaller than full
backups, which limits the space required to store them until they are moved to tape. Then, when the incremental
backups on disk are backed up to tape, it is more likely that tape streaming can be sustained because all blocks
of the incremental backup are copied to tape. There is no possibility of delay due to time required for RMAN to
locate changed blocks in the datafiles.

RMAN backups can be classified in these ways:

Full or incremental
Open or closed
Consistent or inconsistent

Note that these backup classifications apply only to datafile backups. Backups of other files, such as archivelogs
and control files, always include the complete file and are never inconsistent.

Backup
Type Definition
Full A backup of a datafile that includes every allocated block in the file being backed up. A full backup of
a datafile can be an image copy, in which case every data block is backed up. It can also be stored
in a backup set, in which case datafile blocks not in use may be skipped.
A full backup cannot be part of an incremental backup strategy; that is, it cannot be the parent for a
subsequent incremental backup.
Incremental An incremental backup is either a level 0 backup, which includes every block in the file except blocks
compressed out because they have never been used, or a level 1 backup, which includes only those
blocks that have been changed since the parent backup was taken.
A level 0 incremental backup is physically identical to a full backup. The only difference is that the
level 0 backup is recorded as an incremental backup in the RMAN repository, so it can be used as
the parent for a level 1 backup.
Open A backup of online, read/write datafiles when the database is open.
Closed A backup of any part of the target database when it is mounted but not open. Closed backups can be
 consistent or inconsistent.
Consistent A backup taken when the database is mounted (but not open) after a normal shutdown. The
checkpoint SCNs in the datafile headers match the header information in the control file. None of the
datafiles has changes beyond its checkpoint. Consistent backups can be restored without recovery.
Note: If you restore a consistent backup and open the database in read/write mode without
recovery, transactions after the backup are lost. You still need to perform an OPEN RESETLOGS.
Inconsistent A backup of any part of the target database when it is open or when a crash occurred
or SHUTDOWN ABORT was run prior to mounting.
An inconsistent backup requires recovery to become consistent.

The goal of an incremental backup is to back up only those data blocks that have changed since a previous
backup. You can use RMAN to create incremental backups of datafiles, tablespaces, or the whole database.

During media recovery, RMAN examines the restored files to determine whether it can recover them with an
incremental backup. If it has a choice, then RMAN always chooses incremental backups over archived logs, as
applying changes at a block level is faster than reapplying individual changes.

RMAN does not need to restore a base incremental backup of a datafile in order to apply incremental backups to
the datafile during recovery. For example, you can restore non-incremental image copies of the datafiles in the
database, and RMAN can recover them with incremental backups.

Incremental backups allow faster daily backups, use less network bandwidth when backing up over a network,
and provide better performance when tape I/O bandwidth limits backup performance. They also allow recovery of
database changes not reflected in the redo logs, such as direct load inserts. Finally, incremental backups can be
used to back up NOARCHIVELOG databases, and are smaller than complete copies of the database (though
they still require a clean database shutdown).

One effective strategy is to make incremental backups to disk (as image copies), and then back up these image
copies to a media manager with BACKUP AS BACKUPSET. Then, you do not have the problem of keeping the
tape streaming that sometimes occurs when making incremental backups directly to tape. Because incremental
backups are not as big as full backups, you can create them on disk more easily.

Incremental Backup Algorithm

Each data block in a datafile contains a system change number (SCN), which is the SCN at which the most
recent change was made to the block. During an incremental backup, RMAN reads the SCN of each data block
in the input file and compares it to the checkpoint SCN of the parent incremental backup. If the SCN in the input
data block is greater than or equal to the checkpoint SCN of the parent, then RMAN copies the block.

Note that if you enable the block change tracking feature, RMAN can refer to the change tracking file to identify
changed blocks in datafiles without scanning the full contents of the datafile. Once enabled, block change
tracking does not alter how you take or use incremental backups, other than offering increased performance.

Level 0 and Level 1 Incremental Backups

Incremental backups can be either level 0 or level 1. A level 0 incremental backup, which is the base for
subsequent incremental backups, copies all blocks containing data, backing the datafile up into a backup set just
as a full backup would. The only difference between a level 0 incremental backup and a full backup is that a full
backup is never included in an incremental strategy.

A level 1 incremental backup can be either of the following types:

A differential backup, which backs up all blocks changed after the most recent incremental backup at
level 1 or 0
 A cumulative backup, which backs up all blocks changed after the most recent incremental backup at
level 0

Incremental backups are differential by default.

Note:
Cumulative backups are preferable to differential backups when recovery time is more important than disk space,
because during recovery each differential backup must be applied in succession. Use cumulative incremental
backups instead of differential, if enough disk space is available to store cumulative incremental backups.

The size of the backup file depends solely upon the number of blocks modified and the incremental backup level.

Differential Incremental Backups

In a differential level 1 backup, RMAN backs up all blocks that have changed since the most recent cumulative or
differential incremental backup, whether at level 1 or level 0. RMAN determines which level 1 backup occurred
most recently and backs up all blocks modified after that backup. If no level 1 is available, RMAN copies all
blocks changed since the level 0 backup.

The following command performs a level 1 differential incremental backup of the database:
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 DATABASE;

If no level 0 backup is available, then the behavior depends upon the compatibility mode setting. If compatibility is
>=10.0.0, RMAN copies all blocks changed since the file was created, and stores the results as a level 1 backup.
In other words, the SCN at the time the incremental backup is taken is the file creation SCN. If compatibility
<10.0.0, RMAN generates a level 0 backup of the file contents at the time of the backup, to be consistent with the
behavior in previous releases.

In the example shown in above Figure, the following occurs:

Sunday
An incremental level 0 backup backs up all blocks that have ever been in use in this database.
Monday - Saturday
On each day from Monday through Saturday, a differential incremental level 1 backup backs up all blocks that
have changed since the most recent incremental backup at level 1 or 0. So, the Monday backup copies blocks
changed since Sunday level 0 backup, the Tuesday backup copies blocks changed since the Monday level 1
backup, and so forth.
The cycle is repeated for the next week.

Cumulative Incremental Backups

In a cumulative level 1 backup, RMAN backs up all the blocks used since the most recent level 0 incremental
backup. Cumulative incremental backups reduce the work needed for a restore by ensuring that you only need
one incremental backup from any particular level. Cumulative backups require more space and time than
differential backups, however, because they duplicate the work done by previous backups at the same level.

The following command performs a cumulative level 1 incremental backup of the database:
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 CUMULATIVE DATABASE; # blocks changed since level 0

In the example shown in Figure, the following occurs:

Sunday
An incremental level 0 backup backs up all blocks that have ever been in use in this database.
Monday - Saturday
A cumulative incremental level 1 backup copies all blocks changed since the most recent level 0 backup.
Because the most recent level 0 backup was created on Sunday, the level 1 backup on each day Monday
through Saturday backs up all blocks changed since the Sunday backup.
The cycle is repeated for the next week.

Basic Incremental Backup Strategy

Choose a backup scheme according to an acceptable MTTR (mean time to recover). For example, you can
implement a three-level backup scheme so that a full or level 0 backup is taken monthly, a cumulative level 1 is
taken weekly, and a differential level 1 is taken daily. In this scheme, you never have to apply more than a day's
worth of redo for complete recovery.

When deciding how often to take full or level 0 backups, a good rule of thumb is to take a new level 0 whenever
50% or more of the data has changed. If the rate of change to your database is predictable, then you can
observe the size of your incremental backups to determine when a new level 0 is appropriate. The following
query displays the number of blocks written to a backup set for each datafile with at least 50% of its blocks
backed up:
SELECT FILE#, INCREMENTAL_LEVEL, COMPLETION_TIME, BLOCKS, DATAFILE_BLOCKS FROM
V$BACKUP_DATAFILE WHERE INCREMENTAL_LEVEL > 0 AND BLOCKS / DATAFILE_BLOCKS > .5 ORDER
BY COMPLETION_TIME;

Compare the number of blocks in differential or cumulative backups to a base level 0 backup. For example, if you
only create level 1 cumulative backups, then when the most recent level 1 backup is about half of the size of the
base level 0 backup, take a new level 0.

Making Incremental Backups: BACKUP INCREMENTAL

After starting RMAN, run the BACKUP INCREMENTAL command at the RMAN prompt. This example makes a
level 0 incremental backup of the database:
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 0 DATABASE;

This example makes a differential level 1 backup of the SYSTEM tablespace and datafile tools01.dbf. It will only
back up those data blocks changed since the most recent level 1 or level 0 backup:
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 TABLESPACE SYSTEM DATAFILE 'ora_home/oradata/trgt/tools01.dbf';

This example makes a cumulative level 1 backup of the tablespace users, backing up all blocks changed since
the most recent level 0 backup.
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL = 1 CUMULATIVE TABLESPACE users;

Incrementally Updated Backups: Rolling Forward Image Copy Backups

Oracle's Incrementally Updated Backups feature lets you avoid the overhead of taking full image copy backups of
datafiles, while providing the same recovery advantages as image copy backups.
At the beginning of a backup strategy, RMAN creates an image copy backup of the datafile. Then, at regular
intervals, such as daily, level 1 incremental backups are taken, and applied to the image copy backup, rolling it
forward to the point in time when the level 1 incremental was created.

During restore and recovery of the database, RMAN can restore from this incrementally updated copy and then
apply changes from the redo log, with the same results as restoring the database from a full backup taken at the
SCN of the most recently applied incremental level 1 backup.

A backup strategy based on incrementally updated backups can help minimize time required for media recovery
of your database. For example, if you run scripts to implement this strategy daily, then at recovery time, you
never have more than one day of redo to apply.

Oracle Scheduler
E-mail Notification - Oracle Database 11g Release 2 (11.2) users can now get e-mail notifications on
any job activity.
File Watcher - File watcher enables jobs to be triggered when a file arrives on a given machine.
Datapump
New options in Datapump export.
DATA_OPTIONS, ENCRYPTION, ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHM, ENCRYPTION_MODE, REMAP_DATA,
REUSE_DUMPFILES, TRANSPORTABLE
New options in Datapump import.
DATA_OPTIONS, PARTITION_OPTIONS, REMAP_DATA, REMAP_TABLE, TRANSPORTABLE
New option in Datapump export interactive mode - REUSE_DUMPFILES.
In datapump import, we can specify how the partitions should transform by using
PARTITION_OPTIONS.
Dumpfile can be compressed. In Oracle 10g, only metadata can be compressed. From 11g, both data
& metadata can be compressed. Dumpfile will be uncompressed automatically before importing.
Encryption: The dumpfile can be encrypted while creating. This encryption occurs on the entire
dumpfile, not just on the encrypted columns as it was in the Oracle Database 10g.
Masking: when we import data from production to test or development instances, we have to make sure
sensitive data such as credit card details, etc. are obfuscated/remapped (altered in such a way that they are not
identifiable). From 11g, Data Pump enables us do that by creating a masking function and then using that during
import.

From Oracle 11g, SID clause in "alter system reset" command is optional.
SQL> alter system [SID=instance-name] reset parameter-name;
New DIAGNOSTIC_DEST parameter as replacement for BACKGROUND_DUMP_DEST,
CORE_DUMP_DEST and USER_DUMP_DEST. It defaults to $ORACLE_BASE/diag/.
From 11g, we have two alert log files. One is the
traditional alert_SID.log (inDIAGNOSTIC_DEST/trace) and the other one is
a log.xml file (in DIAGNOSTIC_DEST/alert). The xml file gives a lot more information than the traditional alert log
file. We can have logging information for DDL operations in the alert log files. If log.xml reaches 10MB size, it will
be renamed and will create new alert log file. log.xml can be accessed from ADR command line.
ADRCI> show alert
Logging information for DDL operations will be written into alert log files, is not enabled by default and
we must change the new parameter to TRUE.
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET enable_ddl_logging=TRUE SCOPE=BOTH;
Parameter(p) file & server parameter(sp) file can be created from memory.
SQL> create pfile[=location] from memory;
SQL> create spfile[=location] from memory;
From 11g, server parameter file (spfile) is in new format that is compliant with Oracle Hardware Assisted
Resilient Data(HARD).
DDL wait option - Oracle will automatically wait for the specified time period during DDL operations and
will try to run the DDL again.
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM/SESSION SET DDL_LOCK_TIMEOUT = n;
We can define the statistics to be pending, which means newly gather statistics will not be published or
used by the optimizer giving us an opportunity to test the new statistics before we publish them.
From Oracle Database 11g, we can create extended statistics on
(i) expressions of values, not only on columns
(ii) on multiple columns (column group), not only on single column.
 Table level control of CBO statistics refresh threshold.
SQL> exec dbms_stats.set_table_prefs(HR, EMP, STALE_PERCENT, 20');
Flashback Data Archive - flashback will make use of flashback logs, explicitly created for that table, in
FRA (Flash/Fast Recovery Area), will not use undo. Flashback data archives can be defined on any
table/tablespace. Flashback data archives are written by a dedicatedbackground process called FBDA so there is
less impact on performance. Can be purged at regular intervals automatically.
Analytic Workspace Manager (AWM) - a tool to manage OLAP objects in the database.
Users with default passwords can be found in DBA_USERS_WITH_DEFPWD.
Hash value of the passwords in DBA_USERS (in ALL_USERS and USER_USERS) will be blank. If you
want to see the value, query USER$.
Default value for audit_trail is DB, not NULL. By default some system privileges will beaudited.
LogMiner can be accessed from Oracle Enterprise Manager.
Data Guard improvements

Oracle Active Data Guard - Standby databases can now simultaneously be in read and recovery mode
- so use it for running reports 24x7.
Online upgrades: Test on standby and roll to primary.
Snapshot standby database - physical standby database can be temporarily converted into an
updateable one called snapshot standby database.
Creation of physical standby is become easier.
From Oracle 11g, we can control archive log deletion by setting the log_auto_delete initialization
parameter to TRUE. The log_auto_delete parameter must be coupled with the log_auto_del_retention_target
parameter to specify the number of minutes an archivelog is maintained until it is purged. Default is 24 hours
(1440 minutes).
Incremental backup on physical readable physical standby.
Offload: Complete database and fast incremental backups.
Logical standby databases now support XML and CLOB datatypes as well as transparent data
encryption.
We can compress the redo data that goes to the standby server, by setting compression=enable.
From Oracle 11g, logical standby provides support for DBMS_SCHEDULER.
When transferring redo data to standby, if the standby does not respond in time, the log transferring
service will wait for specified timeout value (set by net_timeout=n) and then give up.
New package and procedure, DBMS_DG.INITIATE_FS_FAILOVER, introduced to programmatically
initiate a failover.
SecureFiles
SecureFiles provide faster access to unstructured data than normal file systems, provides the benefits of LOBs
and external files. For example, write access to SecureFiles is faster than a standard Linux file system, while
read access is about the same. SecureFiles can be encrypted for security, de-duplicated and compressed for
more efficient storage, cached (or not) for faster access (or save the buffer cache space), and logged at several
levels to reduce the mean time to recover (MTTR) after a crash.

create table table-name ( ... lob-column lob-type [deduplicate] [compress high/low] [encrypt using 'encryption-
algorithm'] [cache/nocache] [logging/nologging] ...) lob (lob-column) store as securefile ...;

To create SecureFiles:
(i) The initialization parameter db_securefile should be set to PERMITTED (the default value).
(ii) The tablespace where we are creating the securefile should be Automatic Segment Space Management
(ASSM) enabled (default mode in Oracle Database 11g).

Real Application Testing(RAT)

Real Application Testing (RAT) will make decision making easier in migration, upgradation, patching, initialization
parameter changes, object changes, hardware replacements, and operating system changes and moving to RAC
environment. RAT consists of two components:

Database Replay - capture production workload and replay on different (standby/test/development)

environment. Capture the activities from source database in the form of capture files in capture directory. Transfer
these files to target box. Replay the process on target database.
SQL Performance Analyzer (SPA) - identifies SQL execution plan changes and performance
regressions. SPA allows us to get results of some specific SQL or entire SQL workload against various types of
changes such as initialization parameter changes, optimizer statisticsrefresh, and database upgrades, and then
produces a comparison report to help us assess their impact. Accessible through Oracle Enterprise Manager or
dbms_sqlpa package.
Other features

Temporary tablespace or it's tempfile can be shrinked, up to specified size.

SQL> alter tablespace temp-tbs shrink space;
SQL> alter tablespace temp-tbs shrink space keep n{K|M|G|T|P|E};
SQL> alter tablespace temp-tbs shrink tempfile '.../temp03.dbf' keep n{K|M|G|T|P|E};
We can check free temp space in new view DBA_TEMP_FREE_SPACE.
From 11g, while creating global temporary tables, we can specify TEMPORARY tablespaces.
Online application upgrades and hot patching. Features based patching is also available.
Real-time SQL Monitoring, allows us to see the different metrics of the SQL being executed in real
time. The stats are exposed through V$SQL_MONITOR, which is refreshed every second.
"duality" between SQL and XML - users can embed XML within PL/SQL and vice versa.
New binary XML datatype, a new XML index & better XQuery support.
Query rewriting will occur more frequently and for remote tables also.
Automatic Diagnostic Repository (ADR)- automated capture of fault diagnostics for faster fault
resolution. The location of the files depends on DIAGNOSTIC_DEST parameter. This can be managed from
Database control or command line. For command line, execute $ ./adrci
Repair advisors to guide DBAs through the fault diagnosis and resolution process.
SQL Developer is installed with the database server software (all editions). The Windows SQL*Plus
GUI is deprecated.
APEX (Oracle Application Express), formerly known as HTML DB, shipped with the DB.
Checkers - DB Structure Integrity Checker, Data Block Integrity Checker, Redo Integrity Checker, Undo
Segment Integrity Checker, Transaction Integrity Checker, Dictionary Integrity Checker.
11g SQL Access Advisor provides recommendations with respect to the entire workload, including
considering the cost of creation and maintaining access structure.
hangman Utility hangman(Hang Manager) utility to detect database bottlenecks.
Health Monitor (HM) utility - Health Monitor utility is an automation of the dbms_repair corruption
detection utility.
The dbms_stats package has several new procedures to aid in supplementing histogram data, and the
state of these extended histograms can be seen in the user_tab_col_statistics view:
dbms_stats.create_extended_stats
dbms_stats.show_extended_stats_name
dbms_stats.drop_extended_stats
New package DBMS_ADDM introduced in 11g.
Oracle 11g introduced server side connection pool called Database Resident Connection Pool (DRCP).
Desupported features
The following features are desupported/deprecated in Oracle Database 11g Release 1 (11.1.0):

Oracle export utility (exp). Imp is still supported for backwards compatibility.
Windows SQL*Plus GUI & iSQLPlus will not be shipped anymore. Use SQL Developer instead.
Oracle Enterprise Manager Java console.
copy command is deprecated.

What's New in Oracle 10g

The following new features were introduced with Oracle 10g:
Oracle 10g Release 1 (10.1.0) - January 2004
Grid computing - an extension of the clustering feature (Real Application Clusters).

SYSAUX tablespace has been introduced as an auxiliary to SYSTEM, as LOCAL managed tablespace.

Datapump- faster data movement with expdp and impdp, successor for normal exp/imp.

NID utility has been introduced to change the database name and id.

Oracle Enterprise Manager (OEM) became browser based. Through any browser we can access data of
a database in Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control. Grid Control is used for accessing/managing
multiple instances.

Automated Storage Management (ASM). ASMB, RBAL, ARBx are the new background
processes related to ASM.

Manageability improvements (self-tuning features).

Performance and scalability improvements.

Automatic Workload Repository (AWR).

Automatic Database Diagnostic Monitor (ADDM).

Active Session History (ASH).

Flashback operations available on row, transaction, table or database level.

Ability to UNDROP (Flashback Drop) a table using a recycle bin.

Ability to rename tablespaces (except SYSTEM and SYSAUX), whether permanent or temporary, using
the following command:
SQL> ALTER TABLESPACE oldname RENAME TO newname;

Ability to transport tablespaces across platforms (e.g. Windows to Linux, Solaris to HP-UX), which has
same ENDIAN formats. If ENDIAN formats are different we have to use RMAN.

In Oracle 10g, undo tablespace can guarantee the retention of unexpired undo extents.
SQL> CREATE UNDO TABLESPACE ... RETENTION GUARANTEE;
SQL> ALTER TABLESPACE UNDO_TS RETENTION GUARANTEE;

New 'drop database' statement, will delete the datafiles, redolog files mentioned in control file and will
delete SP file also.
SQL> STARTUP RESTRICT MOUNT EXCLUSIVE;
SQL> DROP DATABASE;

New memory structure in SGA i.e. Streams pool (streams_pool_size parameter), useful
fordatapump activities & streams replication.

Introduced new init parameter, sga_target, to change the value of SGA dynamically. This is called
Automatic Shared Memory Management (ASMM). It includes buffer cache, shared pool, java pool and large pool.
It doesn't include log buffer, streams pool and the buffer pools for nonstandard block sizes and the non-default
ones for KEEP or RECYCLE.
SGA_TARGET = DB_CACHE_SIZE + SHARED_POOL_SIZE + JAVA_POOL_SIZE + LARGE_POOL_SIZE

New background processes in Oracle 10g

o Memory Manager (maximum 1) MMAN - MMAN dynamically adjust the sizes of the SGA
components like DBC, large pool, shared pool and java pool. It is a new process added to Oracle 10g as part of
automatic shared memory management.
o Memory Monitor (maximum 1) MMON - MMON monitors SGA and performs various
manageability related background tasks.
o Memory Monitor Light (maximum 1) MMNL - New background process in Oracle 10g.
o Change Tracking Writer (maximum 1) CTWR - CTWR will be useful in RMAN.
o ASMB - This ASMB process is used to provide information to and from cluster synchronization
services used by ASM to manage the disk resources. It's also used to update statistics and provide a heart beat
mechanism.
o Re-Balance RBAL - RBAL is the ASM related process that performs rebalancing of disk
resources controlled by ASM.
o Actual Rebalance ARBx - ARBx is configured by ASM_POWER_LIMIT.

DBA can specify a default tablespace for the database.

Temporary tablespace groups to group multiple temporary tablespaces into a single group.

From Oracle Database 10g, the ability to prepare the primary database and logical standby for a
switchover, thus reducing the time to complete the switchover.
On primary,
ALTER DATABASE PREPARE TO SWITCHOVER TO LOGICAL STANDBY;
On logical standby,
ALTER DATABASE PREPARE TO SWITCHOVER TO PRIMARY;

New packages
o DBMS_SCHEDULER, which can call OS utilities and programs, not just PL/SQL program units
like DBMS_JOB package. By using this package we can create jobs, programs, schedules and job classes.
o DBMS_FILE_TRANSFER package to transfer files.
o DBMS_MONITOR, to enable end-to-end tracing (tracing is not done only by session, but by
client identifier).
o DBMS_ADVISOR, will help in working with several advisors.
o DBMS_WORKLOAD_REPOSITORY, to aid AWR, ADDM, ASH.

Support for bigfile tablespaces are up to 8EB (Exabytes) in size.

Rules-Based Optimizer (RBO) is desupported (not deprecated).

Auditing: FGA (Fine-grained auditing) now supports DML statements in addition to selects.
New features in RMAN
o Managing recovery related files with flash/fast recovery area.
o Optimized incremental backups using block change tracking (Faster incremental backups)
using a file (named block change tracking file). CTWR (Change Tracking Writer) is the background
process responsible for tracking the blocks.
o Reducing the time and overhead of full backups with incrementally updated backups.
o Comprehensive backup job tracking and administration with Enterprise Manager.
o Backup set binary compression.
o New compression algorithm BZIP2 brought in.
o Automated Tablespace Point-in-Time Recovery.
o Automatic channel failover on backup & restore.
o Cross-platform tablespace conversion.
o Ability to preview the backups required to perform a restore operation.
RMAN> restore database preview [summary];
RMAN> restore tablespace tbs1 preview;

SQL*Plus enhancements
1. The default SQL> prompt can be changed by setting the below parameters in
$ORACLE_HOME/sqlplus/admin/glogin.sql
_connect_identifier (will prompt DBNAME>)
_date (will prompt DATE>)
_editor
_o_version
_o_release
_privilege (will prompt AS SYSDBA> or AS SYSOPER> or AS SYSASM>)
_sqlplus_release
_user (will prompt USERNAME>)

2. From 10g, the login.sql file is not only executed at SQL*Plus startup time, but also at connect
time as well. So SQL prompt will be changed after connect command.

3. Now we can login as SYSDBA without the quotation marks.

sqlplus / as sysdba
(as well as old sqlplus "/ as sysdba" or sqlplus '/ as sysdba'). This enhancement not only means we
have two fewer characters to type, but provides some additional benefits such as not requiring escape
characters in operating systems such as Unix.

4. From Oracle 10g, the spool command can append to an existing one.
SQL> spool result.log append

5. 10g allows us to save statements as appended to the files.

SQL> Query1 ....
SQL> save myscripts
SQL> Query2 ....
SQL> save myscripts append

6. describe command can give description of rules and rule sets.

Virtual Private Database (VPD) has grown into a very powerful feature with the ability to support a
variety of requirements, such as masking columns selectively based on the policy and applying the policy only
when certain columns are accessed. The performance of the policy can also be increased through multiple types
of policy by exploiting the nature of the application, making the feature applicable to multiple situations.

We can now shrink segments, tables and indexes to reclaim free blocks, provided that Automatic
Segment Space Management (ASSM) is enabled in the tablespace.
SQL> alter table table-name shrink space;

From 10g, statistics are collected automatically if STATISTIC_LEVEL is set to TYPICAL or ALL. No need
of ALTER TABLE ... MONITORING command.

Statistics can be collected for SYS schema, data dictionary objects and fixed objects (x$ tables).

Complete refresh of materialized views will do delete, instead of truncate, by setting

ATOMIC_REFRESH to TRUE.

Introduced Advisors
o SQL Access Advisor
o SQL Tune Advisor
o Memory Advisor
o Undo Advisor
o Segment Advisor
o MTTR (Mean Time To Recover) Advisor
Oracle 10g Release 2 (10.2.0) - September 2005
New asmcmd utility for managing ASM storage.

Async COMMITs.

Passwords for DB Links are encrypted.

Transparent Data Encryption.

Fast Start Failover for Data Guard was introduced in Oracle 10g R2.

The CONNECT role can now only connect (CREATE privileges are removed).

Before 10g,
SQL> select PRIVILEGE from role_sys_privs where ROLE='CONNECT';
PRIVILEGE
----------------------------------------
CREATE VIEW
CREATE TABLE
ALTER SESSION
CREATE CLUSTER
CREATE SESSION
CREATE SYNONYM
CREATE SEQUENCE
CREATE DATABASE LINK
From 10g,
SYS> select PRIVILEGE from role_sys_privs where ROLE='CONNECT';
PRIVILEGE
----------------------------------------
CREATE SESSION

Undo Tablespace/Undo Management in Oracle

Oracle9i introduced undo.

What Is Undo and Why?

Oracle Database has a method of maintaining information that is used to rollback or undo the changes to the
database. Oracle Database keeps records of actions of transactions, before they are committed and Oracle
needs this information to rollback or undo the changes to the database. These records are called rollback or
undo records.

These records are used to:

Rollback transactions - when a ROLLBACK statement is issued, undo records are used to undo
changes that were made to the database by the uncommitted transaction.
Recover the database - during database recovery, undo records are used to undo any uncommitted
changes applied from the redo log to the data files.
Provide read consistency - undo records provide read consistency by maintaining the before image of
the data for users who are accessing the data at the same time that another user is changing it.
Analyze data as of an earlier point in time by using Flashback Query.
Recover from logical corruptions using Flashback features.
Until Oracle 8i, Oracle uses rollback segments to manage the undo data. Oracle9i introduced automatic undo
management, which allows the dba to exert more control on how long undo information is retained, simplifies
undo space management and also eliminates the complexity of managing rollback segments. Oracle strongly
recommends that you use undo tablespace to manage undo rather than rollback segments.

Space for undo segments is dynamically allocated, consumed, freed, and reused all under the control of
Oracle Database, rather than by DBA.

From Oracle 9i, the rollback segments method is referred as "Manual Undo Management Mode" and the new
undo tablespaces method as the "Automatic Undo Management Mode".

Notes:
Although both rollback segments and undo tablespaces are supported, both modes cannot be used in
the same database instance, although for migration purposes it is possible, for example, to create undo
tablespaces in a database that is using rollback segments, or to drop rollback segments in a database that is
using undo tablespaces. However, you must bounce the database in order to effect the switch to another method
of managing undo.
System rollback segment exists in both the modes.
When operating in automatic undo management mode, any manual undo management SQL statements
and initialization parameters are ignored and no error message will be issued e.g. ALTER ROLLBACK
SEGMENT statements will be ignored.

Automatic Undo Management

UNDO_MANAGEMENT
The following initialization parameter setting causes the STARTUP command to start an instance in automatic
undo management mode:
UNDO_MANAGEMENT = AUTO

The default value for this parameter is MANUAL i.e. manual undo management mode.
UNDO_TABLESPACE
UNDO_TABLESPACE an optional dynamic parameter, can be changed online, specifying the name of an undo
tablespace to use. An undo tablespace must be available, into which the database will store undo records. The
default undo tablespace is created at database creation, or an undo tablespace can be created explicitly.

When the instance starts up, the database automatically selects for use the first available undo tablespace. If
there is no undo tablespace available, the instance starts, but uses the SYSTEM rollback segment for undo. This
is not recommended, and an alert message is written to the alert log file to warn that the system is running
without an undo tablespace. ORA-01552 error is issued for any attempts to write non-SYSTEM related undo to
the SYSTEM rollback segment.

If the database contains multiple undo tablespaces, you can optionally specify at startup that you want an Oracle
Database instance to use a specific undo tablespace. This is done by setting the UNDO_TABLESPACE
initialization parameter.
UNDO_TABLESPACE = undotbs

In this case, if you have not already created the undo tablespace, the STARTUP command will fail. The
UNDO_TABLESPACE parameter can be used to assign a specific undo tablespace to an instance in an
Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) environment.

To findout the undo tablespaces in database

SQL> select tablespace_name, contents from dba_tablespaces where contents = 'UNDO';

To findout the current undo tablespace

SQL> show parameter undo_tablespace
(OR)
SQL> select VALUE from v$parameter where NAME='undo_tablespace';

UNDO_RETENTION
Committed undo information normally is lost when its undo space is overwritten by a newer transaction. However,
for consistent read purposes, long-running queries sometimes require old undo information for undoing changes
and producing older images of data blocks. The success of several Flashback features can also depend upon
older undo information.

The default value for the UNDO_RETENTION parameter is 900. Retention is specified in units of seconds. This
value specifies the amount of time, undo is kept in the tablespace. The system retains undo for at least the time
specified in this parameter.

You can set the UNDO_RETENTION in the parameter file:

UNDO_RETENTION = 1800

You can change the UNDO_RETENTION value at any time using:

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET UNDO_RETENTION = 2400;

The effect of the UNDO_RETENTION parameter is immediate, but it can only be honored if the current undo
tablespace has enough space. If an active transaction requires undo space and the undo tablespace does not
have available space, then the system starts reusing unexpired undo space (if retention is not guaranteed). This
action can potentially cause some queries to fail with the ORA-01555 "snapshot too old" error message.
UNDO_RETENTION applies to both committed and uncommitted transactions since the introduction offlashback
query feature in Oracle needs this information to create a read consistent copy of the data in the past.

Oracle Database 10g automatically tunes undo retention by collecting database use statistics and estimating
undo capacity needs for the successful completion of the queries. You can set a low threshold value for the
UNDO_RETENTION parameter so that the system retains the undo for at least the time specified in the
parameter, provided that the current undo tablespace has enough space. Under space constraint conditions, the
system may retain undo for a shorter duration than that specified by the low threshold value in order to allow DML
operations to succeed.

The amount of time for which undo is retained for Oracle Database for the current undo tablespace can be
obtained by querying the TUNED_UNDORETENTION column of the V$UNDOSTAT dynamic performance view.
SQL> select tuned_undoretention from v$undostat;

Automatic tuning of undo retention is not supported for LOBs. The RETENTION value for LOB columns is set to
the value of the UNDO_RETENTION parameter.

UNDO_SUPRESS_ERRORS
In case your code has the alter transaction commands that perform manual undo management operations. Set
this to true to suppress the errors generated when manual management SQL operations are issued in an
automated management mode.
UNDO_SUPRESS_ERRORS = false

Retention Guarantee
Oracle Database 10g lets you guarantee undo retention. When you enable this option, the database never
overwrites unexpired undo data i.e. undo data whose age is less than the undo retention period. This option is
disabled by default, which means that the database can overwrite the unexpired undo data in order to avoid
failure of DML operations if there is not enough free space left in the undo tablespace.

You enable the guarantee option by specifying the RETENTION GUARANTEE clause for the undo tablespace
when it is created by either the CREATE DATABASE or CREATE UNDO TABLESPACE statement or you can
later specify this clause in an ALTER TABLESPACE statement. You do not guarantee that unexpired undo is
preserved if you specify the RETENTION NOGUARANTEE clause.

In order to guarantee the success of queries even at the price of compromising the success of DML operations,
you can enable retention guarantee. This option must be used with caution, because it can cause DML
operations to fail if the undo tablespace is not big enough. However, with proper settings, long-running queries
can complete without risk of receiving the ORA-01555 "snapshot too old" error message, and you can guarantee
a time window in which the execution of Flashback features will succeed.

From 10g, you can use the DBA_TABLESPACES view to determine the RETENTION setting for the undo
tablespace. A column named RETENTION will contain a value on GUARANTEE, NOGUARANTEE, or NOT
APPLY (used for tablespaces other than the undo tablespace).

A typical use of the guarantee option is when you want to ensure deterministic and predictable behavior of
Flashback Query by guaranteeing the availability of the required undo data.

Size of Undo Tablespace

You can size the undo tablespace appropriately either by using automatic extension of the undo tablespace or by
manually estimating the space.
Oracle Database supports automatic extension of the undo tablespace to facilitate capacity planning of the undo
tablespace in the production environment. When the system is first running in the production environment, you
may be unsure of the space requirements of the undo tablespace. In this case, you can enable automatic
extension for datafiles of the undo tablespace so that they automatically increase in size when more space is
needed. By combining automatic extension of the undo tablespace with automatically tuned undo retention, you
can ensure that long-running queries will succeed by guaranteeing the undo required for such queries.

After the system has stabilized and you are more familiar with undo space requirements, Oracle recommends
that you set the maximum size of the tablespace to be slightly (10%) more than the current size of the undo
tablespace.

If you have decided on a fixed-size undo tablespace, the Undo Advisor can help us estimate needed capacity,
and you can then calculate the amount of retention your system will need. You can access the Undo Advisor
through Enterprise Manager or through the DBMS_ADVISOR package.

The Undo Advisor relies for its analysis on data collected in the Automatic Workload Repository (AWR). An
adjustment to the collection interval and retention period for AWR statistics can affect the precision and the type
of recommendations the advisor produces.

Undo Advisor
Oracle Database provides an Undo Advisor that provides advice on and helps automate the establishment of
your undo environment. You activate the Undo Advisor by creating an undo advisor task through the advisor
framework. The following example creates an undo advisor task to evaluate the undo tablespace. The name of
the advisor is 'Undo Advisor'. The analysis is based on AWR snapshots, which you must specify by setting
parameters START_SNAPSHOT and END_SNAPSHOT.

In the following example, the START_SNAPSHOT is "1" and END_SNAPSHOT is "2".

DECLARE
tid NUMBER;
tname VARCHAR2(30);
oid NUMBER;
BEGIN
DBMS_ADVISOR.CREATE_TASK('Undo Advisor', tid, tname, 'Undo Advisor Task');
DBMS_ADVISOR.CREATE_OBJECT(tname,'UNDO_TBS',null, null, null, 'null', oid);
DBMS_ADVISOR.SET_TASK_PARAMETER(tname, 'TARGET_OBJECTS', oid);
DBMS_ADVISOR.SET_TASK_PARAMETER(tname, 'START_SNAPSHOT', 1);
DBMS_ADVISOR.SET_TASK_PARAMETER(tname, 'END_SNAPSHOT', 2);
DBMS_ADVISOR.execute_task(tname);
end;
/

Once you have created the advisor task, you can view the output and recommendations in the Automatic
Database Diagnostic Monitor (ADDM) in Enterprise Manager. This information is also available in the
DBA_ADVISOR_* data dictionary views.

Calculating space requirements for Undo tablespace

You can calculate space requirements manually using the following formula:

Undo Space = UNDO_RETENTION in seconds * undo blocks for each second + overhead
where:
* Undo Space is the number of undo blocks
* overhead is the small overhead for metadata and based on extent and file size (DB_BLOCK_SIZE)

As an example, if UNDO_RETENTION is set to 2 hours, and the transaction rate (UPS) is 200 undo blocks for
each second, with a 4K block size, the required undo space is computed as follows:
(2 * 3600 * 200 * 4K) = 5.8GBs

Such computation can be performed by using information in the V$UNDOSTAT view. In the steady state, you can
query the view to obtain the transaction rate. The overhead figure can also be obtained from the view.

Managing Undo Tablespaces

Creating Undo Tablespace
There are two methods of creating an undo tablespace. The first method creates the undo tablespace when the
CREATE DATABASE statement is issued. This occurs when you are creating a new database, and the instance
is started in automatic undo management mode (UNDO_MANAGEMENT = AUTO). The second method is used
with an existing database. It uses the CREATE UNDO TABLESPACE statement.

You cannot create database objects in an undo tablespace. It is reserved for system-managed undo data.

Oracle Database enables you to create a single-file undo tablespace.

The following statement illustrates using the UNDO TABLESPACE clause in a CREATE DATABASE statement.
The undo tablespace is named undotbs_01 and one datafile, is allocated for it.

SQL> CREATE DATABASE ...

UNDO TABLESPACE undotbs_01 DATAFILE '/path/undo01.dbf' RETENTION GUARANTEE;

If the undo tablespace cannot be created successfully during CREATE DATABASE, the entire operation fails.

The CREATE UNDO TABLESPACE statement is the same as the CREATE TABLESPACE statement, but the
UNDO keyword is specified. The database determines most of the attributes of the undo tablespace, but you can
specify the DATAFILE clause.

This example creates the undotbs_02 undo tablespace:

SQL> CREATE UNDO TABLESPACE undotbs_02 DATAFILE '/path/undo02.dbf' SIZE 2M REUSE

AUTOEXTEND ONRETENTION NOGUARANTEE;

You can create more than one undo tablespace, but only one of them can be active at any one time.

Altering Undo Tablespace

Undo tablespaces are altered using the ALTER TABLESPACE statement. However, since most aspects of undo
tablespaces are system managed, you need only be concerned with the following actions

Adding datafile

SQL> ALTER TABLESPACE undotbs ADD DATAFILE '/path/undo0102.dbf' AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 1M

MAXSIZE UNLIMITED;

Renaming data file

SQL> ALTER DATABASE RENAME FILE 'old_full_path' TO 'new_full_path';
Resizing datafile

SQL> ALTER DATABASE DATAFILE 'data_file_name|data_file_number' RESIZE nK|M|G|T|P|E;

when resizing the undo tablespace you may encounter ORA-03297 error: file contains used data beyond the
requested RESIZE value. This means that some undo information stills stored above the datafile size we want to
set. We can check the most high used block to check the minimum size that we can resize a particular datafile,
by querying the dba_free_space view.
Another way to set undo tablespace to the size that we want is, to create another undo tablespace, set it the
default one, take offline the old and then just drop the big old tablespace.

Making datafile online or offline

SQL> ALTER TABLESPACE undotbs offline;

SQL> ALTER TABLESPACE undotbs online;

Beginning or ending an open backup on datafile
Enabling and disabling undo retention guarantee

SQL> ALTER TABLESPACE undotbs RETENTION GUARANTEE;

SQL> ALTER TABLESPACE undotbs RETENTION NOGUARANTEE;

These are also the only attributes you are permitted to alter.
If an undo tablespace runs out of space, or you want to prevent it from doing so, you can add more files to it or
resize existing datafiles.

Dropping Undo Tablespace

Use the DROP TABLESPACE statement to drop an undo tablespace.
SQL> DROP TABLESPACE undotbs_01;

An undo tablespace can only be dropped if it is not currently used by any instance. If the undo tablespace
contains any outstanding transactions (e.g. a transaction died but has not yet been recovered), the DROP
TABLESPACE statement fails. However, since DROP TABLESPACE drops an undo tablespace even if it contains
unexpired undo information (within retention period), you must be careful not to drop an undo tablespace if undo
information is needed by some existing queries.

DROP TABLESPACE for undo tablespaces behaves like DROP TABLESPACE ... INCLUDING CONTENTS. All
contents of the undo tablespace are removed.

Switching Undo Tablespaces

You can switch from using one undo tablespace to another. Because the UNDO_TABLESPACE initialization
parameter is a dynamic parameter, the ALTER SYSTEM SET statement can be used to assign a new undo
tablespace.

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET UNDO_TABLESPACE = undotbs_02;

Assuming undotbs_01 is the current undo tablespace, after this command successfully executes, the instance
uses undotbs_02 in place of undotbs_01 as its undo tablespace.

If any of the following conditions exist for the tablespace being switched to, an error is reported and no switching
occurs:
The tablespace does not exist
 The tablespace is not an undo tablespace
The tablespace is already being used by another instance (in RAC environment)
The database is online while the switch operation is performed, and user transactions can be executed while this
command is being executed. When the switch operation completes successfully, all transactions started after the
switch operation began are assigned to transaction tables in the new undo tablespace.

The switch operation does not wait for transactions in the old undo tablespace to commit. If there are any
pending transactions in the old undo tablespace, the old undo tablespace enters into a PENDING OFFLINE
mode. In this mode, existing transactions can continue to execute, but undo records for new user transactions
cannot be stored in this undo tablespace.

An undo tablespace can exist in this PENDING OFFLINE mode, even after the switch operation completes
successfully. A PENDING OFFLINE undo tablespace cannot be used by another instance, nor can it be dropped.
Eventually, after all active transactions have committed, the undo tablespace automatically goes from the
PENDING OFFLINE mode to the OFFLINE mode. From then on, the undo tablespace is available for other
instances (in an RAC environment).

If the parameter value for UNDO TABLESPACE is set to '' (two single quotes), then the current undo tablespace
is switched out and the next available undo tablespace is switched in. Use this statement with care, because if
there is no undo tablespace available, the SYSTEM rollback segment is used. This causes ORA-01552 error to
be issued for any attempts to write non-SYSTEM related undo to the SYSTEM rollback segment.

The following example unassigns the current undo tablespace:

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET UNDO_TABLESPACE = '';

Establishing User Quotas for Undo Space

The Oracle Database Resource Manager can be used to establish user quotas for undo space. The Database
Resource Manager directive UNDO_POOL allows DBAs to limit the amount of undo space consumed by a group
of users (resource consumer group).

You can specify an undo pool for each consumer group. An undo pool controls the amount of total undo that can
be generated by a consumer group. When the total undo generated by a consumer group exceeds it's undo limit,
the current UPDATE transaction generating the redo is terminated. No other members of the consumer group
can perform further updates until undo space is freed from the pool.

When no UNDO_POOL directive is explicitly defined, users are allowed unlimited undo space.

Monitoring Undo Tablespaces

Oracle Database also provides proactive help in managing tablespace disk space use by alerting you when
tablespaces run low on available space.

In addition to the proactive undo space alerts, Oracle Database also provides alerts if your system has long-
running queries that cause SNAPSHOT TOO OLD errors. To prevent excessive alerts, the long query alert is
issued at most once every 24 hours. When the alert is generated, you can check the Undo Advisor Page of
Enterprise Manager to get more information about the undo tablespace.

The following dynamic performance views are useful for obtaining space information about the undo tablespace:

View Description
V$UNDOSTAT Contains statistics for monitoring and tuning undo space. Use this view to help estimate
 the amount of undo space required for the current workload. Oracle uses this view
information to tune undo usage in the system.
For automatic undo management mode, information reflects behavior of the undo
V$ROLLSTAT
segments in the undo tablespace.
V$TRANSACTION Contains undo segment information.
DBA_UNDO_EXTENTS Shows the status and size of each extent in the undo tablespace.
WRH$_UNDOSTAT Contains statistical snapshots of V$UNDOSTAT information.
WRH$_ROLLSTAT Contains statistical snapshots of V$ROLLSTAT information.

To findout the undo segments in the database.

SQL> select segment_name, tablespace_name from dba_rollback_segs;

The V$UNDOSTAT view is useful for monitoring the effects of transaction execution on undo space in the current
instance. Statistics are available for undo space consumption, transaction concurrency, the tuning of undo
retention, and the length and SQL ID of long-running queries in the instance. This view contains information that
spans over a 24 hour period and each row in this view contains data for a 10 minute interval specified by the
BEGIN_TIME and END_TIME.

Each row in the view contains statistics collected in the instance for a 10minute interval. The rows are in
descending order by the BEGIN_TIME column value. Each row belongs to the time interval marked by
(BEGIN_TIME, END_TIME). Each column represents the data collected for the particular statistic in that time
interval. The first row of the view contains statistics for the (partial) current time period. The view contains a total
of 1008 rows, spanning a 7 day cycle.

Flashback Features
Oracle Database includes several features that are based upon undo information and that allow administrators
and users to access database information from a previous point in time. These features are part of the overall
flashback strategy incorporated into the database and include:
Flashback Query
Flashback Versions Query
Flashback Transaction Query
Flashback Table
Flashback Database
The retention period for undo information is an important factor for the successful execution of flashback
features. It determines how far back in time a database version can be established.

We must choose an undo retention interval that is long enough to enable users to construct a snapshot of the
database for the oldest version of the database that they are interested in, e.g. if an application requires that a
version of the database be available reflecting its content 12 hours previously, then UNDO_RETENTION must be
set to 43200.

You might also want to guarantee that unexpired undo is not overwritten by specifying the RETENTION
GUARANTEE clause for the undo tablespace.

Migration to Automatic Undo Management

If you are still using rollback segments to manage undo space, Oracle strongly recommends that you migrate
your database to automatic undo management. From 10g, Oracle Database provides a function that provides
information on how to size your new undo tablespace based on the configuration and usage of the rollback
segments in your system. DBA privileges are required to execute this function:

set serveroutput on
DECLARE
utbsize_in_MB NUMBER;
BEGIN
utbsize_in_MB := DBMS_UNDO_ADV.RBU_MIGRATION;
dbms_output.put_line(utbsize_in_MB||'MB');
END;
/

The function returns the undo tablespace size in MBs.

Best Practices for Undo Tablespace/Undo Management in Oracle

This following list of recommendations will help you manage your undo space to best advantage.
You need not set a value for the UNDO_RETENTION parameter unless your system has flashback or
LOB retention requirements.
Allow 10 to 20% extra space in your undo tablespace to provide for some fluctuation in your workload.
Set the warning and critical alert thresholds for the undo tablespace alert properly.
To tune SQL queries or to check on runaway queries, use the value of the SQLID column provided in
the long query or in the V$UNDOSTAT or WRH$_UNDOSTAT views to retrieve SQL text and other details on the
SQL from V$SQL view.

Transportable Tablespaces (TTS) in Oracle

We can use the transportable tablespaces feature to copy/move subset of data (set of user tablespaces), from an
Oracle database and plug it in to another Oracle database. The tablespaces being transported can be either
dictionary managed or locally managed.

With Oracle 8i, Oracle introduced transportable tablespace (TTS) technology that moves tablespaces between
databases. Oracle 8i supports tablespace transportation between databases that run on same OS platforms and
use the same database block size.

With Oracle 9i, TTS (Transportable Tablespaces) technology was enhanced to support tablespace transportation
between databases on platforms of the same type, but using different block sizes.

With Oracle 10g, TTS (Transportable Tablespaces) technology was further enhanced to support transportation of
tablespaces between databases running on different OS platforms (e.g. Windows to Linux, Solaris to HP-UX),
which has same ENDIAN formats. If ENDIAN formats are different you have to use RMAN (e.g. Windows to
Solaris, Tru64 to AIX). From this version we can transport whole database, this is called Transportable Database.

From Oracle 11g, we can transport single partition of a tablespace between databases.

You can also query the V$TRANSPORTABLE_PLATFORM view to see all the platforms that are supported, and
to determine their platform names and IDs and their endian format.

SQL> select * from v$transportable_platform order by platform_id;

PLATFORM_ID PLATFORM_NAME ENDIAN_FORMAT
----------- ---------------------------------------- --------------
1 Solaris[tm] OE (32-bit) Big
2 Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit) Big
3 HP-UX (64-bit) Big
4 HP-UX IA (64-bit) Big
5 HP Tru64 UNIX Little
6 AIX-Based Systems (64-bit) Big
7 Microsoft Windows IA (32-bit) Little
8 Microsoft Windows IA (64-bit) Little
9 IBM zSeries Based Linux Big
10 Linux IA (32-bit) Little
11 Linux IA (64-bit) Little
12 Microsoft Windows x86 64-bit Little
13 Linux x86 64-bit Little
15 HP Open VMS Little
16 Apple Mac OS Big
17 Solaris Operating System (x86) Little
18 IBM Power Based Linux Big
19 HP IA Open VMS Little
20 Solaris Operating System (x86-64) Little
21 Apple Mac OS (x86-64) Little (from Oracle 11g R2)
To find out your platform name and it's endian format

SQL> select tp.PLATFORM_NAME, tp.ENDIAN_FORMAT from v$database d, v$transportable_platform tp where

d.platform_name=tp.platform_name;
PLATFORM_NAME ENDIAN_FORMAT
---------------------------------------- --------------
Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit) Big
Transporting tablespaces is particularly useful for
(i) Updating data from production to development and test instances.
(ii) Updating data from OLTP systems to data warehouse systems.
(iii) Transportable Tablespace (TTS) is used to take out of the database pieces of data for various reasons
(Archiving, Moving to other databases etc).
(iv) Performing tablespace point-in-time-recovery (TSPITR).

Moving data using transportable tablespaces can be much faster than performing either anexport/import or
unload/load of the same data, because transporting a tablespace only requires copying of datafiles and
integrating the tablespace structural information. You can also use transportable tablespaces to move both table
and index data, thereby avoiding the index rebuilds you would have to perform when importing or loading table
data.

In Oracle 8i, there were three restrictions with TTS. First, both the databases must have same block size.
Second, both platforms must be the same OS. Third, you cannot rename the tablespace. Oracle 9iremoves the
first restriction. Oracle 10g removes the second restriction. Oracle 10g also makes available a command to
rename tablespaces.

Limitations/Restrictions
Following are limitations/restrictions of transportable tablespace:

System, undo, sysaux and temporary tablespaces cannot be transported.

The source and target database must be on the same hardware platform. e.g. we can transport tablespaces
between Sun Solaris databases, or we can transport tablespaces between Windows NT databases. However,
you cannot transport a tablespace from a Sun Solaris database to a Windows NT database.

The source and target database must use the same character set and national character set.

If Automatic Storage Management (ASM) is used with either the source or destination database, you must
use RMAN to transport/convert the tablespace.

You cannot transport a tablespace to a target database in which a tablespace with the same name already exists.
However, you can rename either the tablespace to be transported or the destination tablespace before the
transport operation.

Transportable tablespaces do not support: Materialized views/replication Function-based indexes.

Binary_Float and Binary_Double datatypes (new in Oracle 10g) are not supported.

At Source:
Validating Self Containing Property
TTS requires all the tablespaces, which we are moving, must be self contained. This means that the segments
within the migration tablespace set cannot have dependency to a segment in a tablespace out of the
transportable tablespace set. This can be checked using the DBMS_TTS.TRANSPORT_SET_CHECK
procedure.

SQL> exec DBMS_TTS.TRANSPORT_SET_CHECK('tbs', TRUE);

SQL> exec DBMS_TTS.TRANSPORT_SET_CHECK('tbs1, tbs2, tbs3', FALSE, TRUE);

SQL> SELECT * FROM transport_set_violations;

No rows should be displayed

If it were not self contained you should either remove the dependencies by dropping/moving them or include the
tablespaces of segments into TTS set to which migration set is depended.

Put Tablespaces in READ ONLY Mode

We will perform physical file system copy of tablespace datafiles. In order those datafiles to not to require
recovery, they need to be in consistent during the copy activity. So put all the tablespaces in READ ONLY mode.

SQL> alter tablespace tbs-name read only;

Export the Metadata

Export the metadata of the tablespace set.

exp FILE=/path/dump-file.dmp LOG=/path/tts_exp.log TABLESPACES=tbs-names

TRANSPORT_TABLESPACE=y STATISTICS=none
(or)
expdp DUMPFILE=tts.dmp LOGFILE=tts_exp.log DIRECTORY=exp_dir TRANSPORT_TABLESPACES=tts
TRANSPORT_FULL_CHECK=y

for transporting partition,

expdp DUMPFILE=tts_partition.dmp LOGFILE=tts_partition_exp.log DIRECTORY=exp_dir
TRANSPORTABLE=always TABLES=trans_table:partition_Q1

If the tablespace set being transported is not self-contained, then the export will fail.

You can drop the tablespaces at source, if you dont want them.
SQL> drop tablespace tbs-name including contents;

Otherwise, make all the tablespaces as READ WRITE

SQL> alter tablespace tbs-name read write;

Copying Datafiles and export file

Copy the datafiles and export file to target server.

At Target:
Import the export file.

imp FILE=/path/dump-file.dmp LOG=/path/tts_imp.log TTS_OWNERS=user-name FROMUSER=user-name

TOUSER=user-name TABLESPACES=tbs-name TRANSPORT_TABLESPACE=y
DATAFILES=/path/tbs-name.dbf
(or)
impdp DUMPFILE=tts.dmp LOGFILE=tts_imp.log DIRECTORY=exp_dir
REMAP_SCHEMA=master:scott TRANSPORT_DATAFILES='/path/tts.dbf'

for transporting partition,

impdp DUMPFILE=tts_partition.dmp LOGFILE=tts_partition_imp.log
DIRECTORY=exp_dir TRANSPORT_DATAFILES='/path/tts_part.dbf' PARTITION_OPTIONS=departition

Finally we have to switch the new tablespaces into read write mode:
SQL> alter tablespace tbs-name read write;

TRANSPORT TABLESPACE Using RMAN

Create transportable tablespace sets from backup for one or more tablespaces.
RMAN> TRANSPORT TABLESPACE example, tools TABLESPACE DESTINATION '/disk1/trans' AUXILIARY
DESTINATION '/disk1/aux' UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-15/1440';

RMAN> TRANSPORT TABLESPACE exam TABLESPACE DESTINATION '/disk1/trans' AUXILIARY

DESTINATION '/disk1/aux' DATAPUMP DIRECTORY dpdir DUMP FILE 'dmpfile.dmp' IMPORT SCRIPT
'impscript.sql' EXPORT LOG 'explog.log';

Using Transportable Tablespaces with a Physical Standby Database

We can use the Oracle transportable tablespaces feature to move a subset of an Oracle database and plug it in
to another Oracle database, essentially moving tablespaces between the databases.
To move or copy a set of tablespaces into a primary database when a physical standby is being used, perform
the following steps:

1. Generate a transportable tablespace set that consists of datafiles for the set of tablespaces being transported
and an export file containing structural information for the set of tablespaces.

2. Transport the tablespace set:

a. Copy the datafiles and the export file to the primary database.

b. Copy the datafiles to the standby database.

The datafiles must be copied in a directory defined by the DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT initialization parameter.
If DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT is not defined, then issue the ALTER DATABASE RENAME FILE statement to
modify the standby control file after the redo data containing the transportable tablespace has been applied and
has failed. The STANDBY_FILE_MANAGEMENT initialization parameter must be set to AUTO.

3. Plug in the tablespace.

Invoke the Data Pump utility to plug the set of tablespaces into the primary database. Redo data will be
generated and applied at the standby site to plug the tablespace into the standby database.

Related Packages
DBMS_TTS
DBMS_EXTENDED_TTS_CHECKS

Temporary Tablespace Group

Temporary Tablespace Groups in Oracle
Oracle 10g introduced the concept of temporary tablespace groups.This allows grouping multiple temporary
tablespaces into a single group and assigning to a user, this group of tablespaces instead of a single temporary
tablespace.

A tablespace group lets you assign multiple temporary tablespaces to a single user and increases the
addressability of temporary tablespaces.
A temporary tablespace group has the following properties:
It contains one or more temporary tablespaces (there is no upper limit).
It contains only temporary tablespaces.
It is not explicitly created. It is created implicitly when the first temporary tablespace is assigned to it,
and is deleted when the last temporary tablespace is removed from the group.
There is no CREATE TABLESPACE GROUP statement, as implicitly created during the creation of a temporary
tablespace with the CREATE TEMPORARY TABLESPACE command and by specifying the TABLESPACE
GROUP clause.

Temporary Tablespace Group Benefits

It allows multiple default temporary tablespaces to be specified at the database level.
It allows the user to use multiple temporary tablespaces in different sessions at the same time.
Reduced contention when multiple temporary tablespaces are defined.
It allows a single SQL operation to use multiple temporary tablespaces for sorting.
Finer granularity so you can distribute operations across temporary tablespaces.

The following statement creates temporary tablespace temp as a member of the temp_grp tablespace group. If
the tablespace group does not already exist, then Oracle Database creates it during execution of this statement.
SQL> CREATE TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp TEMPFILE 'temp01.dbf' SIZE 5M AUTOEXTEND
ON TABLESPACE GROUP temp_grp;

Adding a temporary tablespace to temporary tablespace group:

SQL> ALTER TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp TABLESPACE GROUP temp_grp;

Removing a temporary tablespace from temporary tablespace group:

SQL> ALTER TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp TABLESPACE GROUP '';

Assigning temporary tablespace group to a user (same as assigning temporary tablespace to a user):
SQL> ALTER USER scott TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp_grp;

Assigning temporary tablespace group as default temporary tablespace:

SQL> ALTER DATABASE DEFAULT TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp_grp;

To see the tablespaces in the temporary tablespace group:

SQL> select * from DBA_TABLESPACE_GROUPS;

Related Views:
DBA_TABLESPACE_GROUPS
DBA_TEMP_FILESV$TEMPFILE
V$TEMPSTATV$TEMP_SPACE_HEADER
V$TEMPSEG_USAGE

Temporary Tablespace in Oracle

Oracle introduced temporary tablespaces in Oracle 7.3

Temporary tablespaces are used to manage space for database sort and joining operations and for storing global
temporary tables. For joining two large tables or sorting a bigger result set, Oracle cannot do in memory by using
SORT_AREA_SIZE in PGA (Programmable Global Area). Space will be allocated in a temporary tablespace for
doing these types of operations. Other SQL operations that might require disk sorting are: CREATE INDEX,
ANALYZE, SELECT DISTINCT, ORDER BY, GROUP BY, UNION, INTERSECT, MINUS, Sort-Merge joins, etc.

Note that a temporary tablespace cannot contain permanent objects and therefore doesn't need to be backed up.
A temporary tablespace contains schema objects only for the duration of a session.

Creating Temporary Tablespace

From Oracle 9i, we can specify a default temporary tablespace when you create a database, using the DEFAULT
TEMPORARY TABLESPACE extension to the CREATE DATABASE statement.
e.g.
SQL> CREATE DATABASE oracular .....

DEFAULT TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp_ts .....;

Oracle provides various ways of creating TEMPORARY tablespaces.

Prior to Oracle 7.3 - CREATE TABLESPACE temp DATAFILE ...;

Example:
SQL> CREATE TABLESPACE TEMPTBS DATAFILE '/path/temp.dbf' SIZE 2048M AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 1M
MAXSIZE UNLIMITED LOGGING DEFAULT NOCOMPRESS ONLINE EXTENT MANAGEMENT DICTIONARY;

Oracle 7.3 & 8.0 - CREATE TABLESPACE temp DATAFILE ... TEMPORARY;

Example:
SQL> CREATE TABLESPACE TEMPTBS DATAFILE '/path/temp.dbf' SIZE 2048M AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 1M
MAXSIZE UNLIMITED LOGGING DEFAULT NOCOMPRESS ONLINE TEMPORARY EXTENT MANAGEMENT
DICTIONARY;

Oracle 8i and above - CREATE TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp TEMPFILE ...;

Examples:
SQL> CREATE TEMPORARY TABLESPACE TEMPTBS TEMPFILE '/path/temp.dbf' SIZE 1000M
AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 8K MAXSIZE 1500M EXTENT MANAGEMENT LOCAL UNIFORM SIZE
1M BLOCKSIZE 8K;

SQL> CREATE TEMPORARY TABLESPACE TEMPTBS2 TEMPFILE '/path/temp2.dbf' SIZE 1000M

AUTOEXTEND OFF EXTENT MANAGEMENT LOCAL BLOCKSIZE 2K;

The MAXSIZE clause will default to UNLIMITED, if no value is specified.

All extents of temporary tablespaces are the same size, so UNIFORM keyword is optional - if UNIFORM is not
defined it will default to 1 MB.

Example using OMF (Oracle Managed Files):

SQL> CREATE TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp;

Restrictions:
(1) We cannot specify nonstandard block sizes for a temporary tablespace or if you intend to assign this
tablespace as the temporary tablespace for any users.
(2) We cannot specify FORCE LOGGING for an undo or temporary tablespace.
(3) We cannot specify AUTOALLOCATE for a temporary tablespace.

Tempfiles (Temporary Datafiles)

Unlike normal datafiles, tempfiles are not fully allocated. When you create a tempfiles, Oracle only writes to the
header and last block of the file. This is why it is much quicker to create a tempfiles than
to create a normal datafile.

Tempfiles are not recorded in the database's control file. This implies that just recreate them whenever you
restore the database, or after deleting them by accident. You can have different tempfile configurations between
primary and standby databases in dataguard environment, or configure tempfiles to be local instead of shared in
a RAC environment.

One cannot remove datafiles from a tablespace until you drop the entire tablespace. However, one can remove a
tempfile from a database. Look at this example:

SQL> alter database tempfile 'tempfile_name' drop including datafiles;

//If the file was created as tempfile

SQL> alter database datafile 'tempfile_name' drop;

//If the file was created as datafile

Dropping temp tablespace

SQL> drop tablespace temp_tbs;

SQL> drop tablespace temp_tbs including contents and datafiles;

If you remove all tempfiles from a temporary tablespace, you may encounter error:
ORA-25153: Temporary Tablespace is Empty.

Use the following statement to add a tempfile to a temporary tablespace:

SQL> ALTER TABLESPACE temp ADD TEMPFILE '/path/temp01.dbf' SIZE 512m
AUTOEXTEND ON NEXT 250m MAXSIZE UNLIMITED;

Except for adding a tempfile, you cannot use the ALTER TABLESPACE statement for a locally managed
temporary tablespace (operations like rename, set to read only, recover, etc. will fail).

Locally managed temporary tablespaces have temporary datafiles (tempfiles), which are similar to ordinary
datafiles except:
You cannot create a tempfile with the ALTER DATABASE statement.
You cannot rename a tempfile or set it to read-only.
Tempfiles are always set to NOLOGGING mode.
When you create or resize tempfiles, they are not always guaranteed allocation of disk space for the file
size specified. On certain file systems (like UNIX) disk blocks are allocated not at file creation or resizing, but
before the blocks are accessed.
Tempfile information is shown in the dictionary view DBA_TEMP_FILES and the dynamic performance
view V$TEMPFILE.
Note: This arrangement enables fast tempfile creation and resizing, however, the disk could run out of space
later when the tempfiles are accessed.

Default Temporary Tablespaces

From Oracle 9i, we can define a default temporary tablespace at database creation time, or by issuing an
"ALTER DATABASE" statement:

SQL> ALTER DATABASE DEFAULT TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp;

By default, the default temporary tablespace is SYSTEM. Each database can be assigned one and only one
default temporary tablespace. Using this feature, a temporary tablespace is automatically assigned to users.
The following restrictions apply to default temporary tablespaces:
-DEFAULT TEMPORARY TABLESPACE must be of type TEMPORARY.

-DEFAULT TEMPORARY TABLESPACE cannot be taken off-line.

-DEFAULT TEMPORARY TABLESPACE cannot be dropped until you create another one.

To see the default temporary tablespace for a database, execute the following query:
SQL> select PROPERTY_NAME,PROPERTY_VALUE from database_properties where property_name like
'%TEMP%';

The DBA should assign a temporary tablespace to each user in the database to prevent them from allocating sort
space in the SYSTEM tablespace. This can be done with one of the following commands:

SQL> CREATE USER scott TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp;

SQL> ALTER USER scott TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp;

To change a user account to use a non-default temp tablespace

SQL> ALTER USER user1 SET TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp_tbs;

Assigning temporary tablespace group as default temporary tablespace:

SQL> ALTER DATABASE DEFAULT TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp_grp;
Assigning temporary tablespace group to a user (same as assigning temporary tablespace to a user):
SQL> ALTER USER scott TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp_grp;

All new users that are not explicitly assigned a TEMPORARY TABLESPACE will get the default temporary
tablespace as its TEMPORARY TABLESPACE. Also, when you assign a TEMPORARY tablespace to a user,
Oracle will not change this value next time you change the default temporary tablespace for the database.

Performance Considerations

Some performance considerations for temporary tablespaces:

o Always use temporary tablespaces instead of permanent content tablespaces for sorting & joining (no
logging and uses one large sort segment to reduce recursive SQL and ST space management enqueue
contention).
o Ensure that you create your temporary tablespaces as locally managed instead of dictionary managed
(i.e. use sort space bitmap instead of sys.fet$ and sys.uet$ for allocating space).
o Always use TEMPFILE instead of DATAFILE (reduce backup and recovery time).
o Stripe your temporary tablespaces over multiple disks to alleviate possible disk contention and to speed-
up operations (user processes can read/write to it directly).
o The UNIFORM SIZE must be a multiple of the SORT_AREA_SIZE parameter.

Monitoring Temporary Tablespaces

Unlike datafiles, tempfiles are not listed in V$DATAFILE and DBA_DATA_FILES. Use V$TEMPFILE and
DBA_TEMP_FILES instead.

SQL> SELECT tablespace_name, file_name, bytes FROM dba_temp_files WHERE tablespace_name = 'TEMP';
TABLESPACE_NAME FILE_NAME BYTES
----------------- -------------------------------- --------------
TEMP /../temp01.dbf 11,175,650,000
SQL> select file#, name, round(bytes/(1024*1024),2) "SIZE IN MB's" from v$tempfile;

One can monitor temporary segments from V$SORT_SEGMENT and V$SORT_USAGE.

DBA_FREE_SPACE does not record free space for temporary tablespaces. Use DBA_TEMP_FREE_SPACE or
V$TEMP_SPACE_HEADER instead.

SQL> select TABLESPACE_NAME, BYTES_USED, BYTES_FREE from V$TEMP_SPACE_HEADER;

TABLESPACE_NAME BYTES_USED BYTES_FREE
------------------------------ ---------- ----------
TEMPTBS 4214226944 80740352

From 11g, we can check free temp space in new view DBA_TEMP_FREE_SPACE.
SQL> select * from DBA_TEMP_FREE_SPACE;

Resizing tempfile

SQL> alter database tempfile temp-name resize integer K|M|G|T|P|E;

SQL> alter database tempfile '/path/temp01.dbf' resize 1000M;

Resizing temporary tablespace

SQL> alter tablespace temptbs resize 1000M;

Renaming (temporary) tablespace, this is from Oracle 10g

SQL> alter tablespace temp rename to temp2;

In Oracle 11g, temporary tablespace or it's tempfiles can be shrinked, up to specified size.

Shrinking frees as much space as possible while maintaining the other attributes of the tablespace or temp files.
The optional KEEP clause defines a minimum size for the tablespace or temp file.
SQL> alter tablespace temp-tbs shrink space;
SQL> alter tablespace temp-tbs shrink space keep n{K|M|G|T|P|E};
SQL> alter tablespace temp-tbs shrink tempfile 'tempfile-name' ;
SQL> alter tablespace temp-tbs shrink tempfile 'tempfile-name' keep n{K|M|G|T|P|E};

The below script reports temporary tablespace usage (script was created for Oracle9i Database). With this script
we can monitor the actual space used in a temporary tablespace and see HWM (High Water Mark) of the
temporary tablespace. The script is designed to run when there is only one temporary tablespace in the
database.

SQL> select sum( u.blocks * blk.block_size)/1024/1024 "MB. in sort segments", (hwm.max *

blk.block_size)/1024/1024 "MB. High Water Mark"
from v$sort_usage u, (select block_size from dba_tablespaces where contents = 'TEMPORARY') blk, (select
segblk#+blocks max from v$sort_usage where segblk# = (select max(segblk#) from v$sort_usage) ) hwm group
by hwm.max * blk.block_size/1024/1024;

How to reclaim used space

Several methods existed to reclaim the space used for a larger than normal temporary tablespace.
(1) Restarting the database, if possible.
(2) The method that exists for all releases of Oracle is, simply drop and recreate the temporary tablespace back
to its original (or another reasonable) size.
(3) If you are using Oracle9i or higher, drop the large tempfile (which will drop the tempfile from the data
dictionary and the OS file system).

From 11g, while creating global temporary tables, we can specify TEMPORARY tablespaces.

Related Views:

DBA_TEMP_FILES
DBA_DATA_FILES
DBA_TABLESPACES
DBA_TEMP_FREE_SPACE (Oracle 11g)
V$TEMPFILE
V$TEMP_SPACE_HEADER
V$TEMPORARY_LOBS
V$TEMPSTAT
V$TEMPSEG_USAGE

Statspack in Oracle
Statspack was introduced in Oracle8i.

Statspack is a set of performance monitoring, diagnosis and reporting utility provided by Oracle. Statspack
provides improved UTLBSTAT/UTLESTAT functionality, as its successor, though the old BSTAT/ESTAT scripts
are still available.

Statspack package is a set of SQL, PL/SQL, and SQL*Plus scripts that allow the collection, automation, storage,
and viewing of performance data. Statspack stores the performance statistics permanently in Oracle tables,
which can later be used for reporting and analysis. The data collected can be analyzed using Statspack reports,
which includes an instance health and load summary page, high resource SQL statements, the traditional wait
events and initialization parameters.

Statspack is a diagnosis tool for instance-wide performance problems; it also supports application tuning
activities by providing data which identifies high-load SQL statements. Statspack can be used both proactively to
monitor the changing load on a system, and also reactively to investigate a performance problem.

Although AWR and ADDM (introduced in Oracle 10g) provide better statistics than STATSPACK, users that are
not licensed to use the Enterprise Manager Diagnostic Pack, should continue to use Statspack.

Statspack versus UTLBSTAT/UTLESTAT

The BSTAT-ESTAT utilities capture information directly from the Oracle's in-memory structures and then compare
the information from two snapshots in order to produce an elapsed-time report showing the activity of the
database. If we look inside utlbstat.sql and utlestat.sql, we see the SQL that samples directly from the v$ views.
e.g. V$SYSSTAT;
SQL> insert into stats$begin_stats select * from v$sysstat;
SQL> insert into stats$end_stats select * from v$sysstat;

Statspack improves on the existing UTLBSTAT/UTLESTAT performance scripts in the following ways:
Statspack collects more data, including high resource SQL (and the optimizer execution plans for those
statements).
Statspack pre-calculates many ratios useful when performance tuning, such as cache hit ratios, per
transaction and per second statistics (many of these ratios must be calculated manually when using
BSTAT/ESTAT).
Permanent tables owned by PERFSTAT store performance statistics; instead of creating/dropping tables
each time, data is inserted into the pre-existing tables. This makes historical data comparisons easier.
 Statspack separates the data collection from the report generation. Data is collected when a 'snapshot'
is taken; viewing the data collected is in the hands of the performance engineer when they run the performance
report.
Data collection is easy to automate using either dbms_job or an OS utility.
NOTE: If you choose to run BSTAT/ESTAT in conjunction with statspack, do not run both as the same user. There
is a name conflict with the STATS$WAITSTAT table.

Installing and Configuring Statspack

$ cd $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin
$ sqlplus "/as sysdba" @spcreate.sql
You will be prompted for the PERFSTAT user's password, default tablespace, and temporary tablespace.

This will create PERFSTAT user, statspack objects in it and STATSPACK package.

NOTE: Default tablespace or temporary tablespace must not be SYSTEM for PERFSTAT user.

The SPCREATE.SQL script runs the following scripts:

SPCUSR.SQL: Creates PERFSTAT user and grants privileges
SPCTAB.SQL: Creates STATSPACK tables
SPCPKG.SQL: Creates STATSPACK package
Check the log files (created in present directory): spcusr.lis, spctab.lis and spcpkg.lis and ensure that no errors
were encountered during the installation.

To install statspack in batch mode, you must assign values to the SQL*Plus variables that specify the default and
temporary tablespaces before running SPCREATE.SQL.
DEFAULT_TABLESPACE: For the default tablespace
TEMPORARY_TABLESPACE: For the temporary tablespace
PERFSTAT_PASSWORD: For the PERFSTAT user password
$ sqlplus "/as sysdba"
SQL> define default_tablespace='STATS'
SQL> define temporary_tablespace='TEMP_TBS'
SQL> define perfstat_password='perfstat'
SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/spcreate

When SPCREATE.SQL is run, it does not prompt for the information provided by the variables.

Taking snapshots of the database

Each snapshot taken is identified by a snapshot ID, which is a unique number generated at the time the snapshot
is taken. Each time a new collection is taken, a new SNAP_ID is generated. The SNAP_ID, along with the
database identifier (DBID) and instance number (INSTANCE_NUMBER), comprise the unique key for a
snapshot. Use of this unique combination allows storage of multiple instances of an OracleReal Application
Clusters (RAC) database in the same tables.

When a snapshot is executed, the STATSPACK software will sample from the RAM in-memory structures inside
the SGA and transfer the values into the corresponding STATSPACK tables. Taking such a snapshot stores the
current values for the performance statistics in the statspack tables. This snapshot can be used as a baseline for
comparison with another snapshot taken at a later time.

$ sqlplus perfstat/perfstat
SQL> exec statspack.snap;
or
SQL> exec statspack.snap(i_snap_level=>10);
instruct statspack to do gather more details in the snapshot.

SQL> select name,snap_id,to_char(snap_time,'DD.MM.YYYY:HH24:MI:SS') "Date/Time" from

stats$snapshot,v$database;

Note that in most cases, there is a direct correspondence between the v$view in the SGA and the corresponding
STATSPACK table.
e.g. the stats$sysstat table is similar to the v$sysstat view.

Remember to set timed_statistics to true for the instance. Statspack will then include important timing
information in the data it collects.

Note: In RAC environment, you must connect to the instance for which you want to collect data.

Scheduling Snapshots gathering

There are three methods to automate/schedule the gathering statspack snapshots/statistics.

SPAUTO.SQL - script can be customized and executed to schedule, a dbms_job to automate, and the
collection of statspack snapshots.
DBMS_JOB procedure to schedule snapshots (you must set the initialization parameter
JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES to greater than 0).

BEGIN
SYS.DBMS_JOB.SUBMIT
(job => 999,
what => 'statspack.snap;',
next_date => to_date('17/08/2009 18:00:00','dd/mm/yyyy hh24:mi:ss'),
interval => 'trunc(SYSDATE+1/24,''HH'')',
no_parse => FALSE
);
END;
/
Use an OS utility, such as cron.

Statspack reporting
The information captured by a STATSPACK snapshot has accumulated values. The information from the v$views
collects database information at startup time and continues to add the values until the instance is shutdown. In
order to get a meaningful elapsed-time report, you must run a STATSPACK report that compares two snapshots.

After snapshots were taken, you can generate performance reports.

SQL> connect perfstat/perfstat
SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/spreport.sql

When the report is run, you are prompted for the following:
The beginning snapshot ID
The ending snapshot ID
The name of the report text file to be created

It is not correct to specify begin and end snapshots where the begin snapshot and end snapshot were taken from
different instance startups. In other words, the instance must not have been shutdown between the times that the
begin and end snapshots were taken.

This is necessary because the database's dynamic performance tables, which statspack queries to gather the
data, reside in memory. Hence, shutting down the Oracle database resets the values in the performance tables to
0. Because statspack subtracts the begin-snapshot statistics from the end-snapshot statistics, end snapshot will
have smaller values than the begin snapshot, the resulting output is invalid and then the report shows an
appropriate error to indicate this.

To get list of snapshots

SQL> select SNAP_ID, SNAP_TIME from STATS$SNAPSHOT;

To run the report without being prompted, assign values to the SQL*Plus variables that specify the begin snap ID,
the end snap ID, and the report name before running SPREPORT. The variables are:
BEGIN_SNAP: Specifies the begin snapshot ID
END_SNAP: Specifies the end snapshot ID
REPORT_NAME: Specifies the report output name

SQL> connect perfstat

SQL> define begin_snap=1
SQL> define end_snap=2
SQL> define report_name=batch_run
SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/spreport
When SPREPORT.SQL is run, it does not prompt for the information provided by the variables.

The statspack package includes two reports.

Run statspack report, SPREPORT.SQL, which is general instance health report that covers all aspects
of instance performance. This report calculates and prints ratios and differences for all statistics between the two
snapshots, similar to the BSTAT/ESTAT report.
After examining the instance report, run SQL report, SPREPSQL.SQL, on a single SQL statement
(identified by its hash value). The SQL report only reports on data relating to the single SQL statement.

Adjusting Statspack collection level & threshold

These parameters are used as thresholds when collecting data on SQL statements, data is captured on any SQL
statements that breach the specified thresholds.

Statspack has two types of collection options, level and threshold. The level parameter controls the type of data
collected from Oracle, while the threshold parameter acts as a filter for the collection of SQL statements into the
stats$sql_summary table.

SQL> SELECT * FROM stats$level_description ORDER BY snap_level;

Captures general statistics, including rollback segment, row cache, buffer pool statistics, SGA,
Level 0 system events, background events, session events, system statistics, wait statistics, lock statistics,
and latch information.
Level 5
Includes capturing high resource usage SQL Statements, along with all data captured by lower levels.
(default)
 Includes capturing SQL plan and SQL plan usage information for high resource usage SQL
Level 6
Statements, along with all data captured by lower levels.
Captures segment level statistics, including logical and physical reads, row lock, ITL and buffer busy
Level 7
waits, along with all data captured by lower levels.
Level 10 Includes capturing parent & child latch statistics, along with all data captured by lower levels.

You can change the default parameters used for taking snapshots so that they are tailored to the instance's
workload.

To temporarily use a snapshot level or threshold that is different from the instance's default snapshot values, you
specify the required threshold or snapshot level when taking the snapshot. This value is used only for the
immediate snapshot taken; the new value is not saved as the default.

For example, to take a single level 6 snapshot:

SQL> EXECUTE STATSPACK.SNAP(i_snap_level=>6);

You can save the new value as the instance's default in either of two ways.
Simply use the appropriate parameter and the new value with the statspack
MODIFY_STATSPACK_PARAMETER or SNAP procedure.

1) You can change the default level of a snapshot with the STATSPACK.SNAP function. The
i_modify_parameter=>'true' changes the level permanent for all snapshots in the future.
SQL> EXEC STATSPACK.SNAP(i_snap_level=>8, i_modify_parameter=>'true');

Setting the I_MODIFY_PARAMETER value to TRUE saves the new thresholds in the
STATS$STATSPACK_PARAMETER table. These thresholds are used for all subsequent snapshots.

If the I_MODIFY_PARAMETER was set to FALSE or omitted, then the new parameter values are not saved. Only
the snapshot taken at that point uses the specified values. Any subsequent snapshots use the preexisting values
in the STATS$STATSPACK_PARAMETER table.

2) Change the defaults immediately without taking a snapshot, using the

STATSPACK.MODIFY_STATSPACK_PARAMETER procedure. For example, the following statement changes
the snapshot level to 10 and modifies the SQL thresholds for BUFFER_GETS and DISK_READS:
SQL> EXECUTE STATSPACK.MODIFY_STATSPACK_PARAMETER
(i_snap_level=>10, i_buffer_gets_th=>10000, i_disk_reads_th=>1000);

This procedure changes the values permanently, but does not take a snapshot.

Snapshot level and threshold information used by the package is stored in the
STATS$STATSPACK_PARAMETER table.

Creating Execution Plan of an SQL

When you examine the instance report, if you find high-load SQL statements that you want to examine more
closely or if you have identified one or more problematic SQL statement, you may want to check the execution
plan. The SQL statement to be reported on is identified by a hash value, which is a numerical representation of
the statement's SQL text. The hash value for each statement is displayed for each statement in the SQL sections
of the instance report. The SQL report, SPREPSQL.SQL, displays statistics, the complete SQL text, and (if level
is more than six) information on any SQL plan(s) associated with that statement.

$ sqlplus perfstat/perfstat
SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/sprepsql.sql

The SPREPSQL.SQL report prompts you for the following:

Beginning snapshot ID
Ending snapshot ID
Hash value for the SQL statement
Name of the report text file to be created

The SPREPSQL.SQL script can run in batch mode. To run the report without being prompted, assign values to
the SQL*Plus variables that specify the begin snap ID, the end snap ID, the hash value, and the report name
before running the SPREPSQL.SQL script. The variables are:
BEGIN_SNAP: specifies the begin snapshot ID
END_SNAP: specifies the end snapshot ID
HASH_VALUE: specifies the hash value
REPORT_NAME: specifies the report output name

SQL> connect perfstat

SQL> define begin_snap=66
SQL> define end_snap=68
SQL> define hash_value=2342342385
SQL> define report_name=sql_report
SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/sprepsql
When SPREPSQL.SQL is run, it does not prompt for the information provided by the variables.

If you want to gather session statistics and wait events for a particular session (in addition to the instance
statistics and wait events), specify the session ID in the call to statspack. The statistics gathered for the session
include session statistics, session events, and lock activity. The default behavior is to not gather session level
statistics.
e.g.: SQL> exec statspack.snap(i_session_id=>333);

Purging Statspack Data

Purge unnecessary data from the PERFSTAT schema using the SPPURGE.SQL script. This deletes snapshots
that fall between the begin and end snapshot IDs you specify.

Purging can require the use of a large rollback segment, because all data relating to each snapshot ID will be
deleted. You can avoid rollback segment extension errors in one of two ways:
Specify a smaller range of snapshot IDs to purge.
Explicitly use a large rollback segment, by executing the SET TRANSACTION USE ROLLBACK
SEGMENT statement before running the SPPURGE.SQL script.

SQL> connect perfstat/perfstat

SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/sppurge
When you run SPPURGE.SQL, it displays the instance to which you are connected and the available snapshots.
It then prompts you for the low snap ID and high snap ID. All snapshots that fall within this range are purged.

Running SPPURGE.SQL in batch mode

SQL> connect perfstat/perfstat
SQL> define losnapid=1
SQL> define hisnapid=2
SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/sppurge
When SPPURGE.SQL is run, it does not prompt for the information provided by the variables.

Note: Better to export the schema as backup before running this script, either using your own export parameters
or those provided in SPUEXP.PAR.

Truncating Statspack Data

To truncate all performance data and gathered statistics data indiscriminately, use SPTRUNC.SQL.

SQL> connect perfstat/perfstat

SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/sptrunc.sql

Note: Better to export the schema as backup before running this script, either using your own export parameters
or those provided in SPUEXP.PAR.

Uninstalling Statspack from Oracle Database

If you want to remove the STATSPACK.
$ sqlplus "/as sysdba"
SQL> @?/rdbms/admin/spdrop.sql

This script will drop statspack objects and the PERFSTAT user.
The SPDROP.SQL script calls the following scripts:
SPDTAB.SQL - drops tables and public synonyms
SPDUSR.SQL - drops the user

Check output files produced, in present directory, SPDTAB.LIS & SPDUSR.LIS, to ensure that the package was
completely uninstalled.

Problems in using Statspack

Statspack reporting suffers from the following problems:
1) Some statistics may only be reported on COMPLETION of a query. For example, if a query runs for 12 hours,
its processing won't be reported during any of the snapshots taken while the query was busy executing.

2) If queries are aged out of the shared pool, the stats from V$SQL are reset. This can throw off the delta
calculations and even make it negative. For example, query A has 10,000 buffer_gets at snapshot 1, but at
snapshot #2, it has been aged out of the pool and reloaded and now shows only 1,000 buffer_gets. So, when you
run spreport.sql from snapshot 1 to 2, you'll get 1,000-10,000 = -9,000 for this query.

Oracle Statspack Scripts

Installation and Uninstallation

The statspack installation and removal scripts must be run as a user with the SYSDBA privilege.
SPCREATE.SQL: Installs the statspack user (PERFSTAT), tables and package, by calling the following
scripts:
o SPCUSR.SQL: Creates statspack user (PERFSTAT), its objects and grants privileges.
o SPCTAB.SQL: Creates statspack tables (run as PERFSTAT).
o SPCPKG.SQL: Creates statspack package (run as PERFSTAT).
SPDROP.SQL: Uninstall statspack from database, by calling the following scripts:
o SPDTAB.SQL: Drops statspack tables, synonyms, package.
o SPDUSR.SQL: Drops statspack user (PERFSTAT).

Upgrading Statspack
The statspack upgrade scripts must be run as a user with the SYSDBA privilege.
SPUP102.SQL: Upgrading statspack to 11 schema.
SPUP10.SQL: Upgrading statspack to 10.2 schema.
SPUP92.SQL: Upgrading statspack to 10.1 schema.
SPUP90.SQL: Upgrading statspack to 9.2 schema.
SPUP817.SQL: Upgrading statspack from 8.1.7 to 9.0
SPUP816.SQL: Upgrading statspack from 8.1.6 to 8.1.7

NOTE:
1. Backup the existing schema before running the upgrade scripts.
2. Downgrade scripts are not provided.
3. Upgrade scripts should only be run once.

Reporting and Automation

The statspack reporting and automation scripts must be run as the PERFSTAT user.
SPREPORT.SQL: Generates a statspack report. Report on differences between values recorded in two
snapshots. This calls SPREPINS.SQL.
SPREPSQL.SQL: StatsPack REPort SQL. Generates a statspack SQL report for the specific SQL hash
value specified. This calls SPRSQINS.SQL.
SPREPINS.SQL: StatsPack REPort INStance. Generates a statspack report for the database and
instance specified. This calls SPREPCON.SQL.
SPAUTO.SQL: Automates statspack statistics collection. Script can be customized and executed to
schedule, a dbms_job to automate, and the collection of STATSPACK snapshots.
SPREPCON.SQL: StatsPack REPort CONfiguration. Allows configuration of certain aspects of the
instance report.
SPRSQINS.SQL: StatsPack Report SQl Instance. Statspack SQL report to show resource usage, SQL
Text and any SQL Plans. This calls SPREPCON.SQL.

Performance Data Maintenance

The statspack data maintenance scripts must be run as the PERFSTAT user.
SPPURGE.SQL: Purges a limited range of snapshot IDs for a given database instance.
SPTRUNC.SQL: Truncates all performance data in statspack tables.
Caution: Do not use this script unless you want to remove all data in the schema you are using. You can choose
to export the data as a backup before using this script.
SPUEXP.PAR: An export parameter file supplied for exporting the whole PERFSTAT user.
$ exp file=spuexp.dmp log=spuexp.log compress=y grants=y indexes=y rows=y constraints=y owner=PERFSTAT
consistent=y

Statspack Documentation
The SPDOC.TXT file in the $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin directory contains instructions and documentation
on the statspack package.

Tables in PERFSTAT schema (in Oracle 11g)

28 tables in Oracle8i
68 tables in Oracle 10g
73 tables in Oracle 11g

STATS$BG_EVENT_SUMMARY
STATS$BUFFER_POOL_STATISTICS
STATS$BUFFERED_QUEUES
STATS$BUFFERED_SUBSCRIBERS
STATS$CR_BLOCK_SERVER
STATS$CURRENT_BLOCK_SERVER
STATS$DATABASE_INSTANCE
STATS$DB_CACHE_ADVICE
STATS$DLM_MISC
STATS$DYNAMIC_REMASTER_STATS
STATS$ENQUEUE_STATISTICS
STATS$EVENT_HISTOGRAM
STATS$FILE_HISTOGRAM
STATS$FILESTATXS
STATS$IDLE_EVENT
STATS$INSTANCE_CACHE_TRANSFER
STATS$INSTANCE_RECOVERY
STATS$INTERCONNECT_PINGS
STATS$IOSTAT_FUNCTION
STATS$IOSTAT_FUNCTION_NAME
STATS$JAVA_POOL_ADVICE
STATS$LATCH
STATS$LATCH_CHILDREN
STATS$LATCH_MISSES_SUMMARY
STATS$LATCH_PARENT
STATS$LEVEL_DESCRIPTION
STATS$LIBRARYCACHE
STATS$MEMORY_DYNAMIC_COMPS
STATS$MEMORY_RESIZE_OPS
STATS$MEMORY_TARGET_ADVICE
STATS$MUTEX_SLEEP
STATS$OSSTAT
STATS$OSSTATNAME
STATS$PARAMETER
STATS$PGA_TARGET_ADVICE
STATS$PGASTAT
STATS$PROCESS_MEMORY_ROLLUP
STATS$PROCESS_ROLLUP
STATS$PROPAGATION_RECEIVER
STATS$PROPAGATION_SENDER
STATS$RESOURCE_LIMIT
STATS$ROLLSTAT
STATS$ROWCACHE_SUMMARY
STATS$RULE_SET
STATS$SEG_STAT
STATS$SEG_STAT_OBJ
STATS$SESS_TIME_MODEL
STATS$SESSION_EVENT
STATS$SESSTAT
STATS$SGA
STATS$SGA_TARGET_ADVICE
STATS$SGASTAT
STATS$SHARED_POOL_ADVICE
STATS$SNAPSHOT
STATS$SQL_PLAN
STATS$SQL_PLAN_USAGE
STATS$SQL_STATISTICS
STATS$SQL_SUMMARY
STATS$SQL_WORKAREA_HISTOGRAM
STATS$SQLTEXT
STATS$STATSPACK_PARAMETER
STATS$STREAMS_APPLY_SUM
STATS$STREAMS_CAPTURE
STATS$STREAMS_POOL_ADVICE
STATS$SYS_TIME_MODEL
STATS$SYSSTAT
STATS$SYSTEM_EVENT
STATS$TEMP_SQLSTATS
STATS$TEMPSTATXS
STATS$THREAD
STATS$TIME_MODEL_STATNAME
STATS$UNDOSTAT
STATS$WAITSTAT

Oracle Statistics
Whenever a valid SQL statement is processed Oracle has to decide how to retrieve the necessary data. This
decision can be made using one of two methods:
Rule Based Optimizer (RBO) - This method is used if the server has no internal statistics relating to the
objects referenced by the statement. This method is no longer favoured by Oracle and was desupported
from Oracle 10g.
Cost Based Optimizer (CBO) - This method is used if internal statistics are present. The CBO checks
several possible execution plans and selects the one with the lowest cost, where cost relates to system
resources. Since Oracle 8i the Cost Based Optimizer (CBO) is the preferred optimizer for Oracle.
Oracle statistics tell us the size of the tables, the distribution of values within columns, and other important
information so that SQL statements will always generate the best execution plans. If new objects are created, or
the amount of data in the database changes the statistics will no longer represent the real state of the database
so the CBO decision process may be seriously impaired.

Oracle can do things in several different ways, e.g. select might be done by table scan or by using indexes. It
uses statistics, a variety of counts and averages and other numbers, to figure out the best way to do things. It
does the figuring automatically, using the Cost Based Optimizer. DBA job is to make sure the numbers are good
enough for that optimizer to work properly.

Oracle statistics may refer to historical performance statistics that are kept in STATSPACK or AWR, but more
common use of the term Oracle statistics is about Oracle optimizer Metadata statistics in order to provide the
cost-based SQL optimizer with the information about the nature of the tables. The statistics mentioned here are
optimizer statistics, which are created for the purposes of query optimization and are stored in the data dictionary.
These statistics should not be confused with performance statistics visible through V$ views.

The optimizer is influenced by the following factors:

OPTIMIZER_MODE in the initialization file
Statistics in the data dictionary
Hints

OPTIMIZER_MODE can have the following values:

CHOOSE
ALL_ROWS
FIRST_ROWS
RULE

If we provide Oracle with good statistics about the schema the CBO will almost always generate an optimal
execution plan. The areas of schema analysis include:

Object statistics - Statistics for all tables, partitions, IOTs, etc should be sampled with a deep and
statistically valid sample size.
Critical columns - Those columns that are regularly-referenced in SQL statements that are:
o Heavily skewed columns - This helps the CBO properly choose between an index range scan
and a full table scan.
o Foreign key columns - For n-way table joins, the CBO needs to determine the optimal table join
order and knowing the cardinality of the intermediate results sets is critical.
External statistics - Oracle will sample the CPU cost and I/O cost during statistics collection and use this
information to determine the optimal execution plan, based on optimizer_mode. External statistics are most
useful for SQL running in the all_rows optimizer mode.
Optimizer statistics are a collection of data that describe more details about the database and the objects in the
database. These statistics are used by the query optimizer to choose the best execution plan for each SQL
statement. Optimizer statistics include the following:

Table statistics
o Number of rows
o Number of blocks
o Average row length
Column statistics
o Number of distinct values (NDV) in column
o Number of nulls in column
o Data distribution (histogram)
Index statistics
o Number of leaf blocks
o Levels
o Clustering factor
System statistics
o I/O performance and utilization
o CPU performance and utilization

The optimizer statistics are stored in the data dictionary. They can be viewed using data dictionary views. Only
statistics stored in the dictionary itself have an impact on the cost-based optimizer.
When statistics are updated for a database object, Oracle invalidates any currently parsed SQL statements that
access the object. The next time such a statement executes, the statement is re-parsed and the optimizer
automatically chooses a new execution plan based on the new statistics. Distributed statements accessing
objects with new statistics on remote databases are not invalidated. The new statistics take effect the next time
the SQL statement is parsed.

Because the objects in a database can be constantly changing, statistics must be regularly updated so that they
accurately describe these database objects. Statistics are maintained automatically by Oracle or we can maintain
the optimizer statistics manually using the DBMS_STATS package.

DBMS_STATS package provides procedures for managing statistics. We can save and restore copies of
statistics. You can export statistics from one system and import those statistics into another system. For example,
you could export statistics from a production system to a test system. We can lock statistics to prevent those
statistics from changing.

For data warehouses and database using the all_rows optimizer_mode, from Oracle9i release 2 we can collect
the external cpu_cost and io_cost metrics. The ability to save and re-use schema statistics is important:

Bi-Modal databases - Many databases get huge benefits from using two sets of stats, one for OLTP
(daytime), and another for batch (evening jobs).
Test databases - Many Oracle professionals will export their production statistics into the development
instances so that the test execution plans more closely resemble the production database.
Creating statistics
In order to make good use of the CBO, we need to create statistics for the data in the database. There are
several options to create statistics.

Automatic Statistics Gathering

The recommended approach to gathering statistics is to allow Oracle to automatically gather the statistics. Oracle
gathers statistics on all database objects automatically and maintains those statistics in a regularly-scheduled
maintenance job. Automated statistics collection eliminates many of the manual tasks associated with managing
the query optimizer, and significantly reduces the chances of getting poor execution plans because of missing or
stale statistics.

GATHER_STATS_JOB
Optimizer statistics are automatically gathered with the job GATHER_STATS_JOB. This job gathers statistics on
all objects in the database which have missing statistics and stale statistics.

This job is created automatically at database creation time and is managed by the Scheduler. The Scheduler runs
this job when the maintenance window is opened. By default, the maintenance window opens every night from
10 P.M. to 6 A.M. and all day on weekends. The stop_on_window_close attribute controls whether the
GATHER_STATS_JOB continues when the maintenance window closes. The default setting for the
stop_on_window_close attribute is TRUE, causing Scheduler to terminate GATHER_STATS_JOB when the
maintenance window closes. The remaining objects are then processed in the next maintenance window.

The GATHER_STATS_JOB job gathers optimizer statistics by calling the

DBMS_STATS.GATHER_DATABASE_STATS_JOB_PROC procedure. The
GATHER_DATABASE_STATS_JOB_PROC procedure collects statistics on database objects when the object
has no previously gathered statistics or the existing statistics are stale because the underlying object has been
modified significantly (more than 10% of the rows).The GATHER_DATABASE_STATS_JOB_PROC is an internal
procedure, but its operates in a very similar fashion to the DBMS_STATS.GATHER_DATABASE_STATS
procedure using the GATHER AUTO option. The primary difference is that the
GATHER_DATABASE_STATS_JOB_PROC procedure prioritizes the database objects that require statistics, so
that those objects which most need updated statistics are processed first. This ensures that the most-needed
statistics are gathered before the maintenance window closes.

Enabling Automatic Statistics Gathering

Automatic statistics gathering is enabled by default when a database is created, or when a database is upgraded
from an earlier database release. We can verify that the job exists by viewing the DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS
view:
SQL> SELECT * FROM DBA_SCHEDULER_JOBS WHERE JOB_NAME = 'GATHER_STATS_JOB';

In situations when you want to disable automatic statistics gathering, then disable the GATHER_STATS_JOB as
follows:
BEGIN
DBMS_SCHEDULER.DISABLE('GATHER_STATS_JOB');
END;
/

Automatic statistics gathering relies on the modification monitoring feature. If this feature is disabled, then the
automatic statistics gathering job is not able to detect stale statistics. This feature is enabled when the
STATISTICS_LEVEL parameter is set to TYPICAL (default) or ALL.

When to Use Manual Statistics

Automatic statistics gathering should be sufficient for most database objects which are being modified at a
moderate speed. However, there are cases where automatic statistics gathering may not be adequate. Because
the automatic statistics gathering runs during an overnight batch window, the statistics on tables which are
significantly modified during the day may become stale. There are typically two types of such objects:

Volatile tables that are being deleted or truncated and rebuilt during the course of the day.
Objects which are the target of large bulk loads which add 10% or more to the object's total size.
For highly volatile tables, there are two approaches:

The statistics on these tables can be set to NULL. When Oracle encounters a table with no statistics,
Oracle dynamically gathers the necessary statistics as part of query optimization. This dynamic sampling feature
is controlled by the OPTIMIZER_DYNAMIC_SAMPLING parameter, and this parameter should be set to a value
of 2 or higher. The default value is 2. The statistics can set to NULL by deleting and then locking the statistics:
BEGIN
DBMS_STATS.DELETE_TABLE_STATS('SCOTT','EMP');
DBMS_STATS.LOCK_TABLE_STATS('SCOTT','EMP');
END;
/
The statistics on these tables can be set to values that represent the typical state of the table. We
should gather statistics on the table when the tables have a representative number of rows, and then lock the
statistics.
This is more effective than the GATHER_STATS_JOB, because any statistics generated on the table during the
overnight batch window may not be the most appropriate statistics for the daytime workload.For tables which are
being bulk-loaded, the statistics-gathering procedures should be run on those tables immediately following the
load process, preferably as part of the same script or job that is running the bulk load.

For external tables, statistics are not collected during GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS,

GATHER_DATABASE_STATS, and automatic statistics gathering processing. However, you can collect statistics
on an individual external table using GATHER_TABLE_STATS. Sampling on external tables is not supported so
the ESTIMATE_PERCENT option should be explicitly set to NULL. Because data manipulation is not allowed
against external tables, it is sufficient to analyze external tables when the corresponding file changes.

If the monitoring feature is disabled by setting STATISTICS_LEVEL to BASIC, automatic statistics gathering
cannot detect stale statistics. In this case statistics need to be manually gathered.
Another area in which statistics need to be manually gathered is the system statistics. These statistics are not
automatically gathered.

Statistics on fixed objects, such as the dynamic performance tables, need to be manually collected using
GATHER_FIXED_OBJECTS_STATS procedure. Fixed objects record current database activity; statistics
gathering should be done when database has representative activity.

Whenever statistics in dictionary are modified, old versions of statistics are saved automatically for future
restoring. Statistics can be restored using RESTORE procedures of DBMS_STATS package.

In some cases, we may want to prevent any new statistics from being gathered on a table or schema by the
DBMS_STATS_JOB process, such as highly volatile tables. In those cases, the DBMS_STATS package provides
procedures for locking the statistics for a table or schema.

Scheduling Stats
Scheduling the gathering of statistics using DBMS_JOB is the easiest way to make sure they are always up to
date:

SET SERVEROUTPUT ON
DECLARE
l_job NUMBER;
BEGIN
DBMS_JOB.submit(l_job, 'BEGIN DBMS_STATS.gather_schema_stats(''SCOTT''); END;',
SYSDATE,'SYSDATE + 1');
COMMIT;
DBMS_OUTPUT.put_line('Job: ' || l_job);
END;
/

The above code sets up a job to gather statistics for SCOTT for the current time every day. We can list the
current jobs on the server using the DBA_JOBS and DBA_JOBS_RUNNING views.

Existing jobs can be removed using:

EXEC DBMS_JOB.remove(X);
COMMIT;
Where 'X' is the number of the job to be removed.

Manual Statistics Gathering

If you choose not to use automatic statistics gathering, then you need to manually collect statistics in all
schemas, including system schemas. If the data in the database changes regularly, you also need to gather
statistics regularly to ensure that the statistics accurately represent characteristics of your database objects.

The preferred tool for collecting statistics used to be the ANALYZE command. Over the past few releases, the
DBMS_STATS package in the PL/SQL Packages and Types reference has taken over the statistics functions,
and left the ANALYZE command with more mundane 'health check' work like analyzing chained rows.

Analyze Statement
The ANALYZE statement can be used to gather statistics for a specific table, index or cluster. The statistics can
be computed exactly, or estimated based on a specific number of rows, or a percentage of rows.

The ANALYZE command is available for all versions of Oracle, however to obtain faster and better statistics use
the procedures supplied - in 7.3.4 and 8.0 DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_SCHEMA, and in 8i and above -
DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS.

The analyze table can be used to create statistics for 1 table, index or cluster.
Syntax:
ANALYZE table tableName {compute|estimate|delete} statistics options
ANALYZE index indexName {compute|estimate|delete} statistics options
ANALYZE cluster clusterName {compute|estimate|delete} statistics options

ANALYZE TABLE emp COMPUTE STATISTICS;

ANALYZE TABLE emp COMPUTE STATISTICS FOR COLUMNS sal SIZE 10;
ANALYZE TABLE emp PARTITION (p1) COMPUTE STATISTICS;
ANALYZE INDEX emp_pk COMPUTE STATISTICS;

ANALYZE TABLE emp ESTIMATE STATISTICS;

ANALYZE TABLE emp ESTIMATE STATISTICS SAMPLE 500 ROWS;
ANALYZE TABLE emp ESTIMATE STATISTICS SAMPLE 15 PERCENT;
ANALYZE TABLE emp ESTIMATE STATISTICS FOR ALL COLUMNS;

ANALYZE TABLE emp DELETE STATISTICS;

ANALYZE INDEX emp_pk DELETE STATISTICS;

ANALYZE TABLE emp VALIDATE STRUCTURE CASCADE;

ANALYZE INDEX emp_pk VALIDATE STRUCTURE;
ANALYZE CLUSTER emp_custs VALIDATE STRUCTURE CASCADE;

ANALYZE TABLE emp VALIDATE REF UPDATE;

ANALYZE TABLE emp LIST CHAINED ROWS INTO cr;

Note: Do not use the COMPUTE and ESTIMATE clauses of ANALYZE statement to collect optimizer statistics.
These clauses are supported solely for backward compatibility and may be removed in a future release. The
DBMS_STATS package collects a broader, more accurate set of statistics, and gathers statistics more efficiently.

We may continue to use ANALYZE statement to for other purposes not related to optimizer statistics collection:

To use the VALIDATE or LIST CHAINED ROWS clauses

To collect information on free list blocks
To sample a number (rather than a percentage) of rows
DBMS_UTILITY
The DBMS_UTILITY package can be used to gather statistics for a whole schema or database. With
DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_SCHEMA you can gather all the statistics for all the tables, clusters and indexes of a
schema. Both methods follow the same format as the ANALYZE statement:

EXEC DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_SCHEMA('SCOTT','COMPUTE');
EXEC DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_SCHEMA('SCOTT','ESTIMATE',ESTIMATE_ROWS=>100);
EXEC DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_SCHEMA('SCOTT','ESTIMATE',ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>25);
EXEC DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_SCHEMA('SCOTT','DELETE');EXEC
DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_DATABASE('COMPUTE');
EXEC DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_DATABASE('ESTIMATE',ESTIMATE_ROWS=>100);
EXEC DBMS_UTILITY.ANALYZE_DATABASE('ESTIMATE',ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>15);

DBMS_STATS
The DBMS_STATS package was introduced in Oracle 8i and is Oracles preferred method of gathering object
statistics. Oracle list a number of benefits to using it including parallel execution, long term storage of statistics
and transfer of statistics between servers. This PL/SQL package is also used to modify, view, export, import, and
delete statistics. It follows a similar format to the other methods.

The DBMS_STATS package can gather statistics on table and indexes, and well as individual columns and
partitions of tables. It does not gather cluster statistics; however, we can use DBMS_STATS to gather statistics
on the individual tables instead of the whole cluster.

When we generate statistics for a table, column, or index, if the data dictionary already contains statistics for the
object, then Oracle updates the existing statistics. The older statistics are saved and can be restored later if
necessary.

Procedures in the DBMS_STATS package for gathering statistics on database objects:

Procedure Collects

GATHER_INDEX_STATS Index statistics

GATHER_TABLE_STATS Table, column, and index statistics

GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS Statistics for all objects in a schema

GATHER_DICTIONARY_STATS Statistics for all dictionary objects

GATHER_DATABASE_STATS Statistics for all objects in a database

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_DATABASE_STATS;
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_DATABASE_STATS(ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>20);

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS(ownname, estimate_percent, block_sample, method_opt,

degree, granularity, cascade, stattab, statid, options, statown, no_invalidate, gather_temp, gather_fixed);
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS('SCOTT');
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS(OWNNAME=>'MRT');
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS('SCOTT',ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>10);

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_TABLE_STATS('SCOTT','EMP');
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_TABLE_STATS('SCOTT','EMP',ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>15);

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_INDEX_STATS('SCOTT','EMP_PK');
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_INDEX_STATS('SCOTT','EMP_PK',ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>15);

This package also gives us the

ability to delete statistics:
EXEC DBMS_STATS.DELETE_DATABASE_STATS;
EXEC DBMS_STATS.DELETE_SCHEMA_STATS('SCOTT');
EXEC DBMS_STATS.DELETE_TABLE_STATS('SCOTT','EMP');
EXEC DBMS_STATS.DELETE_INDEX_STATS('SCOTT','EMP_PK');
EXEC DBMS_STATS.DELETE_PENDING_STATS('SH','SALES');

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS(OWNNAME=>'"DWH"',OPTIONS=>'GATHER AUTO');

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS(OWNNAME=>'PERFSTAT',CASCADE=>TRUE);

When gathering statistics on system schemas, we can use the procedure

DBMS_STATS.GATHER_DICTIONARY_STATS. This procedure gathers statistics for all system schemas,
including SYS and SYSTEM, and other optional schemas, such as CTXSYS and DRSYS.

Statistics Gathering Using Sampling

The statistics-gathering operations can utilize sampling to estimate statistics. Sampling is an important technique
for gathering statistics. Gathering statistics without sampling requires full table scans and sorts of entire tables.
Sampling minimizes the resources necessary to gather statistics.

Sampling is specified using the ESTIMATE_PERCENT argument to the DBMS_STATS procedures. While the
sampling percentage can be set to any value, Oracle Corporation recommends setting the
ESTIMATE_PERCENT parameter of the DBMS_STATS gathering procedures to
DBMS_STATS.AUTO_SAMPLE_SIZE to maximize performance gains while achieving necessary statistical
accuracy. AUTO_SAMPLE_SIZE lets Oracle determine the best sample size necessary for good statistics, based
on the statistical property of the object. Because each type of statistics has different requirements, the size of the
actual sample taken may not be the same across the table, columns, or indexes. For example, to collect table
and column statistics for all tables in the SCOTT schema with auto-sampling, you could use:
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS('SCOTT',DBMS_STATS.AUTO_SAMPLE_SIZE);
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS(OWNNAME=>'SCOTT',
ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>DBMS_STATS.AUTO_SAMPLE_SIZE);

When the ESTIMATE_PERCENT parameter is manually specified, the DBMS_STATS gathering procedures may
automatically increase the sampling percentage if the specified percentage did not produce a large enough
sample. This ensures the stability of the estimated values by reducing fluctuations.
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS(OWNNAME=>'SCOTT',ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>25);

Parallel Statistics Gathering

The statistics-gathering operations can run either serially or in parallel. The degree of parallelism can be specified
with the DEGREE argument to the DBMS_STATS gathering procedures. Parallel statistics gathering can be used
in conjunction with sampling. Oracle recommends setting the DEGREE parameter to
DBMS_STATS.AUTO_DEGREE. This setting allows Oracle to choose an appropriate degree of parallelism
based on the size of the object and the settings for the parallel-related init.ora parameters.

Note that certain types of index statistics are not gathered in parallel, including cluster indexes, domain indexes,
and bitmap join indexes.

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS(OWNNAME=>'SCOTT', ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>

DBMS_STATS.AUTO_SAMPLE_SIZE, METHOD_OPT=> 'FOR ALL COLUMNS SIZE AUTO',DEGREE=>7);
EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_TABLE_STATS(OWNNAME=>DWH, METHOD_OPT=>FOR ALL COLUMNS
SIZE AUTO,DEGREE=>6,ESTIMATE_PERCENT=>5, NO_INVALIDATE=>FALSE);

Statistics on Partitioned Objects

For partitioned tables and indexes, DBMS_STATS can gather separate statistics for each partition, as well as
global statistics for the entire table or index. Similarly, for composite partitioning, DBMS_STATS can gather
separate statistics for subpartitions, partitions, and the entire table or index. The type of partitioning statistics to
be gathered is specified in the GRANULARITY argument to the DBMS_STATS gathering procedures.

Depending on the SQL statement being optimized, the optimizer can choose to use either the partition (or
subpartition) statistics or the global statistics. Both types of statistics are important for most applications, and
Oracle recommends setting the GRANULARITY parameter to AUTO to gather both types of partition statistics.

Column Statistics and Histograms

When gathering statistics on a table, DBMS_STATS gathers information about the data distribution of the
columns within the table. The most basic information about the data distribution is the maximum value and
minimum value of the column. However, this level of statistics may be insufficient for the optimizer's needs if the
data within the column is skewed. For skewed data distributions, histograms can also be created as part of the
column statistics to describe the data distribution of a given column.

Histograms are specified using the METHOD_OPT argument of the DBMS_STATS gathering procedures. Oracle
recommends setting the METHOD_OPT to FOR ALL COLUMNS SIZE AUTO. With this setting, Oracle
automatically determines which columns require histograms and the number of buckets (size) of each histogram.
You can also manually specify which columns should have histograms and the size of each histogram.

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_TABLE_STATS('SH','SALES',method_opt=>'FOR COLUMNS (empno, deptno)');

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_TABLE_STATS('SH','SALES',method_op =>'FOR COLUMNS (sal+comm)');

Note: If you need to remove all rows from a table when using DBMS_STATS, use TRUNCATE instead of
dropping and re-creating the same table. When a table is dropped, workload information used by the auto-
histogram gathering feature and saved statistics history used by the RESTORE_*_STATS procedures will be lost.
Without this data, these features will not function properly.

Determining Stale Statistics

Statistics must be regularly gathered on database objects as those database objects are modified over time. In
order to determine whether or not given database object needs new database statistics, Oracle provides a table
monitoring facility. This monitoring is enabled by default when STATISTICS_LEVEL is set to TYPICAL or ALL.
Monitoring tracks the approximate number of INSERTs, UPDATEs, and DELETEs for that table, as well as
whether the table has been truncated, since the last time statistics were gathered. The information about
changes of tables can be viewed in the USER_TAB_MODIFICATIONS view. Following a data-modification, there
may be a few minutes delay while Oracle propagates the information to this view. Use the
DBMS_STATS.FLUSH_DATABASE_MONITORING_INFO procedure to immediately reflect the outstanding
monitored information kept in the memory.

-- Table level
ALTER TABLE emp NOMONITORING;
ALTER TABLE emp MONITORING;

-- Schema level
EXEC DBMS_STATS.alter_schema_tab_monitoring('SCOTT', TRUE);
EXEC DBMS_STATS.alter_schema_tab_monitoring('SCOTT', FALSE);

-- Database level
EXEC DBMS_STATS.alter_database_tab_monitoring(TRUE);
EXEC DBMS_STATS.alter_database_tab_monitoring(FALSE);

The GATHER_DATABASE_STATS or GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS procedures gather new statistics for tables

with stale statistics when the OPTIONS parameter is set to GATHER STALE or GATHER AUTO. If a monitored
table has been modified more than 10%, then these statistics are considered stale and gathered again.

User-defined Statistics
You can create user-defined optimizer statistics to support user-defined indexes and functions. When you
associate a statistics type with a column or domain index, Oracle calls the statistics collection method in the
statistics type whenever statistics are gathered for database objects.

You should gather new column statistics on a table after creating a function-based index, to allow Oracle to
collect column statistics equivalent information for the expression. This is done by calling the statistics-gathering
procedure with the METHOD_OPT argument set to FOR ALL HIDDEN COLUMNS.

When to Gather Statistics

When gathering statistics manually, we not only need to determine how to gather statistics, but also when and
how often to gather new statistics.

For an application in which tables are being incrementally modified, we may only need to gather new statistics
every week or every month. The simplest way to gather statistics in these environments is to use a script or job
scheduling tool to regularly run the GATHER_SCHEMA_STATS and GATHER_DATABASE_STATS procedures.
The frequency of collection intervals should balance the task of providing accurate statistics for the optimizer
against the processing overhead incurred by the statistics collection process.

For tables which are being substantially modified in batch operations, such as with bulk loads, statistics should
be gathered on those tables as part of the batch operation. The DBMS_STATS procedure should be called as
soon as the load operation completes.
For partitioned tables, there are often cases in which only a single partition is modified. In those cases, statistics
can be gathered only on those partitions rather than gathering statistics for the entire table. However, gathering
global statistics for the partitioned table may still be necessary.

Transferring Statistics between databases

It is possible to transfer statistics between servers allowing consistent execution plans between servers with
varying amounts of data. First the statistics must be collected into a statistics table. It can be very handy to use
production statistics on development database, so that we can forecast the optimizer behaviour.

Statistics can be exported and imported from the data dictionary to user-owned tables. This enables you to create
multiple versions of statistics for the same schema. It also enables you to copy statistics from one database to
another database. You may want to do this to copy the statistics from a production database to a scaled-down
test database.

Note: Exporting and importing statistics is a distinct concept from the EXP and IMP utilities of the database. The
DBMS_STATS export and import packages do utilize IMP and EXP dumpfiles.

Before exporting statistics, you first need to create a table for holding the statistics. This statistics table is created
using the procedure DBMS_STATS.CREATE_STAT_TABLE. After this table is created, then you can export
statistics from the data dictionary into your statistics table using the DBMS_STATS.EXPORT_*_STATS
procedures. The statistics can then be imported using the DBMS_STATS.IMPORT_*_STATS procedures.

Note that the optimizer does not use statistics stored in a user-owned table. The only statistics used by the
optimizer are the statistics stored in the data dictionary. In order to have the optimizer use the statistics in user-
owned tables, you must import those statistics into the data dictionary using the statistics import procedures.

In order to move statistics from one database to another, you must first export the statistics on the first database,
then copy the statistics table to the second database, using the EXP and IMP utilities or other mechanisms, and
finally import the statistics into the second database.

Note: The EXP and IMP utilities export and import optimizer statistics from the database along with the table.
One exception is that statistics are not exported with the data if a table has columns with system-generated
names.

In the following example the statistics for the APPSCHEMA user are collected into a new table, STATS_TAB,
which is owned by DBASCHEMA:

1. Create the statistics table.

EXEC DBMS_STATS.CREATE_STAT_TABLE(ownname =>'SCHEMA_NAME', stat_tab => 'STATS_TABLE',
tblspace => 'STATS_TABLESPACE');

SQL> EXEC DBMS_STATS.CREATE_STAT_TABLE('DBASCHEMA','STATS_TAB');

2. Export statistics to statistics table.

EXEC DBMS_STATS.EXPORT_SCHEMA_STATS('ORIGINAL_SCHEMA', 'STATS_TABLE', NULL,
'STATS_TABLE_OWNER');

SQL> EXEC DBMS_STATS.EXPORT_SCHEMA_STATS('APPSCHEMA','STATS_TAB',NULL, 'DBASCHEMA');

(or)
EXEC DBMS_STATS.EXPORT_SCHEMA_STATS(OWNNAME=>'APPSCHEMA',
STATTAB=>'STAT_TAB',STATID=>'030610',STATOWN=>'DBASCHEMA');
3. This table can be transferred to another server using any one of the below
methods.
SQLPlus Copy:
SQL> insert into dbaschema.stats_tab select * from dbaschema.stats_tab@source;

Export/Import:
exp file=stats.dmp log=stats_exp.log tables=dbaschema.stats_tab
imp file=stats.dmp log=stats_imp.log

Datapump:
expdp directory=dpump_dir dumpfile=stats.dmp logfile=stats_exp.log tables= dbaschema.stats_tab
impdp directory=dpump_dir dumpfile=stats.dmp logfile=stats_imp.log

4. Import statistics into the data dictionary.

EXEC DBMS_STATS.IMPORT_SCHEMA_STATS('NEW_SCHEMA', 'STATS_TABLE', NULL, 'SYSTEM');

SQL> EXEC DBMS_STATS.IMPORT_SCHEMA_STATS('APPSCHEMA','STATS_TAB',NULL, 'DBASCHEMA');

(or)
EXEC DBMS_STATS.IMPORT_SCHEMA_STATS(OWNNAME=>'APPSCHEMA',
STATTAB=>'STAT_TAB',STATID=>'030610',STATOWN=>'DBASCHEMA');

5. Drop the statistics table (optional step).

EXEC DBMS_STATS.DROP_STAT_TABLE('SYSTEM','STATS_TABLE');
SQL> EXEC DBMS_STATS.DROP_STAT_TABLE('DBASCHEMA','STATS_TAB');

Getting top-quality stats

Because Oracle9i schema statistics work best with external system load, we like to schedule a valid sample
(using dbms_stats.auto_sample_size) during regular working hours. For example, here we refresh statistics
using the "auto" option which works with the table monitoring facility to only re-analyze those Oracle tables that
have experienced more than a 10% change in row content:
begin
dbms_stats.gather_schema_stats(ownname => 'SCOTT',
estimate_percent => dbms_stats.auto_sample_size,
method_opt => 'for all columns size auto',
degree => 7);
end;
/

Optimizer Hints
ALL_ROWS
FIRST_ROWS
FIRST_n_ROWS
APPEND
FULL
INDEX
DYNAMIC_SAMPLING
BYPASS_RECURSIVE_CHECK
BYPASS_RECURSIVE_CHECK APPEND

Examples:
SELECT /*+ ALL_ROWS */ empid, last_name, sal FROM emp;
SELECT /*+ FIRST_ROWS */ * FROM emp;
SELECT /*+ FIRST_20_ROWS */ * FROM emp;
SELECT /*+ FIRST_ROWS(100) */ empid, last_name, sal FROM emp;

System Statistics
System statistics describe the system's hardware characteristics, such as I/O and CPU performance and
utilization, to the query optimizer. When choosing an execution plan, the optimizer estimates the I/O and CPU
resources required for each query. System statistics enable the query optimizer to more accurately estimate I/O
and CPU costs, enabling the query optimizer to choose a better execution plan.

When Oracle gathers system statistics, it analyzes system activity in a specified time period (workload statistics)
or simulates a workload (noworkload statistics). The statistics are collected using the
DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SYSTEM_STATS procedure. Oracle highly recommends that you gather system
statistics.

Note: You must have DBA privileges or GATHER_SYSTEM_STATISTICS role to update dictionary system
statistics.

EXEC DBMS_STATS.GATHER_SYSTEM_STATS (interval=>720, stattab=>'mystats', statid=>'OLTP');

EXEC DBMS_STATS.IMPORT_SYSTEM_STATS('mystats', 'OLTP');Unlike table, index, or column statistics,
Oracle does not invalidate already parsed SQL statements when system statistics get updated. All new SQL
statements are parsed using new statistics.

These options better facilitate the gathering process to the physical database and workload: when workload
system statistics are gathered, noworkload system statistics will be ignored. Noworkload system statistics are
initialized to default values at the first database startup.

Workload Statistics
Workload statistics, introduced in Oracle 9i, gather single and multiblock read times, mbrc, CPU speed
(cpuspeed), maximum system throughput, and average slave throughput. The sreadtim, mreadtim, and mbrc are
computed by comparing the number of physical sequential and random reads between two points in time from
the beginning to the end of a workload. These values are implemented through counters that change when the
buffer cache completes synchronous read requests. Since the counters are in the buffer cache, they include not
only I/O delays, but also waits related to latch contention and task switching. Workload statistics thus depend on
the activity the system had during the workload window. If system is I/O boundboth latch contention and I/O
throughputit will be reflected in the statistics and will therefore promote a less I/O intensive plan after the
statistics are used. Furthermore, workload statistics gathering does not generate additional overhead.

In Oracle release 9.2, maximum I/O throughput and average slave throughput were added to set a lower limit for
a full table scan (FTS).
To gather workload statistics, either:

Run the dbms_stats.gather_system_stats('start') procedure at the beginning of the workload window,

then the dbms_stats.gather_system_stats('stop') procedure at the end of the workload window.
Run dbms_stats.gather_system_stats('interval', interval=>N) where N is the number of minutes when
statistics gathering will be stopped automatically.
To delete system statistics, run dbms_stats.delete_system_stats(). Workload statistics will be deleted and reset to
the default noworkload statistics.

Noworkload Statistics
Noworkload statistics consist of I/O transfer speed, I/O seek time, and CPU speed (cpuspeednw). The major
difference between workload statistics and noworkload statistics lies in the gathering method.

Noworkload statistics gather data by submitting random reads against all data files, while workload statistics uses
counters updated when database activity occurs. isseektim represents the time it takes to position the disk head
to read data. Its value usually varies from 5 ms to 15 ms, depending on disk rotation speed and the disk or RAID
specification. The I/O transfer speed represents the speed at which one operating system process can read data
from the I/O subsystem. Its value varies greatly, from a few MBs per second to hundreds of MBs per second.
Oracle uses relatively conservative default settings for I/O transfer speed.

In Oracle 10g, Oracle uses noworkload statistics and the CPU cost model by default. The values of noworkload
statistics are
initialized to defaults at the first instance startup:
ioseektim = 10ms
iotrfspeed = 4096 bytes/ms
cpuspeednw = gathered value, varies based on system

If workload statistics are gathered, noworkload statistics will be ignored and Oracle will use workload statistics
instead. To gather noworkload statistics, run dbms_stats.gather_system_stats() with no arguments. There will be
an overhead on the I/O system during the gathering process of noworkload statistics. The gathering process may
take from a few seconds to several minutes, depending on I/O performance and database size.

The information is analyzed and verified for consistency. In some cases, the value of noworkload statistics may
remain its default value. In such cases, repeat the statistics gathering process or set the value manually to values
that the I/O system has according to its specifications by using the dbms_stats.set_system_stats procedure.

Managing Statistics
Restoring Previous Versions of Statistics
Whenever statistics in dictionary are modified, old versions of statistics are saved automatically for future
restoring. Statistics can be restored using RESTORE procedures of DBMS_STATS package. These procedures
use a time stamp as an argument and restore statistics as of that time stamp. This is useful in case newly
collected statistics leads to some sub-optimal execution plans and the administrator wants to revert to the
previous set of statistics.There are dictionary views that display the time of statistics modifications. These views
are useful in determining the time stamp to be used for statistics restoration.

Catalog view DBA_OPTSTAT_OPERATIONS contain history of statistics operations performed at

schema and database level using DBMS_STATS.
The views *_TAB_STATS_HISTORY views (ALL, DBA, or USER) contain a history of table statistics
modifications.
The old statistics are purged automatically at regular intervals based on the statistics history retention setting and
the time of the recent analysis of the system. Retention is configurable using the
ALTER_STATS_HISTORY_RETENTION procedure of DBMS_STATS. The default value is 31 days, which
means that you would be able to restore the optimizer statistics to any time in last 31 days.

Automatic purging is enabled when STATISTICS_LEVEL parameter is set to TYPICAL or ALL. If automatic
purging is disabled, the old versions of statistics need to be purged manually using the PURGE_STATS
procedure.

The other DBMS_STATS procedures related to restoring and purging statistics include:

PURGE_STATS: This procedure can be used to manually purge old versions beyond a time stamp.
GET_STATS_HISTORY_RENTENTION: This function can be used to get the current statistics history
retention value.
GET_STATS_HISTORY_AVAILABILITY: This function gets the oldest time stamp where statistics history
is available. Users cannot restore statistics to a time stamp older than the oldest time stamp.
When restoring previous versions of statistics, the following limitations apply:

RESTORE procedures cannot restore user-defined statistics.

Old versions of statistics are not stored when the ANALYZE command has been used for collecting
statistics.
Note: If you need to remove all rows from a table when using DBMS_STATS, use TRUNCATE instead of
dropping and re-creating the same table. When a table is dropped, workload information used by the auto-
histogram gathering feature and saved statistics history used by the RESTORE_*_STATS procedures will be lost.
Without this data, these features will not function properly.

Restoring Statistics versus Importing or Exporting Statistics

The functionality for restoring statistics is similar in some respects to the functionality of importing and exporting
statistics. In general, you should use the restore capability when:

You want to recover older versions of the statistics. For example, to restore the optimizer behaviour to
an earlier date.
You want the database to manage the retention and purging of statistics histories.
You should use EXPORT/IMPORT_*_STATS procedures when:

You want to experiment with multiple sets of statistics and change the values back and forth.
You want to move the statistics from one database to another database. For example, moving statistics
from a production system to a test system.
You want to preserve a known set of statistics for a longer period of time than the desired retention date
for restoring statistics.

Locking Statistics for a Table or Schema

Statistics for a table or schema can be locked. Once statistics are locked, no modifications can be made to those
statistics until the statistics have been unlocked. These locking procedures are useful in a static environment in
which you want to guarantee that the statistics never change.

The DBMS_STATS package provides two procedures for locking and two procedures for unlocking statistics:

LOCK_SCHEMA_STATS
LOCK_TABLE_STATS
UNLOCK_SCHEMA_STATS
UNLOCK_TABLE_STATS
EXEC DBMS_STATS.LOCK_SCHEMA_STATS('AP');
EXEC DBMS_STATS.UNLOCK_SCHEMA_STATS('AP');

Setting Statistics
We can set table, column, index, and system statistics using the SET_*_STATISTICS procedures. Setting
statistics in the manner is not recommended, because inaccurate or inconsistent statistics can lead to poor
performance.

Dynamic Sampling
The purpose of dynamic sampling is to improve server performance by determining more accurate estimates for
predicate selectivity and statistics for tables and indexes. The statistics for tables and indexes include table block
counts, applicable index block counts, table cardinalities, and relevant join column statistics. These more
accurate estimates allow the optimizer to produce better performing plans.

You can use dynamic sampling to:

Estimate single-table predicate selectivities when collected statistics cannot be used or are likely to lead
to significant errors in estimation.
Estimate statistics for tables and relevant indexes without statistics.
Estimate statistics for tables and relevant indexes whose statistics are too out of date to trust.
This dynamic sampling feature is controlled by the OPTIMIZER_DYNAMIC_SAMPLING parameter. For dynamic
sampling to automatically gather the necessary statistics, this parameter should be set to a value of 2(default) or
higher.

The primary performance attribute is compile time. Oracle determines at compile time whether a query would
benefit from dynamic sampling. If so, a recursive SQL statement is issued to scan a small random sample of the
table's blocks, and to apply the relevant single table predicates to estimate predicate selectivities. The sample
cardinality can also be used, in some cases, to estimate table cardinality. Any relevant column and index
statistics are also collected. Depending on the value of the OPTIMIZER_DYNAMIC_SAMPLING initialization
parameter, a certain number of blocks are read by the dynamic sampling query.

For a query that normally completes quickly (in less than a few seconds), we will not want to incur the cost of
dynamic sampling. However, dynamic sampling can be beneficial under any of the following conditions:

A better plan can be found using dynamic sampling.

The sampling time is a small fraction of total execution time for the query.
The query will be executed many times.
Dynamic sampling can be applied to a subset of a single table's predicates and combined with standard
selectivity estimates of predicates for which dynamic sampling is not done.

We control dynamic sampling with the OPTIMIZER_DYNAMIC_SAMPLING parameter, which can be set to a
value from 0 to 10. The default is 2.

A value of 0 means dynamic sampling will not be done.

Increasing the value of the parameter results in more aggressive application of dynamic sampling, in
terms of both the type of tables sampled (analyzed or unanalyzed) and the amount of I/O spent on sampling.
Dynamic sampling is repeatable if no rows have been inserted, deleted, or updated in the table being sampled.
The parameter OPTIMIZER_FEATURES_ENABLE turns off dynamic sampling if set to a version prior to 9.2.0.

Dynamic Sampling Levels

The sampling levels are as follows if the dynamic sampling level used is from a cursor hint or from the
OPTIMIZER_DYNAMIC_SAMPLING initialization parameter:

Level 0: Do not use dynamic sampling.

Level 1: Sample all tables that have not been analyzed if the following criteria are met: (1) there is at
least 1 unanalyzed table in the query; (2) this unanalyzed table is joined to another table or appears in a
subquery or non-mergeable view; (3) this unanalyzed table has no indexes; (4) this unanalyzed table has more
blocks than the number of blocks that would be used for dynamic sampling of this table. The number of blocks
sampled is the default number of dynamic sampling blocks (32).
Level 2: Apply dynamic sampling to all unanalyzed tables. The number of blocks sampled is two times
the default number of dynamic sampling blocks.
Level 3: Apply dynamic sampling to all tables that meet Level 2 criteria, plus all tables for which
standard selectivity estimation used a guess for some predicate that is a potential dynamic sampling predicate.
The number of blocks sampled is the default number of dynamic sampling blocks. For unanalyzed tables, the
number of blocks sampled is two times the default number of dynamic sampling blocks.
Level 4: Apply dynamic sampling to all tables that meet Level 3 criteria, plus all tables that have single-
table predicates that reference 2 or more columns. The number of blocks sampled is the default number of
dynamic sampling blocks. For unanalyzed tables, the number of blocks sampled is two times the default number
of dynamic sampling blocks.
Levels 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9: Apply dynamic sampling to all tables that meet the previous level criteria using
2, 4, 8, 32, or 128 times the default number of dynamic sampling blocks respectively.
Level 10: Apply dynamic sampling to all tables that meet the Level 9 criteria using all blocks in the table.
The sampling levels are as follows if the dynamic sampling level for a table is set using the
DYNAMIC_SAMPLING optimizer hint:

Level 0: Do not use dynamic sampling.

Level 1: The number of blocks sampled is the default number of dynamic sampling blocks (32).
 Levels 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9: The number of blocks sampled is 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, or 256 times
the default number of dynamic sampling blocks respectively.
Level 10: Read all blocks in the table.
Handling Missing Statistics
When Oracle encounters a table with missing statistics, Oracle dynamically gathers the necessary statistics
needed by the optimizer. However, for certain types of tables, Oracle does not perform dynamic sampling. These
include remote tables and external tables. In those cases and also when dynamic sampling has been disabled,
the optimizer uses default values for its statistics.

Default Table Values When Statistics Are Missing

Table Statistic Default Value Used by Optimizer

Cardinality num_of_blocks * (block_size - cache_layer) / avg_row_len
Average row length 100 bytes
Number of blocks 100 or actual value based on the extent map
Remote cardinality 2000 rows
Remote average row length 100 bytes
Default Index Values When Statistics Are Missing

Index Statistic Default Value Used by Optimizer

Levels 1
Leaf blocks 25
Leaf blocks/key 1
Data blocks/key 1
Distinct keys 100
Clustering factor 800

Viewing Statistics
Statistics on Tables, Indexes and Columns
Statistics on tables, indexes, and columns are stored in the data dictionary. To view statistics in the data
dictionary, query the appropriate data dictionary view (USER, ALL, or DBA). These DBA_* views include the
following:

DBA_TAB_STATISTICS
ALL_TAB_STATISTICS
USER_TAB_STATISTICS
DBA_TAB_COL_STATISTICS
ALL_TAB_COL_STATISTICS
USER_TAB_COL_STATISTICS
DBA_TAB_HISTOGRAMS
ALL_TAB_HISTOGRAMS
USER_TAB_HISTOGRAMS

DBA_TABLES
DBA_OBJECT_TABLES
DBA_TAB_HISTOGRAMS
DBA_INDEXES
DBA_IND_STATISTICS
DBA_CLUSTERS
DBA_TAB_PARTITIONS
DBA_TAB_SUBPARTITIONS
DBA_IND_PARTITIONS
DBA_IND_SUBPARTITIONS
DBA_PART_COL_STATISTICS
DBA_PART_HISTOGRAMS
DBA_SUBPART_COL_STATISTICS
DBA_SUBPART_HISTOGRAMS

Viewing Histograms
Column statistics may be stored as histograms. These histograms provide accurate estimates of the distribution
of column data. Histograms provide improved selectivity estimates in the presence of data skew, resulting in
optimal execution plans with non uniform data distributions.

Oracle uses two types of histograms for column statistics: height-balanced histograms and frequency histograms.
The type of histogram is stored in the HISTOGRAM column of the *TAB_COL_STATISTICS views (USER and
DBA). This column can have values of HEIGHT BALANCED, FREQUENCY, or NONE.

Height-Balanced Histograms
In a height-balanced histogram, the column values are divided into bands so that each band contains
approximately the same number of rows. The useful information that the histogram provides is where in the range
of values the endpoints fall. Height-balanced histograms can be viewed using the *TAB_HISTOGRAMS tables.

Example for Viewing Height-Balanced Histogram Statistics

BEGIN
DBMS_STATS.GATHER_TABLE_STATS (OWNNAME => 'OE', TABNAME => 'INVENTORIES',
METHOD_OPT => 'FOR COLUMNS SIZE 10 QUANTITY_ON_HAND');
END;
/

SELECT COLUMN_NAME, NUM_DISTINCT, NUM_BUCKETS, HISTOGRAM

FROM USER_TAB_COL_STATISTICS
WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'INVENTORIES' AND COLUMN_NAME = 'QUANTITY_ON_HAND';

COLUMN_NAME NUM_DISTINCT NUM_BUCKETS HISTOGRAM

------------------------------ ------------ ----------- ---------------
QUANTITY_ON_HAND 237 10 HEIGHT BALANCED

SELECT ENDPOINT_NUMBER, ENDPOINT_VALUE

FROM USER_HISTOGRAMS
WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'INVENTORIES' AND COLUMN_NAME = 'QUANTITY_ON_HAND'
ORDER BY ENDPOINT_NUMBER;

ENDPOINT_NUMBER ENDPOINT_VALUE
--------------- --------------
0 0
1 27
2 42
3 57
4 74
5 98
6 123
7 149
8 175
9 202
10 353

In the query output, one row corresponds to one bucket in the histogram.

Frequency Histograms
In a frequency histogram, each value of the column corresponds to a single bucket of the histogram. Each bucket
contains the number of occurrences of that single value. Frequency histograms are automatically created instead
of height-balanced histograms when the number of distinct values is less than or equal to the number of
histogram buckets specified. Frequency histograms can be viewed using the *TAB_HISTOGRAMS tables.

Example for Viewing Frequency Histogram Statistics

BEGIN
DBMS_STATS.GATHER_TABLE_STATS (OWNNAME => 'OE', TABNAME => 'INVENTORIES',
METHOD_OPT => 'FOR COLUMNS SIZE 20 WAREHOUSE_ID');
END;
/

SELECT COLUMN_NAME, NUM_DISTINCT, NUM_BUCKETS, HISTOGRAM

FROM USER_TAB_COL_STATISTICS
WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'INVENTORIES' AND COLUMN_NAME = 'WAREHOUSE_ID';

COLUMN_NAME NUM_DISTINCT NUM_BUCKETS HISTOGRAM

------------------------------ ------------ ----------- ---------------
WAREHOUSE_ID 9 9 FREQUENCY

SELECT ENDPOINT_NUMBER, ENDPOINT_VALUE

FROM USER_HISTOGRAMS
WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'INVENTORIES' AND COLUMN_NAME = 'WAREHOUSE_ID'
ORDER BY ENDPOINT_NUMBER;

ENDPOINT_NUMBER ENDPOINT_VALUE
--------------- --------------
36 1
213 2
261 3
370 4
484 5
692 6
798 7
984 8
1112 9

Issues

Exclude dataload tables from your regular stats gathering, unless you know they will be full at the time
that stats are gathered.
Gathering stats for the SYS schema can make the system run slower, not faster.
Gathering statistics can be very resource intensive for the server so avoid peak workload times or
gather stale stats only.
Even if scheduled, it may be necessary to gather fresh statistics after database maintenance or large
data loads.
If a table goes from 1 row to 200 rows, that's a significant change. When a table goes from 100,000
rows to 150,000 rows, that's not a terribly significant change. When a table goes from 1000 rows all with identical
values in commonly-queried column X to 1000 rows with nearly unique values in column X, that's a significant
change.
Statistics store information about item counts and relative frequencies. Things that will let it "guess" at how many
rows will match a given criteria. When it guesses wrong, the optimizer can pick a very suboptimal query plan.

Startup/Shutdown Options in Oracle Database

SYSDBA or SYSOPER (or SYSASM in ASM instance) system privilege is required to issue the STARTUP &
SHUTDOWN commands.

Startup options

STARTUP [FORCE][RESTRICT][NOMOUNT][MIGRATE][QUIET]
[PFILE=file_name | SPFILE=file_name]
[MOUNT [EXCLUSIVE] database_name | OPEN READ {ONLY | WRITE [RECOVER]}
| RECOVER database_name]
STARTUP
STARTUP OPEN
STARTUP OPEN READ ONLY
STARTUP OPEN READ WRITE
STARTUP OPEN WRITE RECOVER
STARTUP OPEN RECOVER;
STARTUP OPEN database_name PFILE='/path/' PARALLEL
STARTUP NOMOUNT
STARTUP MOUNT (or STARTUP MOUNT EXCLUSIVE or STARTUP MOUNT SHARED)
STARTUP RESTRICT
STARTUP RESTRICT MOUNT
STARTUP [PFILE='/path/'] {UPGRADE | DOWNGRADE} [QUIET]
STARTUP UPGRADE
STARTUP DOWNGRADE
STARTUP MIGRATE
STARTUP FORCE (= SHUT IMMEDIATE + STARTUP)
STARTUP FORCE pfile='/path/'
STARTUP FORCE RESTRICT PFILE='/path/' OPEN [database_name]
STARTUP pfile
STARTUP pfile = '/path/'
STARTUP spfile
STARTUP spfile = '/path/'

NOMOUNT -- Background processes will be started upon reading the parameter file (initSID.ora) or server
parameter file (spfileSID.ora) at $ORACLE_SID/dbs and allocate the shared memory and semaphores.
MOUNT -- control files will be read and opened.
OPEN -- datafiles, redolog files are opened.

Shutdown options

SHUTDOWN {NORMAL | TRANSACTIONAL [LOCAL] | IMMEDIATE | ABORT}

SHU
SHUT
SHUTDOWN
SHUTDOWN NORMAL
SHUTDOWN TRANSACTIONAL
SHUTDOWN TRANSACTIONAL LOCAL -- in RAC environmentSHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE
SHUTDOWN ABORT

Misc

alter database mount;

alter database open;
alter database open;
alter database close;
alter database mount;
alter database dismount;
alter database open read only;
alter database mount exclusive;
alter database mount standby database;

SQL*Loader in Oracle
SQL*Loader

SQL*Loader (sqlldr) is, the utility, to use for high performance data loads, which has a powerful data parsing
engine which puts little limitation on the format of the data in the datafile. The data can be loaded from any flat file
and inserted into the Oracle database.

SQL*Loader is a bulk loader utility used for moving data from external files into the Oracle database. SQL*Loader
supports various load formats, selective loading, and multi-table loads.

SQL*Loader reads data file(s) and description of the data which is defined in the control file. Using this
information and any additional specified parameters (either on the command line or in the PARFILE),
SQL*Loader loads the data into the database.

During processing, SQL*Loader writes messages to the log file, bad rows to the bad file, and discarded rows to
the discard file.

The Control File

The SQL*Loader control file, is a flat file or text file, contains information that describes how the data will be
loaded. It contains the table name, column data types, field delimiters, bad file name, discard file name,
conditions to load, SQL functions to be applied and may contain data or infile name.

Control file can have three sections:

1. The first section contains session-wide information.

e.g.: * global options such as bindsize, rows, records to skip, etc.
* INFILE clauses to specify where the input data is located
* data character set specification
2. The second section consists of one or more "INTO TABLE" blocks. Each of these blocks contains information
about the table into which the data is to be loaded such as the table name and the columns of the table.
3. The third section is optional and, if present, contains input data.

Some control file syntax considerations are:

* The syntax is free-format (statements can extend over multiple lines).
* It is case insensitive, however, strings enclosed in single or double quotation marks are taken literally, including
case.
* In control file syntax, comments extend from the two hyphens (--), which mark the beginning of the comment, to
the end of the line. Note that the optional third section of the control file is interpreted as data rather than as
control file syntax; consequently, comments in this section are not supported.
* Certain words have special meaning to SQL*Loader and are therefore reserved. If a particular literal or a
database object name (column name, table name, etc.) is also a reserved word (keyword), it must be enclosed in
single or double quotation marks.

Options in SQL*Loader while loading the data.

(a) INSERT: Specifies that you are loading into an empty table. SQL*Loader will abort the load if the table
contains data to start with. This is the default.
(b) APPEND: If we want to load the data into a table which is already containing some rows.
(c) REPLACE: Specifies that, we want to replace the data in the table before loading. Will 'DELETE' all the
existing records and replace them with new.
(d) TRUNCATE: This is same as 'REPLACE', but SQL*Loader will use the 'TRUNCATE' command instead of
'DELETE' command.
This sample control file will load an external data file containing delimited data:
load data
infile 'c:\data\emp.csv'
into table emp //here INSERT is default
fields terminated by "," optionally enclosed by '"'
(empno, empname, sal, deptno)

The emp.csv file may look like this:

10001,"Scott Tiger", 1000, 40
10002,"Frank Naude", 5000, 20

Another Sample control file with in-line data formatted as fix length records.
load data
infile *
replace
into table departments
(dept position (02:05) char(4),
deptname position (08:27) char(20)
)
begindata
COSC COMPUTER SCIENCE
ENGL ENGLISH LITERATURE
MATH MATHEMATICS
POLY POLITICAL SCIENCE

"infile *" means, the data is within the control file; otherwise weve to specify the file name and location. The trick
is to specify "*" as the name of the data file, and use BEGINDATA to start the data section in the control file:

Loading variable length(delimited) data

In the first example we will see how delimited (variable length) data can be loaded into Oracle.
Example 1:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
CONTINUEIF THIS (1) = '*'
INTO TABLE delimited_data
FIELDS TERMINATED BY "," OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY '"'
TRAILING NULLCOLS
(data1 "UPPER(:data1)",
data2 "TRIM(:data2)"
data3 "DECODE(:data2, 'hello', 'goodbye', :data1)"
)
BEGINDATA
*11111,AAAAAAAAAA,hello
*22222,"A,B,C,D,",Testttt

NOTE: The default data type in SQL*Loader is CHAR(255). To load character fields longer than 255 characters,
code the type and length in your control file. By doing this, Oracle will allocate a bigger buffer to hold the entire
column, thus eliminating potential "Field in data file exceeds maximum length" errors.
e.g.:
...
resume char(4000),
...
Example 2:
LOAD DATA
INFILE 'table.dat'
INTO TABLE table-name
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
TRAILING NULLCOLS
(
COL1 DECIMAL EXTERNAL NULLIF (COL1=BLANKS),
COL2 DECIMAL EXTERNAL NULLIF (COL2=BLANKS),
COL3 CHAR NULLIF (COL3=BLANKS),
COL4 CHAR NULLIF (COL4=BLANKS),
COL5 CHAR NULLIF (COL5=BLANKS),
COL6 DATE "MM-DD-YYYY" NULLIF (COL6=BLANKS)
)

Numeric data should be specified as type external, otherwise, it is read as characters rather than as binary data.
Decimal numbers need not contain a decimal point; they are assumed to be integers if not specified.
The standard format for date fields is DD-MON-YY.

Loading fixed length (positional) data

The control file can also specify that records are in fixed format. A file is in fixed record format when all records in
a datafile are the same length. The control file specifies the specific starting and ending byte location of each
field. This format is harder to create and less flexible but can yield performance benefits. A control file specifying
a fixed format could look like the following.
Example 1:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE positional_data
(data1 POSITION(1:5),
data2 POSITION(6:15)
)
BEGINDATA
11111AAAAAAAAAA
22222BBBBBBBBBB

In the above example, position(01:05) will give the 1st to the 5th character (11111 and 22222).

Example 2:
LOAD DATA
INFILE 'table.dat'
INTO TABLE table-name
(
COL1 POSITION(1:4) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
COL2 POSITION(6:9) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
COL3 POSITION(11:46) CHAR,
COL4 POSITION(48:83) CHAR,
COL5 POSITION(85:120) CHAR,
COL6 POSITION(122:130) DATE "MMDDYYYY"
)

SQL*Loader Options
Usage: sqlldr keyword=value [keyword=value ...]
Invoke the utility without arguments to get a list of available parameters.
$ sqlldr

To check which options are available in any release of SQL*Loader uses this command:
$ sqlldr help=y

Look at the following example:

$ sqlldr username@server/password control=loader.ctl
$ sqlldr username/password@server control=loader.ctl

SQL*Loader provides the following options, which can be specified either on the command line or within a
parameter file:

userid The Oracle username and password.

control The name of the control file. This file specifies the format of the data to be loaded.

log The name of the file used by SQL*Loader to log results. The log file contains information about the
SQL*Loader execution. It should be viewed after each SQL*Loader job is completed. Especially interesting is the
summary information at the bottom of the log, including CPU time and elapsed time. It has details like no. of lines
readed, no. of lines loaded, no. of rejected lines (full data will be in discard file), no. of bad lines, actual time taken
load the data.

bad A file that is created when at least one record from the input file is rejected. The rejected data records are
placed in this file. A record could be rejected for many reasons, including a non-unique key or a required column
being null.

data The name of the file that contains the data to load.

discard The name of the file that contains the discarded rows. Discarded rows are those that fail the WHEN
clause condition when selectively loading records.

discardmax [ALL] The maximum number of discards to allow.

skip [0] Allows the skipping of the specified number of logical records.

load [ALL] The number of logical records to load.

errors [50] The number of errors to allow on the load. SQL*Loader will tolerates this many errors (50 by
default). After this limit, it'll abort the loading and rollbacks the already inserted records.

rows [64] The number of rows to load before a commit is issued (in conventional path).
[ALL] For direct path loads, rows are the number of rows to read from the data file before saving the data in the
datafiles. Committing less frequently (higher value of ROWS) will improve the performance of SQL*Loader.

bindsize [256000] The size of the conventional path bind array in bytes. Larger bindsize will improve the
performance of SQL*Loader.

silent Suppress messages/errors during data load. A value of ALL will suppress all load messages. Other
options include DISCARDS, ERRORS, FEEDBACK, HEADER, and PARTITIONS.

direct [FALSE] Specifies whether or not to use a direct path load or conventional. Direct path load
(DIRECT=TRUE) will load faster than conventional.

_synchro internal testing.

parfile [Y] The name of the file that contains the parameter options for SQL*Loader.

parallel [FALSE] do parallel load. Available with direct path data loads only, this option allows multiple
SQL*Loader jobs to execute concurrently and will improve the performance.

file Used only with parallel loads, this parameter specifies the file to allocate extents from. Specify a filename
that contains index creation statements.

skip_unusable_indexes [FALSE] Determines whether SQL*Loader skips the building of indexes or index
partitions that are in an unusable state.

skip_index_maintenance [FALSE] Stops index maintenance for direct path loads only. Do not maintain
indexes, mark affected indexes as unusable.

commit_discontinued [FALSE] commit loaded rows when load is discontinued. This is from 10g.

_display_exitcode Display exit code for SQL*Loader execution.

readsize [1048576] The size of the read buffer used by SQL*Loader when reading data from the input file. This
value should match that of bindsize.

external_table [NOT_USED] Determines whether or not any data will be loaded using external tables. The
other valid options include GENERATE_ONLY and EXECUTE.

columnarrayrows [5000] Specifies the number of rows to allocate for direct path column arrays.

streamsize [256000] Specifies the size of direct path stream buffer size in bytes.

multithreading use multithreading in direct path. The default is TRUE on multiple CPU systems and FALSE on
single CPU systems.

resumable [FALSE] Enables and disables resumable space allocation. When TRUE, the parameters
resumable_name and resumable_timeout are utilized.

resumable_name User defined string that helps identify a resumable statement that has been suspended. This
parameter is ignored unless resumable = TRUE.

resumable_timeout [7200 seconds] The time period in which an error must be fixed. This parameter is ignored
unless resumable = TRUE.

date_cache [1000] Size (in entries) of date conversion cache.

no_index_errors - [FALSE] abort load on any index errors (This is from Oracle 11g release2).
_testing_ncs_to_clob test non character scalar to character lob conversion. This is from Oracle 10g.

_parallel_lob_load allow direct path parallel load of lobs. This is from Oracle 10g.

_trace_events Enable tracing during run by specifying events and levels (SQLLDR_LOWEST,...). This is
from Oracle 11g.

_testing_server_slot_size test with non default direct path server slot buffer size. This is from Oracle 11g.

_testing_server_ca_rows test with non default direct path server column array rows. This is from Oracle 11g.

_testing_server_max_rp_ccnt test with non default direct path max row piece columns. This is
from Oracle 11g.
Note: values within parenthesis are the default values.
PLEASE NOTE: Command-line parameters may be specified either by position or by keywords. An example of
the former case is 'sqlldr scott/tiger foo'; an example of the latter is 'sqlldr control=foo userid=scott/tiger'. One may
specify parameters by position before but not after parameters specified by keywords.
For example, 'sqlldr scott/tiger control=foo logfile=log' is allowed, but 'sqlldr scott/tiger control=foo log' is not, even
though the position of the parameter 'log' is correct.

Miscellaneous

1. To load MS-Excel data into Oracle, Open the MS-Excel spreadsheet and save it as a CSV (Comma Separated
Values) file. This file can now be copied to the Oracle machine and loaded using the SQL*Loader utility.

2. Oracle does not supply any data unload utilities (like SQL*Unloader), to get the data from database. You can
use SQL*Plus to select and format your data and then spool it to a file or you have to use any third party tool.

3. Skipping header records while loading

We can skip unwanted header records or continue an interrupted load (e.g. run out of space) by specifying the
"SKIP=n" keyword. "n" specifies the number of logical rows to skip. Look at this example:
OPTIONS (SKIP=5)
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE load_positional_data
(data1 POSITION(1:5),
data2 POSITION(6:15)
)
BEGINDATA
11111AAAAAAAAAA
22222BBBBBBBBBB
...

$ sqlldr userid=id/passwd control=control_file_name.ctl skip=4

If you are continuing a multiple table direct path load, you may need to use the CONTINUE_LOAD clause instead
of the SKIP parameter. CONTINUE_LOAD allows you to specify a different number of rows to skip for each of the
tables you are loading.

4. Modifying data as the database gets loaded

Data can be modified as it loads into the Oracle Database. One can also populate columns with static or derived
values. However, this only applies for the conventional load path (and not for direct path loads). Here are some
examples:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE modified_data
(rec_no "my_db_sequence.nextval",
region CONSTANT '31',
time_loaded "to_char(SYSDATE, 'HH24:MI')",
data1 POSITION(1:5) ":data1/100",
data2 POSITION(6:15) "upper(:data2)",
data3 POSITION(16:22)"to_date(:data3, 'YYMMDD')"
)
BEGINDATA
11111AAAAAAAAAA991201
22222BBBBBBBBBB990112

LOAD DATA
INFILE 'mail_orders.txt'
BADFILE 'bad_orders.txt'
APPEND
INTO TABLE mailing_list
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ","
(addr,
city,
state,
zipcode,
mailing_addr "decode(:mailing_addr,null, :addr, :mailing_addr)",
mailing_city "decode(:mailing_city,null, :city, :mailing_city)",
mailing_state,
move_date "substr(:move_date, 3, 2) || substr(:move_date, 7, 2)"
)

5. Loading from multiple input files

One can load from multiple input files provided they use the same record format by repeating the INFILE clause.
Here is an example:
LOAD DATA
INFILE file1.dat
INFILE file2.dat
INFILE file3.dat
APPEND
INTO TABLE emp
(empno POSITION(1:4) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
ename POSITION(6:15) CHAR,
deptno POSITION(17:18) CHAR,
mgr POSITION(20:23) INTEGER EXTERNAL
)

6. Loading into multiple tables

One can also specify multiple "INTO TABLE" clauses in the SQL*Loader control file to load into multiple tables.
Look at the following example:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE tab1 WHEN tab = 'tab1'
(tab FILLER CHAR(4),
col1 INTEGER
)
INTO TABLE tab2 WHEN tab = 'tab2'
(tab FILLER POSITION(1:4),
col1 INTEGER
)
BEGINDATA
tab1|1
tab1|2
tab2|2
tab3|3

The "tab" field is marked as FILLER as we don't want to load it.

Note the use of "POSITION" on the second routing value (tab = 'tab2'). By default field scanning doesn't start
over from the beginning of the record for new INTO TABLE clauses. Instead, scanning continues where it left off.
POSITION is needed to reset the pointer to the beginning of the record again.

Another example:
LOAD DATA
INFILE 'mydata.dat'
REPLACE
INTO TABLE emp WHEN empno != ' '
(empno POSITION(1:4) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
ename POSITION(6:15) CHAR,
deptno POSITION(17:18) CHAR,
mgr POSITION(20:23) INTEGER EXTERNAL
)
INTO TABLE proj WHEN projno != ' '
(projno POSITION(25:27) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
empno POSITION(1:4) INTEGER EXTERNAL
)

7. In SQL*Loader, one cannot COMMIT only at the end of the load file, but by setting the ROWS parameter to a
large value, committing can be reduced. Make sure you have big rollback segments ready when you use a high
value for ROWS.

8. Selectively loading filtered records

Look at this example, (01) is the first character, (30:37) are characters 30 to 37:
LOAD DATA
INFILE 'mydata.dat' BADFILE 'mydata.bad' DISCARDFILE 'mydata.dis'
APPEND
INTO TABLE my_selective_table
WHEN (01) <> 'H' and (01) <> 'T' and (30:37) = '20031217'
(
region CONSTANT '31',
service_key POSITION(01:11) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
call_b_no POSITION(12:29) CHAR
)

NOTE: SQL*Loader does not allow the use of OR in the WHEN clause. You can only use AND as in the example
above! To workaround this problem, code multiple "INTO TABLE ... WHEN" clauses. Here is an example:
LOAD DATA
INFILE 'mydata.dat' BADFILE 'mydata.bad' DISCARDFILE 'mydata.dis'
APPEND
INTO TABLE my_selective_table
WHEN (01) <> 'H' and (01) <> 'T'
(
region CONSTANT '31',
service_key POSITION(01:11) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
call_b_no POSITION(12:29) CHAR
)
INTO TABLE my_selective_table
WHEN (30:37) = '20031217'
(
region CONSTANT '31',
service_key POSITION(01:11) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
call_b_no POSITION(12:29) CHAR
)
9. Skipping certain columns while loading data
One cannot use POSITION(x:y) with delimited data. Luckily, from Oracle 8i one can specify FILLER columns.
FILLER columns are used to skip columns/fields in the load file, ignoring fields that one does not want. Look at
this example:
LOAD DATA
TRUNCATE INTO TABLE T1
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
(field1,
field2 FILLER,
field3
)

BOUNDFILLER (available with Oracle 9i and above) can be used if the skipped column's value will be required
later again. Here is an example:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
TRUNCATE INTO TABLE sometable
FIELDS TERMINATED BY "," trailing nullcols
(
c1,
field2 BOUNDFILLER,
field3 BOUNDFILLER,
field4 BOUNDFILLER,
field5 BOUNDFILLER,
c2 ":field2 || :field3",
c3 ":field4 + :field5"
)

10. Loading images, sound clips and documents

SQL*Loader can load data from a "primary data file", SDF (Secondary Data file - for loading nested tables and
VARRAYs) or LOBFILE. The LOBFILE method provides an easy way to load documents, photos, images and
audio clips into BLOB and CLOB columns.
Given the following table:

CREATE TABLE image_table (

image_id NUMBER(5),
file_name VARCHAR2(30),
image_data BLOB);

Control File:
LOAD DATA
INFILE *
INTO TABLE image_table
REPLACE
FIELDS TERMINATED BY ','
(
image_id INTEGER(5),
file_name CHAR(30),
image_data LOBFILE (file_name) TERMINATED BY EOF
)
BEGINDATA
001,image1.gif
002,image2.jpg
003,image3.bmp

11. Loading EBCDIC data

SQL*Loader is character set aware (you can specify the character set of the data). Specify the character set
WE8EBCDIC500 for the EBCDIC data. The following example shows the SQL*Loader controlfile to load a fixed
length EBCDIC record into the Oracle Database:
LOAD DATA
CHARACTERSET WE8EBCDIC500
INFILE data.ebc "fix 86 buffers 1024"
BADFILE 'data.bad'
DISCARDFILE 'data.dsc'
REPLACE
INTO TABLE temp_data
(
field1 POSITION (1:4) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
field2 POSITION (5:6) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
field3 POSITION (7:12) INTEGER EXTERNAL,
field4 POSITION (13:42) CHAR,
field5 POSITION (43:72) CHAR,
field6 POSITION (73:73) INTEGER EXTERNAL
)

12. Reading multiple rows per record

If the data is in fixed format the number of rows of data to be read for each record can be specified using the
concatenate clause,
e.g.: concatenate 3

reads 3 rows of data for every record. The data rows are literally concatenated together so that positions 81 to
160 are used to specify column positions for data in the second row (assuming that the record length of the file is
80). You should also specify the record length (240 in this case) with a reclen clause when concatenating data,
that is:
reclen 240

The continueif clause may specify more than one character.

e.g.: continueif this (1:4) = 'two'

specifies that if the first four characters of the current line are 'two', the next line is a continuation of this line. In
this case the first four columns of each record are assumed to contain only a continuation indicator and are not
read as data.

When using fixed format data, the continuation character may be in the last column of the data record. For
example:
continueif last = '+'

specifies that if the last non-blank character in the line is '+', the next line is a continuation of the current line. This
method does not work with free format data because the continuation character is read as the value of the next
field.

Common Errors in SQL*Loader are

(i) Foreign key is not found.
(ii) Length of the column in the infile/datafile may be bigger than the target table column size.
(iii) Mismatching of datatypes.

How to improve SQL*Loader Performance

SQL*Loader is flexible and offers many options that should be considered to maximize the speed of data loads.
1. Use Direct Path Loads - The conventional path loader essentially loads the data by using standard insert
statements. Direct path load builds blocks of data in memory and saves these blocks directly into the extents
allocated for the table being loaded. The direct path loader (DIRECT=TRUE) loads directly into the Oracle
datafiles and creates blocks in Oracle database block format. This will effectively bypass most of the RDBMS
processing. The fact that SQL is not being issued makes the entire process much less taxing on the database.
There are certain cases, in which direct path loads cannot be used (clustered tables).

To prepare the database for direct path loads, the script $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/catldr.sql must be
executed (no need to run this, if you ran catalog.sql at the time of database creation).

Differences between direct path load and conventional path load

Direct Path Load Conventional Path Load
The direct path loader (DIRECT=TRUE) bypasses much of
The conventional path loader essentially loads the
the overhead involved, and loads directly into the Oracle
data by using standard INSERT statements
datafiles
Loads directly to datafile Loads via buffers
No redolog Redolog will be generated
Will not use Oracle instance and RAM Will use Oracle instance and RAM
Can't disable constraints and indexes Can disable constraints and indexes
--- Default buffer size is 256KB(bindsize) or 64 rows
Can do parallel load Can't do parallel load
Will use streams (default stream buffer size - 256K) Will not use streams
Will use multithreading Will not use multithreading
Data can be modified as it loads into the Oracle
--- Database, also populate columns with static or
derived values
Can use UNRECOVERABLE option Can't use UNRECOVERABLE option

Several restrictions associated with direct path loading:

Tables and associated indexes will be locked during load.

SQL*Net access is available only under limited circumstances, and its use will slow performance.
Clustered tables cannot be loaded.
Loaded data will not be replicated.
Constraints that depend on other tables are disabled during load and applied when the load is completed.
SQL functions are not available. Cannot always use SQL strings for column processing in the control file
(something like this will probably fail: col1 date "ddmonyyyy" "substr(:period,1,9)").

2. External Table Load - An External table load creates an external table for data in a datafile and executes
INSERT statements to insert the data from datafile into target table.

Advantages over conventional & direct:

(i) An external table load attempts to load datafiles in parallel, if datafile is big enough.
(ii) An external table load allows modification of the data being loaded by using SQL and PL/SQL functions as
part of the insert statement that is used to create external table.

3. Disable Indexes and Constraints - For only conventional data loads, the disabling of indexes and constraints
can greatly enhance the performance of SQL*Loader. This will significantly slow down load times even with
ROWS set to a high value.
4. Use a Larger Bind Array. For conventional data loads only, larger bind arrays limit the number of calls to the
database and increase performance. The size of the bind array is specified using the bindsize parameter. The
bind array's size is equivalent to the number of rows it contains (rows=) times the maximum length of each row.

5. Use ROWS=n to commit less frequently. For conventional data loads only, the rows parameter specifies the
number of rows per commit. Issuing fewer commits will enhance performance.

6. Use Parallel Loads. Available with direct path data loads only, this option allows multiple SQL*Loader jobs to
execute concurrently.
$ sqlldr control=first.ctl parallel=true direct=true
$ sqlldr control=second.ctl parallel=true direct=true

7. Use Fixed Width Data. Fixed width data format saves Oracle some processing when parsing the data. The
savings can be tremendous, depending on the type of data and number of rows.

8. Disable Archiving During Load. While this may not be feasible in certain environments, disabling database
archiving can increase performance considerably.

9. Use unrecoverable. The UNRECOVERABLE option (unrecoverable load data) disables the writing of the data
to the redo logs. This option is available for direct path loads only.

Benchmarking
The following benchmark tests were performed with the various SQL*Loader options. The table was truncated
after each test.
SQL*Loader Option Elapsed Time(Seconds) Time Reduction
direct=false
135 -
rows=64
direct=false
bindsize=512000 92 32%
rows=10000
direct=false
bindsize=512000
rows=10000 85 37%
database in
noarchivelog mode
direct=true 47 65%
direct=true
41 70%
unrecoverable
direct=true
unrecoverable 41 70%
fixed width data

The results above indicate that conventional path loads take the longest. However, the bindsize and rows
parameters can aid the performance under these loads. The test involving the conventional load didnt come
close to the performance of the direct path load with the unrecoverable option specified.

It is also worth noting that the fastest import time achieved (earlier) was 67 seconds, compared to 41 for
SQL*Loader direct path a 39% reduction in execution time. This proves that SQL*Loader can load the same
data faster than import.

These tests did not compensate for indexes. All database load operations will execute faster when indexes are
disabled.
Rollback Segments

ROLLBACK SEGMENTS in Oracle

In order to support the rollback facility in oracle database, oracle takes the help of rollback segments. Rollback
segments basically holds the before image or undo data or uncommitted data of a particular transaction, once the
transaction is over the blocks in that rollback segment can help any other transaction.

Rollback segment is just like any other table segments and index segments, which consist of extents, also
demand space and they get created in a tablespace. In order to perform any DML operation against a table which
is in a non system tablespace ('emp' in 'user' tablespace), oracle requires a rollback segment from a non system
tablespace.

When a transaction is going on a segment which is in non system tablespace, then Oracle needs a rollback
segment which is also in non system tablespace. This is the reason we create a separate tablespace just for the
rollback segment.

Why rollback segments?

o Undo the changes when a transaction is rolled back.

o Ensure read consistency (other transactions do not see uncommitted changes made to the database).
o Recover the database to a consistent state in case of failures.
There are two types of rollback segments
a) Private rollback segments (for single instance database).
b) Public rollback segments (for RAC or Oracle Parallel Server).

At the time of database creation oracle by default creates a rollback segment by name SYSTEM in system
tablespace and it's ONLINE. This rollback segment can't be brought OFFLINE since Oracle needs it as long as
DB is up & running. This can't be dropped also.

Only DBA can create the rollback segments (SYS is the owner) and can not accessible to ordinary users.

SQL> CREATE [PUBLIC] ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs-name

[TABLESPACE tbs-name]

STORAGE (INITIAL 20K NEXT 40K MINEXTENTS 2 MAXEXTENTS 50);

A rollback segment also has its own storage parameters, and the rules in creating RBS are:
1. We can't define PCTINCREASE for RBS (not even 0).
2. We have to have at least 2 as MINEXTENTS.

Apart from regular storage parameters rollback segments can also be defined with OPTIMAL. We better create
these rollback segments in a separate tablespace where no tables or indexes exist. We should prefer to create
different rollback segments in different tablespaces.

Though we have created rollback segments, we have to bring them ONLINE, either by using init.ora or by using a
SQL statement.
In order to utilize/enable rollback segments by having a parameter in init.ora, ROLLBACK_SEGMENTS =
R1,R2,R3

There is another way to bring any rollback segment ONLINE, by DBA in Oracle is:
SQL> ALTER ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs-name ONLINE;

Similarly we can also make it offline.

SQL> ALTER ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs-name OFFLINE;

The number of rollback segments that are needed in the database are decided by the concurrent DML activity
users (number of transactions). Maximum number of rollback segments can be defined in init.ora by
MAX_ROLLBACK_SEGMENTS parameter (until 9i).

To execute CREATE ROLLBACK SEGMENT and ALTER ROLLBACK SEGMENT commands,

UNDO_MANAGEMENT must not be set or set to MANUAL.

The assignment of the rollback segment to a transaction will be done using load balancing method (with respect
to the number of transactions but not the size of transactions). A user can request oracle for a particular rollback
segment for his transaction.
SQL> SET TRANSACTION USE ROLLBACK SEGMENT;
SQL> SET TRANSACTION USE ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs-name;

To assign a rollback segment at session level

SQL> ALTER SESSION USE ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs-name;

In a production database environment, we have to design different types of rollback segments to help different
types of transactions. Usually in the day hours we have smaller transactions (data entry operations) by the end-
users, and in the night we perform processing (batch jobs), example clear sql procedure updating tables and
committing at the end of the transaction.

Points to ponder:
1. Oracle strongly recommends to have smaller rollback segments.

2. Its good to have not more than 4 transactions per rollback segment.

3. One transaction can only take place in one rollback segment. If there is any space problem the transaction has
to fail, but cannot switch over to another rollback segment and Oracle rollbacks the transaction.

4. One rollback segment can have multiple transactions. We can limit the maximum transactions a rollback
segment can support. Should limit to 10 by having an init.ora parameter
TRANSACTIONS_PER_ROLLBACK_SEGMENT=10.

5. If we are having problems like "Read Inconsistencies" or "Snapshot Too Old" problems, we can do these
things:
Increase the size of the rollback segment (so that "wrapping" issue may not occur so frequently).
Decrease the "Commit" Frequency, so that "blocks" cant be overwritten as they are still belonging to
"Open" DML.
6. Constantly DBA should observe the HWM (High Water Mark) line for rollback segment.
7. If you bounce the database, the rollback segment will be offline, unless you added the rollback segment name
to parameter file.
ROLLBACK_SEGMENTS = r1, r2, r3, r4

8. DBA should define the optimal value for rollback segment. Otherwise if the rollback segment becomes big, it'll
stay at that size which is unwanted (as Oracle recommends smaller RBS). So it's nice to comeback to some
reasonable size after growing while helping a transaction. Though we define this, rollback segment by default it'll
not comeback to this size right after the transaction is finished, rather it'll wait until another transaction wants to
use it. Then it becomes smaller and again starts growing if necessary.

The biggest issue for a DBA is maintaining the rollback segments especially in a high-activity environment.

The reasons for a transaction to fail in Oracle, are:

1. RBS is too small to carry entire transaction. Nothing but the tablespace limitation.

2. RBS is already reached MAXEXTENTS, i.e. although tablespace has some free space to offer, rollback
segment can't grow anymore because it has already grabbed it's MAXEXTENTS.
Or you have defined the NEXT EXTENT size wrongly, thus it has reached its MAXEXTENTS so quickly.

3. Our transaction, say it grabbed one rollback segment and some other transaction also grabbed the same
rollback segment. In this case, our transaction couldn't find sufficient space to have all the before image blocks.

Operations on rollback segments

Shrinking rollback segment:
The rollback segment cannot shrink to less than two extents.
SQL> ALTER ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs-name SHRINK [TO int {K|M}];

Managing storage options of rollback segment:

You cannot change the values of the INITIAL and MINEXTENTS.
SQL> ALTER ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs-name STORAGE storage-options;

Dropping rollback segment:

you can drop only non-system and offline rollback segments.
SQL> DROP ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs-name;

ORA-1555 error (Snapshot too old error)

$ oerr ora 1555

01555, 00000, "snapshot too old: rollback segment number seg-number with name rbs-name too small"
// *Cause: rollback records needed by a reader for consistent read are overwritten by other writers. i.e. One user
continuously updating on one table where as the another user trying to retrieve continuously on that same table.
// *Action: If in automatic undo management mode, increase undo_retention setting and undo tablespace size.
Otherwise, use larger/more rollback segments and avoid long running queries.
Related Views
DBA_SEGMENTS --> Here you can see all the rollback segments regardless they are offline or online (without
status online/offline).
SQL> select SEGMENT_NAME, TABLESPACE_NAME from DBA_SEGMENTS where
SEGMENT_TYPE='ROLLBACK';
DBA_ROLLBACK_SEGS --> You can see the status of a RBS.
Possible statuses are: ONLINE, OFFLINE, Pending Offline.
SQL> select SEGMENT_NAME, TABLESPACE_NAME, STATUS from DBA_ROLLBACK_SEGS;

V$ROLLNAME --> Here you USN and the RBS Name, which are ONLINE.

V$ROLLSTAT --> You can see USN, which are ONLINE, and it's complete details like
1. Size of the rollback segment.
2. Carrying any transactions or not.
3. What is the High-Water-Mark size.
4. Optimal size of the RBS.
5. Wrap information and much more info about each RBS.

From Oracle 10g, you should use UNDO Segments, instead of rollback segments.

RMAN in Oracle
Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN)

RMAN was introduced in Oracle8, RMAN has since been enhanced (in Oracle 9i), enhanced (in Oracle 10g) and
enhanced (in Oracle 11g).

Recovery Manager(RMAN) is an Oracle provided (free) utility for backing-up, restoring and recovering Oracle
databases. RMAN ships with the Oracle database and doesn't require a separate installation. The RMAN
executable is located in $ORACLE_HOME/bin directory.

RMAN is a Pro*C application that translates commands to a PL/SQL interface through RPC (Remote Procedure
Call). The PL/SQL calls are statically linked into the Oracle kernel, and does not require the database to be
opened (mapped from the ?/rdbms/admin/recover.bsq file).

The RMAN environment consists of the utilities and databases that play a role in backing up our data. At a
minimum, the environment for RMAN must include the following:
The target database to be backed up.
The RMAN client (rman executable and recover.bsq), which interprets backup and recovery commands,
directs server sessions to execute those commands, and records our backup and recovery activity in the target
database control file.

Some environments will also use these optional components:

A recovery catalog database, a separate database schema used to record RMAN activity against one or
more target databases (this is optional, but highly recommended).
A flash recovery area, called as fast recovery area from 11g release2, a disk location in which the
database can store and manage files related to backup and recovery.
Media management software, required for RMAN to interface with backup devices such as tape drives.

Large pool (LARGE_POOL_SIZE) is used for RMAN.

Benefits of RMAN
Some of the benefits provided by RMAN include:
Backups are faster and uses less tapes (RMAN will skip empty blocks)
Less database archiving while database is being backed-up
RMAN checks the database for block corruptions
Automated restores from the catalog
Files are written out in parallel instead of sequential
RMAN can be operated from Oracle Enterprise Manager, or from command line. Here are the command line
arguments:
Argument Value Description
target quoted-string connect-string for target database
catalog quoted-string connect-string for recovery catalog
nocatalog none if specified, then no recovery catalog
cmdfile quoted-string name of input command file
log quoted-string name of output message log file
trace quoted-string name of output debugging message log file
append none if specified, log is opened in append mode
debug optional-args activate debugging
msgno none show RMAN-nnnn prefix for all messages
send quoted-string send a command to the media manager
pipe string building block for pipe names
timeout integer number of seconds to wait for pipe input
checksyntax none check the command file for syntax errors

$ rman
$ rman TARGET SYS/pwd@target
$ rman TARGET SYS/pwd@target NOCATALOG
$ rman TARGET SYS/pwd@target CATALOG rman/pwd@cat
$ rman TARGET=SYS/pwd@target CATALOG=rman/pwd@cat
$ rman TARGET SYS/pwd@target LOG $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/log/rman_log.log APPEND
$ rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/pwd@cat
$ rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/pwd@cat CMDFILE cmdfile.rcv LOG outfile.txt
$ rman CATALOG rman/pwd@cat$ rman @/my_dir/my_commands.txt

Using recovery catalog

One (base) recovery catalog can manage multiple target databases. All the target databases should be register
with the catalog.

Start by creating a database schema (usually named rman), in catalog database. Assign an appropriate
tablespace to it and grant it the recovery_catalog_owner role.
$ sqlplus "/as sysdba"
SQL> create user rman identified by rman default tablespace rmants quota unlimited on rmants;
SQL> grant resource, recovery_catalog_owner to rman;
No need to grant connect role explicitly, because recovery_catalog_owner role has it.

Log in to catalog database with rman and create the catalog.

$ rman catalog rman/rman
RMAN> create catalog;
RMAN> exit;

Now you can continue by registering your databases in the catalog.

$ rman catalog rman/rman@cat target system/manager@tgt
RMAN> register database;

Using virtual private catalog

A virtual private catalog is a set of synonyms and views that enable user access to a subset of a base recovery
catalog. The owner of the base recovery catalog can GRANT or REVOKE restricted access to the catalog to
other database users. Each restricted user has full read/write access to his own metadata, which is called a
virtual private catalog. The RMAN metadata is stored in the schema of the virtual private catalog owner. The
owner of the base recovery catalog controls what each virtual catalog user can access.

$ sqlplus "/as sysdba"

SQL> create user vpc identified by vpc default tablespace rmants quota unlimited on rmants;
SQL> grant resource, recovery_catalog_owner to vpc;
Log in to catalog database with rman and grant the catalog to vpc.
$ rman catalog rman/rman
RMAN> GRANT CATALOG FOR DATABASE target_db TO vpc;
RMAN> exit;

Log in to catalog database with vpc and create the virtual private catalog.
$ rman catalog vpc/vpc
RMAN> CREATE VIRTUAL CATALOG;
RMAN> exit;

$ sqlplus vpc/vpc
SQL>exec rman.DBMS_RCVCAT.CREATE_VIRTUAL_CATALOG;

Recovery Manager commands

ADVISE FAILURE Will display repair options for the specified failures. 11g R1 command.
ALLOCATE Establish a channel, which is a connection between RMAN and a database instance.
ALTER DATABASE Mount or open a database.
BACKUP Backup database, tablespaces, datafiles, control files, spfile, archive logs.
BLOCKRECOVER Will recover the corrupted blocks.
CATALOG Add information about file copies and user-managed backups to the catalog repository.
CHANGE Update the status of a backup in the RMAN repository.
CONFIGURE To change RMAN settings.
Establish a connection between RMAN and a target, auxiliary, or recovery catalog
CONNECT
database.
CONVERT Convert datafile formats for transporting tablespaces and databases across platforms.
CREATE CATALOG Create the base/virtual recovery catalog.
CREATE SCRIPT Create a stored script and store it in the recovery catalog.
CROSSCHECK Check whether backup items still exist or not.
DELETE Delete backups from disk or tape.
DELETE SCRIPT Delete a stored script from the recovery catalog.
DROP CATALOG Remove the base/virtual recovery catalog.
DROP DATABASE Delete the target database from disk and unregisters it.
Use backups of the target database to create a duplicate database that we can use for
DUPLICATE
testing purposes or to create a standby database.
EXECUTE SCRIPT Run an RMAN stored script.
EXIT or QUIT Exit/quit the RMAN console.
FLASHBACK
Return the database to its state at a previous time or SCN.
DATABASE
GRANT Grant privileges to a recovery catalog user.
 Invoke an operating system command-line subshell from within RMAN or run a specific
HOST
operating system command.
IMPORT CATALOG Import the metadata from one recovery catalog into another recovery catalog.
LIST List backups and copies.
PRINT SCRIPT Display a stored script.
Apply redo logs or incremental backups to a restored backup set in order to recover it to a
RECOVER
specified time.
REGISTER Register the target database in the recovery catalog.
RELEASE CHANNEL Release a channel that was allocated.
REPAIR FAILURE Will repair database failures identified by the Data Recovery Advisor. 11g R1 command.
Replace an existing script stored in the recovery catalog. If the script does not exist, then
REPLACE SCRIPT
REPLACE SCRIPT creates it.
REPORT Report backup status - database, files, backups.
Inform RMAN that the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS has been
RESET DATABASE executed and that a new incarnation of the target database has been created, or reset the
target database to a prior incarnation.
RESTORE Restore files from RMAN backup.
Perform a full resynchronization, which creates a snapshot control file and then copies any
RESYNC CATALOG
new or changed information from that snapshot control file to the recovery catalog.
REVOKE Revoke privileges from a recovery catalog user.
RUN To run set of RMAN commands, only some RMAN commands are valid inside RUN block.
SEND Send a vendor-specific quoted string to one or more specific channels.
SET Settings for the current RMAN session.
SHOW Display the current configuration.
SHUTDOWN Shutdown the database.
SPOOL To direct RMAN output to a log file.
SQL Execute a PL/SQL procedure or SQL statement (not SELECT).
STARTUP Startup the database.
Specify that a datafile copy is now the current datafile, that is, the datafile pointed to by the
SWITCH
control file.
TRANSPORT
Create transportable tablespace sets from backup for one or more tablespaces.
TABLESPACE
UNREGISTER Unregister a database from the recovery catalog.
Upgrade the recovery catalog schema from an older version to the version required by the
UPGRADE CATALOG
RMAN executable.
VALIDATE To validate. 11g R1 command.

All RMAN commands executed through channels. A channel is a connection (session) from RMAN to target
database. These connections or channels are used to perform the desired operations.

Flash/Fast Recovery Area (FRA)

Flash recovery area is a disk location in which the database can store and manage files related to backup and
recovery.
To set the flash recovery area location and size,
use DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST andDB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE.

RMAN new features in Oracle 10g

Managing recovery related files with flash recovery area.

 Optimized incremental backups using block change tracking (Faster incremental backups) using a file
(named block change tracking file). CTWR (Change Tracking Writer) is the background process responsible for
tracking the blocks.
Reducing the time and overhead of full backups with incrementally updated backups.
Comprehensive backup job tracking and administration with Enterprise Manager.
Backup set binary compression.
New compression algorithm BZIP2 brought in.
Automated Tablespace Point-in-Time Recovery.
Automatic channel failover on backup & restore.
Cross-Platform tablespace conversion.
Ability to preview the backups required to perform a restore operation.
RMAN> restore database preview [summary];
RMAN> restore tablespace tbs1 preview;

RMAN new features in Oracle 11g Release 1

Multisection backups of same file - RMAN can backup or restore a single file in parallel by dividing the
work among multiple channels. Each channel backs up one file section, which is a contiguous range of blocks.
This speeds up overall backup and restore performance, and particularly for bigfile tablespaces, in which a
datafile can be sized upwards of several hundred GB to TB's.
Recovery will make use of flashback logs in FRA (Flash Recovery Area).
Fast Backup Compression - in addition to the Oracle Database 10g backup compression algorithm
(BZIP2), RMAN now supports the ZLIB algorithm, which offers 40% better performance, with a trade-off of no
more than 20% lower compression ratio, versus BZIP2.
RMAN> configure compression algorithm 'ZLIB' ;
Will backup uncommitted undo only, not committed undo.
Data Recovery Advisor (DRA) - quickly identify the root cause of failures; auto fix or present recovery
options to the DBA.
Virtual Private Catalog - a recovery catalog administrator can grant visibility of a subset of registered
databases in the catalog to specific RMAN users.
RMAN> grant catalog for database db-name to user-name;
Catalogs can be merged/moved/imported from one database to another.
New commands in RMAN
o RMAN> list failure;
o RMAN> list failure errnumber detail;
o RMAN> advise failure;
o RMAN> repair failure;
o RMAN> repair failure preview;
o RMAN> validate database; -- checks for corrupted blocks
o RMAN> create virtual catalog;

RMAN new features in Oracle 11g Release2

The following are new clauses and format options for the SET NEWNAME command:A single SET
NEWNAME command can be applied to all files in a database or tablespace.
SET NEWNAME FOR DATABASE TO format;
SET NEWNAME FOR TABLESPACE tsname TO format;
# New format identifiers are as follows:
# %U - Unique identifier. data_D-%d_I-%I_TS-%N_FNO-%f
# %b - UNIX base name of the original datafile name. For example, if the original datafile name was
$ORACLE_HOME/data/tbs_01.f, then %b is tbs_01.f.
RMAN related views

Control File V$ View Recovery Catalog View View Describes

V$ARCHIVED_LOG RC_ARCHIVED_LOG Archived and unarchived redo logs
V$BACKUP_DATAFILE RC_BACKUP_CONTROLFILE Control files in backup sets
V$BACKUP_CORRUPTION RC_BACKUP_CORRUPTION Corrupt block ranges in datafile backups
V$BACKUP_DATAFILE RC_BACKUP_DATAFILE Datafiles in backup sets
V$BACKUP_FILES RC_BACKUP_FILES RMAN backups and copies in the repository
V$BACKUP_PIECE RC_BACKUP_PIECE Backup pieces
V$BACKUP_REDOLOG RC_BACKUP_REDOLOG Archived logs in backups
V$BACKUP_SET RC_BACKUP_SET Backup sets
V$BACKUP_SPFILE RC_BACKUP_SPFILE Server parameter files in backup sets
V$DATAFILE_COPY RC_CONTROLFILE_COPY Control file copies on disk
V$COPY_CORRUPTION RC_COPY_CORRUPTION Information about datafile copy corruptions
Databases registered in the recovery catalog
V$DATABASE RC_DATABASE (RC_DATABASE) or information about the
currently mounted database (V$DATABASE)
V$DATABASE_ RC_DATABASE_ Database blocks marked as corrupt in the
BLOCK_CORRUPTION BLOCK_CORRUPTION most recent RMAN backup or copy
All database incarnations registered in the
V$DATABASE_INCARNATION RC_DATABASE_INCARNATION
catalog
V$DATAFILE RC_DATAFILE All datafiles registered in the recovery catalog
V$DATAFILE_COPY RC_DATAFILE_COPY Datafile image copies
V$LOG_HISTORY RC_LOG_HISTORY Historical information about online redo logs
V$OFFLINE_RANGE RC_OFFLINE_RANGE Offline ranges for datafiles
V$PROXY_ARCHIVEDLOG RC_PROXY_ARCHIVEDLOG Archived log backups created by proxy copy
V$PROXY_CONTROLFILE RC_PROXY_CONTROLFILE Control file backups created by proxy copy
V$PROXY_DATAFILE RC_PROXY_DATAFILE Datafile backups created by proxy copy
Online redo logs for all incarnations of the
V$LOG and V$LOGFILE RC_REDO_LOG database since the last catalog
resynchronization
All redo threads for all incarnations of the
V$THREAD RC_REDO_THREAD database since the last catalog
resynchronization
All restore points for all incarnations of the
V$RESTORE_POINT RC_RESTORE_POINT database since the last catalog
resynchronization
- RC_RESYNC Recovery catalog resynchronizations
V$RMAN_CONFIGURATION RC_RMAN_CONFIGURATION RMAN persistent configuration settings
Output from RMAN commands for use in
V$RMAN_OUTPUT RC_RMAN_OUTPUT
Enterprise Manager
Historical status information about RMAN
RC_RMAN_STATUS
V$RMAN_STATUS operations
All tablespaces registered in the recovery
V$TABLESPACE RC_TABLESPACE catalog, all dropped tablespaces, and
tablespaces that belong to old incarnations
RC_TEMPFILE V$TEMPFILE All tempfiles registered in the recovery catalog

RMAN related Packages

DBMS_RCVCAT
DBMS_RCVMAN
DBMS_BACKUP_RESTORE

RMAN (Recovery Manager) Commands in Oracle

rman commands
Start RMAN from the OS command line.

rman
[ TARGET [=] ['] [userid][/[password]][@net_service_name] [']
| {CATALOG [=] ['] [userid][/[password]][@net_service_name] [']
| LOG [=] [']filename['] [APPEND]
...
]...

$ rman
$ rman NOCATALOG
$ rman TARGET SYS/pwd@target
$ rman TARGET SYS/pwd@target NOCATALOG
$ rman TARGET SYS/pwd@target LOG $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/my_log.log APPEND
$ rman CATALOG rman/pwd@catdb
$ rman TARGET=SYS/pwd@target CATALOG=rman/pwd@cat
$ rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/rman@cat
$ rman TARGET / SCRIPT dwh LOG /tmp/dwh.log
$ rman PIPE newpipe TARGET / TIMEOUT 90
$ rman @/my_dir/my_commands.txt
$ rman @backup_ts_generic.rman "/tmp" USERS
$ rman CMDFILE=backup_ts_users.rman
$ rman TARGET / @backup_db.rman
$ rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/pwd@cat CMDFILE cmdfile.rcv LOG outfile.txt
$ rman TARGET / CATALOG rman/pwd@cat DEBUG TRACE trace.log
$ rman TARGET SYS/pwd@prod CATALOG rman/rman@rcat @'/oracle/dbs/whole.rcv'
$ rman TARGET user/pwd CMDFILE=takefulldb.cmd @@takefulldb.cmd
$ rman CHECKSYNTAX @'/tmp/backup_db.cmd'
$ rman MSGNO
$ rman | tee rman.log
$ rman help=yes

@ (at sign) Run a command file.

@@ (double at sign) Run a command file in the same directory as another command file that is currently running.
The @@ command differs from the @ command only when run from within a command file.
RMAN> @backup_db.rman
RMAN> @/my_dir/my_command_file.txt
RMAN> @/tmp/bkup_db.rman whole_db
RMAN> @backup_ts_generic.rman "/tmp" $1
RMAN> RUN {@backup_db.rman}

CONNECT command
Establish a connection between RMAN and a target, auxiliary, or recovery catalog database.
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET;
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET /
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET sys@tgt;
RMAN> CONNECT TARGET sys/pwd@tgt;
RMAN> CONNECT CATALOG rman@catdb;
RMAN> CONNECT CATALOG rman/pwd@catdb;
RMAN> CONNECT AUXILIARY /
RMAN> CONNECT AUXILIARY rman@auxdb;
RMAN> CONNECT AUXILIARY rman/pwd@auxdb;
CREATE CATALOG command
Create Oracle schema for the recovery catalog.
RMAN> CREATE CATALOG;
RMAN> CREATE CATALOG TABLESPACE rmants;
RMAN> CREATE VIRTUAL CATALOG; -- Oracle 11g R1
SQL> EXEC rman.DBMS_RCVCAT.CREATE_VIRTUAL_CATALOG; -- Oracle 11g R1
RMAN> SQL "EXEC catown.DBMS_RCVCAT.CREATE_VIRTUAL_CATALOG"; -- Oracle 11g R1

DROP CATALOG command

Remove Oracle schema from the recovery catalog.
RMAN> DROP CATALOG;

RESYNC CATALOG command

Perform a full resynchronization, which creates a snapshot control file and then copies any new or changed
information from that snapshot control file to the recovery catalog.
RMAN> RESYNC CATALOG;
RMAN> RESYNC CATALOG FROM DB_UNIQUE_NAME prod_db;
RMAN> RESYNC CATALOG FROM DB_UNIQUE_NAME ALL;

UPGRADE CATALOG command

Upgrade the recovery catalog schema from an older version to the version required by the RMAN executable.
RMAN> UPGRADE CATALOG;

IMPORT CATALOG command

Import the metadata from one recovery catalog into another recovery catalog.
RMAN> IMPORT CATALOG cat@srcdb;
RMAN> IMPORT CATALOG rcat@inst DBID=2871507123;
RMAN> IMPORT CATALOG cat@srcdb DBID=1844750987, 61738563;
RMAN> IMPORT CATALOG cat@srcdb DB_NAME=prod2;
RMAN> IMPORT CATALOG cat@srcdb DB_NAME=prod3, prod4;
RMAN> IMPORT CATALOG rman/rman@catdb1 DB_NAME=prod1 NO UNREGISTER;
RMAN> IMPORT CATALOG rman/oracle@catdb1 NO UNREGISTER;

REGISTER command
Register the target database in the recovery catalog.
RMAN> REGISTER DATABASE;
RMAN> REGISTER CATALOG;
RMAN> REGISTER CATALOG TABLESPACE tbs-name;

UNREGISTER command
Unregister a Oracle database from the recovery catalog.
RMAN> UNREGISTER DATABASE;
RMAN> UNREGISTER DATABASE NOPROMPT;
RMAN> UNREGISTER DATABASE prod1;
RMAN> UNREGISTER DATABASE prod2 NOPROMPT;
RMAN> UNREGISTER DB_UNIQUE_NAME prod2;
RMAN> UNREGISTER DB_UNIQUE_NAME prod1 NOPROMPT;
RMAN> UNREGISTER DB_UNIQUE_NAME prod2 INCLUDING BACKUPS;
RMAN> UNREGISTER DB_UNIQUE_NAME prod3 INCLUDING BACKUPS NOPROMPT;

GRANT command
Grant privileges to a recovery catalog user.
RMAN> GRANT CATALOG FOR DATABASE prod1 TO vpc1; -- Oracle 11g R1
RMAN> GRANT REGISTER DATABASE TO bckop2;
RMAN> GRANT RECOVERY_CATALOG_OWNER TO rmanop1, rmanop3;

REVOKE command
Revoke privileges from a recovery catalog user.
RMAN> REVOKE CATALOG FOR DATABASE prod1 FROM vpc1; -- Oracle 11g R1
RMAN> REVOKE REGISTER DATABASE FROM bckop2;
RMAN> REVOKE RECOVERY_CATALOG_OWNER FROM bckop;

RESET DATABASE command

Inform RMAN that the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS has been executed and that a
new incarnation of the target database has been created, or reset the target database to a prior incarnation.
RMAN> RESET DATABASE TO INCARNATION 3;

STARTUP command
Startup the target database. This command is equivalent to the SQL*Plus STARTUP command.
RMAN> STARTUP;
RMAN> STARTUP PFILE=/u01/app/oracle/admin/pfile/initsid.ora
RMAN> STARTUP NOMOUNT;
RMAN> STARTUP MOUNT;
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE;
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE DBA;
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE DBA PFILE=c:\Oracle\Admin\pfile\init.ora;
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE NOMOUNT;
RMAN> STARTUP FORCE MOUNT DBA PFILE=/tmp/inittrgt.ora;
RMAN> STARTUP AUXILIARY nomount;

SHUTDOWN command
Shutdown the target database. This command is equivalent to the SQL*Plus SHUTDOWN command.
RMAN> SHUTDOWN;
RMAN> SHUTDOWN NORMAL;
RMAN> SHUTDOWN TRANSACTIONAL;
RMAN> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE;
RMAN> SHUTDOWN ABORT;

ALTER DATABASE command

Mount or open a database.
RMAN> ALTER DATABASE MOUNT;
RMAN> ALTER DATABASE OPEN;
RMAN> ALTER DATABASE OPEN RESETLOGS;

SHOW command
Display the current CONFIGURE settings.

SHOW
{ RETENTION POLICY
| BACKUP OPTIMIZATION
| [DEFAULT] DEVICE TYPE
| CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP [FORMAT]
| [AUXILIARY] CHANNEL [FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier]
| MAXSETSIZE
| DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES
| ARCHIVELOG [BACKUP COPIES|DELETION POLICY]
| AUXNAME
| EXCLUDE
| ENCRYPTION {ALGORITHM | FOR [DATABASE|TABLESPACE]}
| COMPRESSION ALGORITHM
| SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME
| DB_UNIQUE_NAME
| ALL
} FOR [DB_UNIQUE_NAME [db_unique_name|ALL]];

RMAN> SHOW ALL;

CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO REDUNDANCY 1; # default
CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION OFF; # default
CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK; # default
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP OFF; # default
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO '%F'; # default
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 1 BACKUP TYPE TO BACKUPSET; # default
CONFIGURE DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 1; # default
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES FOR DISK TO 1; # default
CONFIGURE MAXSETSIZE TO UNLIMITED; # default
CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 1; # default
CONFIGURE DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR SBT TO 1; # default
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES FOR SBT TO 1; # default
CONFIGURE ENCRYPTION FOR DATABASE OFF; # default
CONFIGURE ENCRYPTION ALGORITHM 'AES128'; # default
CONFIGURE COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'BASIC' AS OF RELEASE 'DEFAULT' OPTIMIZE FOR LOAD
TRUE; # default --Oracle 11g R2
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO NONE; # default
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO '.../dbs/snapcf_sid.f'; # default

%F = dbid, day, month, year and sequence

%U = %u_%p_%c
%u = eight characters of the backup set and time ...
%p = piece number within the backupset
%c = copy number of the backup piece ...

RMAN> SHOW RETENTION POLICY;

RMAN> SHOW RETENTION POLICY
FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME ALL;
RMAN> SHOW DEVICE TYPE;
RMAN> SHOW DEVICE
TYPE FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME prod3;
RMAN> SHOW DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE;
RMAN> SHOW CHANNEL;
RMAN> SHOW MAXSETSIZE;
RMAN> SHOW BACKUP OPTIMIZATION;
RMAN> SHOW SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME;
RMAN> SHOW CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP;
RMAN> SHOW COMPRESSION ALGORITHM;
RMAN> SHOW ENCRYPTION ALGORITHM;
RMAN> SHOW ALL FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME ALL;
RMAN> SHOW ALL FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME 'STANDBY';

CONFIGURE command
To configure persistent RMAN settings. These settings apply to all RMAN sessions until explicitly changed or
disabled.

CONFIGURE deviceConf;
CONFIGURE backupConf;
CONFIGURE AUXNAME FOR DATAFILE datafileSpec {TO 'filename' | CLEAR};
CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME {TO 'filename' | CLEAR};
CONFIGURE cfauConf;
CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY
{CLEAR | TO {APPLIED ON [ALL] STANDBY | BACKED UP integer TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier |
NONE | SHIPPED TO [ALL] STANDBY}
[{APPLIED ON [ALL] STANDBY | BACKED UP integer TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier | NONE |
SHIPPED TO [ALL] STANDBY}]
}

deviceConf::=
{ DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE { TO deviceSpec | CLEAR }
| DEVICE TYPE deviceSpec { PARALLELISM integer | CLEAR }
| [AUXILIARY] CHANNEL [integer] DEVICE TYPE deviceSpec {allocOperandList|CLEAR}
}

allocOperandList::=
{ PARMS [=] 'channel_parms'
| FORMAT [=] 'format_string' [, 'format_string']...
| { MAXPIECESIZE [=] integer | RATE [=] integer } [K | M | G]
...
}...

connectStringSpec::=
['] [userid] [/[password]] [@net_service_name] [']

backupConf::=
{RETENTION POLICY {TO {RECOVERY WINDOW OF integer DAYS
| REDUNDANCY [=] integer | NONE
}
| CLEAR
}
| MAXSETSIZE {TO {integer [K | M | G]| UNLIMITED}
| CLEAR
}
| {ARCHIVELOG | DATAFILE}
BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpec {TO integer | CLEAR}
| BACKUP OPTIMIZATION {ON | OFF | CLEAR}
| EXCLUDE FOR TABLESPACE tablespace_name [CLEAR]
}

cfauConf::==
CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP {ON | OFF | CLEAR | FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpec {TO 'format
string'|CLEAR}}

RMAN> CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP ON;

RMAN> CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP OFF;
RMAN> CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 'cf%F';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO '+BACKUP';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK CLEAR;
RMAN> CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO REDUNDANCY 3;
RMAN> CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY TO RECOVERY WINDOW OF 7 DAYS;
RMAN> CONFIGURE RETENTION POLICY CLEAR;
RMAN> CONFIGURE DATAFILE BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 2;

RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG BACKUP COPIES FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 2;

RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY CLEAR; --11g
RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO NONE;
RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO SHIPPED TO STANDBY;
RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO SHIPPED TO ALL STANDBY;
RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO APPLIED ON STANDBY;
RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO APPLIED ON ALL STANDBY;
RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO BACKED UP 2 TIMES TO sbt;
RMAN> CONFIGURE ARCHIVELOG DELETION POLICY TO BACKED UP 3 TIMES TO disk;

RMAN> CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO sbt;

RMAN> CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK;
RMAN> CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE sbt PARALLELISM 3;
RMAN> CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 4;
RMAN> CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK PARALLELISM 3 BACKUP TYPE TO BACKUPSET;
RMAN> CONFIGURE DEVICE TYPE DISK BACKUP TYPE TO COMPRESSED BACKUPSET;

RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt;

RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS='ENV=mml_env_settings';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS 'ENV=(NSR_SERVER=bksrv1)';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS 'BLKSIZE=1048576';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt FORMAT 'bkup_%U';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt CLEAR;
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL 2 DEVICE TYPE sbt CONNECT 'SYS/pwd@node2' PARMS
'ENV=(NSR_SERVER=bksrv2)';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/tmp/%U';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT 'C:\backup\df%t_s%s_s%p';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL 2 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/backup/db_%s%d_%p';
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT CLEAR;
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE DISK DEBUG 5;

RMAN> CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION ON;

RMAN> CONFIGURE BACKUP OPTIMIZATION OFF;
RMAN> CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO /backup/snapcf_%d.f;
RMAN> CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO +FRA/snap/snapcf_%d.f;
RMAN> CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO /ocfs/oradata/snapcf;
RMAN> CONFIGURE SNAPSHOT CONTROLFILE NAME TO /dev/sda;
RMAN> CONFIGURE MAXSETSIZE TO 100M;
RMAN> CONFIGURE MAXSETSIZE TO UNLIMITED;
RMAN> CONFIGURE CHANNEL DEVICE TYPE sbt MAXPIECESIZE 1G;
RMAN> CONFIGURE EXCLUDE FOR TABLESPACE example;
RMAN> CONFIGURE EXCLUDE CLEAR;
RMAN> CONFIGURE AUXNAME FOR DATAFILE 4 TO '/oracle/auxfiles/aux_4.f';
RMAN> CONFIGURE AUXNAME FOR DATAFILE 2 CLEAR;

RMAN> CONFIGURE COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'BZIP2';

RMAN> CONFIGURE COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'ZLIB'; --Oracle 11g R1
RMAN> CONFIGURE COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'LOW'; --11g R2,corresponds to LZO
RMAN> CONFIGURE COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'MEDIUM'; --11g R2,corresponds to ZLIB
RMAN> CONFIGURE COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'HIGH'; --11g R2,corresponds to unmodified BZIP2
RMAN> CONFIGURE COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'BASIC'; --Oracle 11g R2,corresponds to BZIP2

RMAN> CONFIGURE DB_UNIQUE_NAME 'standby' CONNECT IDENTIFIER 'standby_cs';

RMAN> CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME 'standby';
RMAN> CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO DISK FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME ALL;
RMAN> CONFIGURE DEFAULT DEVICE TYPE TO SBT FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME po;

SET command
Set the value of various attributes that affect RMAN behaviour for the duration of a RUN block or a session.

SET {set_rman_option [;] | set_run_option;}

set_rman_option::=
{ECHO {ON|OFF} | DBID [=] integer
| CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpec TO 'frmt_string'

set_run_option::=
{ NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE datafileSpec TO {'filename' | NEW}
| ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION TO 'log_archive_dest'
| untilClause
| COMMAND ID TO 'string'
| CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE deviceSpec TO 'frmt_string'
...
}

ECHO - Controls whether RMAN commands are displayed in the message log.

DBID - A unique 32-bit identification number computed when the database is created. RMAN displays the DBID
upon connection to the target database. We can obtain the DBID by querying V$DATABASE or RC_DATABASE.
NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE - The default name for all subsequent RESTORE or SWITCH commands that affect
the specified datafile.

MAXCORRUPT FOR DATAFILE - A limit on the number of previously undetected physical block corruptions that
Oracle will allow in the datafile(s).

AUTOLOCATE - Force RMAN to automatically discover which nodes of an Oracle Real Application
Clustersconfiguration contain the backups that you want to restore.

RMAN> SET ECHO ON;

RMAN> SET ECHO OFF;
RMAN> SET DATABASE prod;
RMAN> SET DBID=4240978820;
RMAN> SET DBID 591329635;
RMAN> SET COMMAND ID TO 'rman';
RMAN> SET MAXCORRUPT FOR DATABASE TO 2;
RMAN> SET MAXCORRUPT FOR DATAFILE 13 TO 200;
RMAN> SET BACKUP COPIES = 2;

RMAN> SET NEWNAME FOR DATABASE TO '/oradata1/%b';

RMAN> SET NEWNAME FOR TABLESPACE users TO '/oradata2/%U';
RMAN> SET NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE 1 to /oradata/system01.dbf;
RMAN> SET NEWNAME FOR DATAFILE '/disk7/tbs11.f' TO '/disk9/tbs11.f';
RMAN> SET NEWNAME FOR TEMPFILE 1 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp1.f';

RMAN> SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE sbt TO 'cf_%F';
RMAN> SET CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK TO 'cf_%F.bak';
RMAN> SET UNTIL TIME 04-23-2010:23:50:04;
RMAN> SET ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION TO '/oracle/temp_restore';
RMAN> SET COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'LOW';
RMAN> SET COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'LOW' OPTIMIZE FOR LOAD FALSE;
RMAN> SET COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'MEDIUM';
RMAN> SET COMPRESSION ALGORITHM 'HIGH';

BACKUP command
Backs up Oracle database files, copies of database files, archived logs, or backup sets.

BACKUP FULL Options

BACKUP FULL AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) Options
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer Options
BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) Options
BACKUP AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) Options
BACKUP AS (COPY | BACKUPSET) (FULL | INCREMENTAL LEVEL [=] integer) Options

Options::=
[backupOperand [backupOperand]...] backupSpec [backupSpec]...
[PLUS ARCHIVELOG [backupSpecOperand [backupSpecOperand]...]];

backupOperand::=
{ FORMAT [=] 'format_string' [, 'format_string']...
| CHANNEL ['] channel_id [']
| CUMULATIVE
| MAXSETSIZE [=] integer [K | M | G]
| TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
| keepOption
| SKIP {OFFLINE | READONLY | INACCESSIBLE}
| VALIDATE
| NOT BACKED UP [SINCE TIME [=] 'date_string']
| COPIES [=] integer
| DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier
...
}

backupSpec::=
[(]
{ BACKUPSET
{ {ALL | completedTimeSpec }| primary_key) [, primary_key]... }
| COPY OF { DATABASE
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
| DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
}
| DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
| DATAFILECOPY 'filename' [, 'filename']...
| DATAFILECOPY FROM TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] [, ['] tag_name [']]...
| DATAFILECOPY { ALL | LIKE 'string_pattern' }
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
| DATABASE
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| CURRENT CONTROLFILE [FOR STANDBY]
| CONTROLFILECOPY 'filename'
| SPFILE
}
[backupSpecOperand [backupSpecOperand]...]

backupSpecOperand::=
{ FORMAT [=] 'format_string' [, 'format_string']...
| CHANNEL ['] channel_id [']
| CUMULATIVE
| MAXSETSIZE [=] integer [K | M | G]
| TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
| keepOption
| SKIP {OFFLINE | READONLY | INACCESSIBLE}
| NOT BACKED UP [SINCE TIME [=] 'date_string' | integer TIMES]
| DELETE [ALL] INPUT
...
}

RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE;

RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE TAG=test backup;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE COMMENT=full backup;
RMAN> BACKUP TAG 'weekly_full_db_bkup' DATABASE MAXSETSIZE 10M;
RMAN> BACKUP MAXSETSIZE 500M DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
RMAN> BACKUP DURATION 00:60 DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP DURATION 00:30 MINIMIZE TIME DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP DURATION 00:45 MINIMIZE LOAD DATABASE;

RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;

RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE KEEP FOREVER;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE KEEP UNTIL TIME=SYSDATE+30;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE UNTIL 'SYSDATE+365' NOLOGS;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE NOEXCLUDE;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE NOEXCLUDE KEEP FOREVER TAG=abc;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE SKIP READONLY;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE SKIP OFFLINE;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE SKIP INACCESSIBLE;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE SKIP READONLY SKIP OFFLINE SKIP INACCESSIBLE;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE FORCE; -- backup read only database also
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE NOT BACKED UP;
RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE NOT BACKED UP SINCE TIME=SYSDATE3;
RMAN> BACKUP NOT BACKED UP SINCE TIME 'SYSDATE-10' MAXSETSIZE 500M DATABASE PLUS
ARCHIVELOG;

RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE COPIES=2;

RMAN> BACKUP DATABASE FORMAT '/disk1/backups/db_%U.bck'
TAG quarterly KEEP UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE+365' RESTORE POINT Q1FY12;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt DATAFILECOPY FROM TAG 'latest' FORMAT 'df%f_%d';
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt ARCHIVELOG LIKE '/disk%arc%' DELETE ALL INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt BACKUPSET COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-14'DELETE INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP CHECK LOGICAL DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP VALIDATE CHECK LOGICAL DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP VALIDATE DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP VALIDATE DATABASE ARCHIVELOG ALL;

RMAN> BACKUP TABLESPACE test;

RMAN> BACKUP TABLESPACE system, users, tools;
RMAN> BACKUP TABLESPACE 4;
RMAN> BACKUP TABLESPACE gld PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
RMAN> BACKUP TABLESPACE invd INCLUDE CURRENT CONTROLFILE;
RMAN> BACKUP TABLESPACE appsd INCLUDE CURRENT CONTROLFILE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
RMAN> BACKUP TABLESPACE dwh SECTION SIZE 100M;
RMAN> BACKUP SECTION SIZE 250M TABLESPACE datamart;

RMAN> BACKUP DATAFILE 1;

RMAN> BACKUP DATAFILE 3, 2, 14;
RMAN> BACKUP DATAFILE /u01/data/...;
RMAN> BACKUP DATAFILE 1 PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
RMAN> BACKUP KEEP FOREVER FORMAT '?/dbs/%U_longterm.cpy' TAG longterm_bck DATAFILE 1
DATAFILE 2;
RMAN> BACKUP SECTION SIZE 500M DATAFILE 6;

RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL;

RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL DELETE INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG LIKE '/arch%' DELETE ALL INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG FROM TIME SYSDATE3;
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG FROM SEQUENCE 100;
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG FROM SEQUENCE 999 DELETE INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG FROM SEQUENCE 123 DELETE ALL INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG FROM SEQUENCE 21531 UNTIL SEQUENCE 21590 FORMAT
'/tmp/archive_backup.bkp';
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG ALL FROM SEQUENCE 1200 DELETE ALL INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG NOT BACKED UP 2 TIMES;
RMAN> BACKUP ARCHIVELOG COMPLETION TIME BETWEEN 'SYSDATE-28' AND 'SYSDATE-7';
RMAN> BACKUP FORMAT='AL_%d/%t/%s/%p' ARCHIVELOG LIKE '%arc_dest%';

RMAN> BACKUP CURRENT CONTROLFILE;

OR
RMAN> SQL ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO /u01/ .../bkctl.ctl ;

RMAN> BACKUP CURRENT CONTROLFILE TO '/backup/cntrlfile.copy';

RMAN> BACKUP CONTROLFILE COPY /u10/backup/control.bkp;
RMAN> BACKUP SPFILE;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt SPFILE ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt DATAFILECOPY ALL NODUPLICATES;

RMAN> BACKUP RECOVERY FILES;

BACKUP set
RMAN> BACKUP BACKUPSET ALL;
RMAN> BACKUP BACKUPSET ALL FORMAT = /u01/.../backup_%u.bak;
RMAN> BACKUP BACKUPSET COMPLETED BEFORE SYSDATE-3 DELETE INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt BACKUPSET COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-14' DELETE INPUT;
RMAN> BACKUP COPIES 2 DEVICE TYPE sbt BACKUPSET ALL;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COMPRESSED BACKUPSET;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COMPRESSED BACKUPSET DEVICE TYPE DISK COPIES 2 DATABASE FORMAT
'/disk1/db_%U', '/disk2/db_%U';
RMAN> BACKUP AS COMPRESSED BACKUPSET INCREMENTAL FROM SCN 4111140000000 DATABASE
TAG 'RMAN_RECOVERY';
RMAN> BACKUP AS BACKUPSET DATAFILE
'$ORACLE_HOME/oradata/users01.dbf','$ORACLE_HOME/oradata/tools01.dbf';
RMAN> BACKUP AS BACKUPSET DATAFILECOPY ALL;
RMAN> BACKUP AS BACKUPSET DATAFILECOPY ALL NODUPLICATES;

IMAGE copy
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY COPY OF DATABASE FROM TAG 'test' CHECK LOGICAL TAG 'duptest';
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY TABLESPACE 8;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY TABLESPACE test;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY TABLESPACE system, tools, users, undotbs;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY DATAFILE 1;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY DATAFILE 2 FORMAT '/disk2/df2.cpy' TAG my_tag;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY CURRENT CONTROLFILE;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY CURRENT CONTROLFILE FORMAT /....;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY KEEP FOREVER NOLOGS CURRENT CONTROLFILE FORMAT
'?/oradata/cf_longterm.cpy',DATAFILE 1 FORMAT '?/oradata/df1_longterm.cpy', DATAFILE 2 FORMAT
'?/oradata/df2_longterm.cpy';
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY DATAFILECOPY 'bar' FORMAT 'foobar';
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY DATAFILECOPY '/disk2/df2.cpy' FORMAT '/disk1/df2.cpy';
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY REUSE TARGETFILE '/u01/oracle/11.2.0.2/dbs/orapwcrd' AUXILIARY FORMAT
'/u01/oracle/11.2.0.2/dbs/orapwcrd';
RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY CURRENT CONTROLFILE FOR STANDBY AUXILIARY format
'+DATA/crd/data1/control01.ctl';

Incremental backups
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL=0 DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL=1 DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL=2 DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 2 CUMULATIVE DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 2 DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL=0 DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 CUMULATIVE SKIP INACCESSIBLE DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 FOR RECOVER OF COPY WITH TAG 'incr' DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK INCREMENTAL LEVEL 1 FOR RECOVER OF COPY WITH TAG 'oltp'
DATABASE;
RMAN> BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK INCREMENTAL FROM SCN 351986 DATABASE FORMAT
'/tmp/incr_standby_%U';
RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL FROM SCN 629184 DATAFILE 5 FORMAT '/tmp/ForStandby_%U' TAG
'FORSTANDBY';

RMAN> BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL = --- tablespace/datafile

RMAN> BACKUP BLOCKS ALL CHECK LOGICAL VALIDATE DATAFILE 1398;

LIST command
Produce a detailed listing of backup sets or copies.

LIST
{ INCARNATION [OF DATABASE [[']database_name[']]]
| [EXPIRED] {listObjectSpec
[ maintQualifier | RECOVERABLE [untilClause] ]... | recordSpec}
};

listObjectSpec::=
{BACKUP [OF listObjectList] [listBackupOption] | COPY [OF listObjectList] | archivelogRecordSpecifier}

listObjectList::=
[ DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
| TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']]...
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| DATABASE [SKIP TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']] ...]
| CONTROLFILE
| SPFILE
]...

listBackupOption::=
[[BY BACKUP] [VERBOSE] | SUMMARY | BY {BACKUP SUMMARY|FILE}]
RMAN> LIST INCARNATION;
RMAN> LIST INCARNATION OF DATABASE;
RMAN> LIST INCARNATION OF DATABASE vis;
RMAN> LIST DB_UNIQUE_NAME ALL;
RMAN> LIST DB_UNIQUE_NAME OF DATABASE;

RMAN> LIST BACKUP;

RMAN> LIST BACKUP SUMMARY;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP BY FILE;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF DATABASE;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF DATABASE BY BACKUP;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF TABLESPACE test SUMMARY;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF DATAFILE 65;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF DATAFILE 11 SUMMARY;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF CONTROLFILE;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF ARCHIVELOG FROM SEQUENCE 2222;
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF ARCHIVELOG FROM TIME 'sysdate-1';
RMAN> LIST BACKUP OF ARCHIVELOG ALL COMPLETED BEFORE 'sysdate-2';
RMAN> LIST BACKUP RECOVERABLE;
RMAN> LIST EXPIRED BACKUP;
RMAN> LIST EXPIRED BACKUP OF ARCHIVELOG ALL SUMMARY;

RMAN> LIST COPY;

RMAN> LIST COPY OF DATABASE ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN> LIST COPY OF TABLESPACE appl_idx;
RMAN> LIST COPY OF DATAFILE 11, 60, 98;
RMAN> LIST COPY OF CONTROLFILE;
RMAN> LIST EXPIRED COPY;

RMAN> LIST BACKUPSET SUMMARY;

RMAN> LIST BACKUPSET 109;
RMAN> LIST BACKUPSET OF DATAFILE 1;
RMAN> LIST ARCHIVELOG;
RMAN> LIST ARCHIVELOG ALL LIKE '%5515%';
RMAN> LIST CONTROLFILECOPY "/tmp/cntrlfile.copy";

RMAN> LIST SCRIPT NAMES;

RMAN> LIST ALL SCRIPT NAMES;
RMAN> LIST GLOBAL SCRIPT NAMES;

RMAN> LIST FAILURE; -- 11g R1

RMAN> LIST FAILURE 420 DETAIL; -- 11g R1
RMAN> LIST FAILURE ALL; -- 11g R1

RMAN> LIST RESTORE POINT ALL;

REPORT command
Report backup status: database, files, and backups. Perform detailed analyses of the content of the recovery
catalog.

REPORT
{{NEED BACKUP [{INCREMENTAL | DAYS} [=] integer| REDUNDANCY [=] integer | RECOVERY WINDOW OF
integer DAYS)]
| UNRECOVERABLE
}
reportObject
| SCHEMA [atClause]
| OBSOLETE [obsOperandList]
}
[DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [,deviceSpecifier]... ]

reportObject::=
[ DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
| TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']] ...
| DATABASE [SKIP TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']] ...]
]

atClause::=
{AT TIME [=] 'date_string' | AT SCN [=] integer|AT SEQUENCE [=] integer THREAD [=] integer
}

obsOperandList::=
[REDUNDANCY [=] integer | RECOVERY WINDOW OF integer DAYS | ORPHAN]...

RMAN> REPORT OBSOLETE;

RMAN> REPORT NEED BACKUP;
RMAN> REPORT NEED BACKUP DAYS=5;
RMAN> REPORT NEED BACKUP REDUNDANCY=3;
RMAN> REPORT NEED BACKUP RECOVERY WINDOW OF 7 DAYS;
RMAN> REPORT NEED BACKUP DATABASE;
RMAN> REPORT NEED BACKUP INCREMENTAL 1;
RMAN> REPORT UNRECOVERABLE;
RMAN> REPORT SCHEMA;
RMAN> REPORT SCHEMA AT TIME 'sysdate-20/1440';

CHANGE command
Update the status of a backup in the RMAN repository. Mark a backup piece, image copy, or archived redo log as
having the status UNAVAILABLE or AVAILABLE; remove the repository record for a backup or copy; override the
retention policy for a backup or copy; update the recovery catalog with the DB_UNIQUE_NAME for the target
database.

CHANGE {BACKUP | COPY} [OF listObjList] [maintQualifier [maintQualifier]...]

{AVAILABLE | UNAVAILABLE | UNCATALOG | keepOption}
[DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...];

CHANGE archivelogRecordSpecifier {AVAILABLE | UNAVAILABLE | UNCATALOG | keepOption}

[DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...];

CHANGE recordSpec [DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...

{AVAILABLE | UNAVAILABLE | UNCATALOG | keepOption}
[DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...];

listObjList::=
[DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| DATABASE [SKIP TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']] ...]
| CONTROLFILE
| SPFILE
]...

recordSpec::=
{{BACKUPPIECE | PROXY}
{'media_handle' [, 'media_handle']... | primary_key [, primary_key]... | TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
}
| BACKUPSET primary_key [, primary_key]...
| {CONTROLFILECOPY | DATAFILECOPY}
{{primary_key [, primary_key]... | 'filename' [, 'filename']...}
| TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] [, ['] tag_name [']]...
}
| ARCHIVELOG {primary_key [, primary_key]... | 'filename' [, 'filename']...}
}

RMAN> CHANGE BACKUPSET 666 KEEP FOREVER;

RMAN> CHANGE BACKUPSET 431 KEEP FOREVER NOLOGS;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUPSET 100 UNAVAILABLE;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUPSET 123 NOKEEP;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUPSET 121,122,127,203,300 UNCATALOG;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP OF DATABASE TAG=abc UNAVAILABLE;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP OF DATABASE DEVICE TYPE DISK UNAVAILABLE;
RMAN> CHANGE COPY OF DATABASE CONTROLFILE NOKEEP;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP OF SPFILE COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-3' UNAVAILABLE;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP TAG 'consistent_db_bkup' KEEP FOREVER;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP TAG 'consistent_db_bkup' DATABASE KEEP FOREVER;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP TAG 'consistent_db_bkup' KEEP FOREVER NOLOGS;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP TAG 'consistent_db_bkup' NOKEEP;

RMAN> CHANGE ARCHIVELOG ALL UNCATALOG;

RMAN> CHANGE CONTROLFILECOPY '/tmp/cf.cpy' UNCATALOG;
RMAN> CHANGE FAILURE 5 PRIORITY LOW;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME standby1 RESET DB_UNIQUE_NAME;
RMAN> CHANGE BACKUP FOR DB_UNIQUE_NAME standby3 RESET DB_UNIQUE_NAME TO standby2;
RMAN> CHANGE DB_UNIQUE_NAME FROM rdbms4 TO rdbms_dev;

CROSSCHECK command
Check whether files managed by RMAN, such as archived logs, datafile copies, and backup pieces, still exist on
disk or tape.

CROSSCHECK
{{BACKUP [OF listObjList] | COPY [OF listObjList] | archivelogRecordSpecifier} [maintQualifier [maintQualifier]...]
| recordSpec [DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...]
};

listObjList::=
[ DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| DATABASE [SKIP TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']] ...]
| CONTROLFILE
| SPFILE
]...

recordSpec::=
{{ BACKUPPIECE | PROXY }
{ 'media_handle' [, 'media_handle']...| primary_key [, primary_key]... | TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] }
| BACKUPSET primary_key [, primary_key]...
| { CONTROLFILECOPY | DATAFILECOPY }
{ {primary_key [, primary_key]... | 'filename' [, 'filename']...}
| TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] [, ['] tag_name [']]...
}
| ARCHIVELOG { primary_key [, primary_key]... | 'filename' [, 'filename']... }
}

RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP;

RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP TAG=full db;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP COMPLETED BETWEEN SYSDATE-7 AND SYSDATE1;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP COMPLETED BETWEEN '01-JAN-10' AND '14-FEB-10';
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt COMPLETED BETWEEN '01-AUG-09' AND '31-DEC-09';
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK COMPLETED BETWEEN '01-JAN-10' AND '23-MAR-
10';

RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF DATABASE;

RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF TABLESPACE warehouse;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF TABLESPACE userd COMPLETED BEFORE 'SYSDATE-14';
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF TABLESPACES gld, invd;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF DATAFILE 9;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF DATAFILE 4 COMPLETED AFTER 'SYSDATE-14';
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF DATAFILE "?/oradata/dwh/system01.dbf" COMPLETED AFTER
'SYSDATE-14';
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF CONTROLFILE;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF SPFILE;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUP OF ARCHIVELOG ALL SPFILE;

RMAN> CROSSCHECK COPY;

RMAN> CROSSCHECK COPY OF DATABASE;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK DATAFILECOPY 113, 114, 115;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK CONTROLFILECOPY '/tmp/control01.ctl';
RMAN> CROSSCHECK ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUPSET;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUPSET 1338, 1339, 1340;
RMAN> CROSSCHECK BACKUPPIECE TAG = 'nightly_backup';
RMAN> CROSSCHECK PROXY 789;

SQL command
Execute a SQL statement from within Recovery Manager.

SQL [CHANNEL channel_id] command;

RMAN> SQL 'ALTER TABLESPACE users ONLINE';

RMAN> SQL 'ALTER DATABASE DATAFILE 64 OFFLINE';
RMAN> SQL "ALTER SYSTEM ARCHIVE LOG CURRENT";
RMAN> SQL "ALTER SYSTEM SWITCH LOGFILE";
RMAN> SQL "ALTER DATABASE BACKUP CONTROLFILE TO TRACE";
RMAN> SQL "ALTER TABLESPACE users ADD DATAFILE ''/disk1/ora/users02.dbf'' SIZE 100K AUTOEXTEND
ON NEXT 10K MAXSIZE 100K";

RESTORE command
Restore files from backup sets or from disk copies to the default or a new location.

RESTORE
[(] restoreObject [(restoreSpecOperand [restoreSpecOperand]...] [)]...
[ CHANNEL ['] channel_id [']
| PARMS [=] 'channel_parms'
| FROM { BACKUPSET | DATAFILECOPY }
| untilClause
| FROM TAG [=] ['] tag_name [']
| VALIDATE
| DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...
]...;

restoreObject::=
{ CONTROLFILE [TO 'filename']
| DATABASE [SKIP [FOREVER] TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']] ...]
| DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| SPFILE [TO [PFILE] 'filename']
}

restoreSpecOperand::=
{ CHANNEL ['] channel_id ['] | FROM TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] | PARMS [=] 'channel_parms'
| FROM {AUTOBACKUP [{MAXSEQ | MAXDAYS} [=] integer)]... | 'media_handle'}
}

RMAN> RESTORE DATABASE;

RMAN> RESTORE DATABASE VALIDATE;
RMAN> RESTORE DATABASE PREVIEW;
RMAN> RESTORE DATABASE PREVIEW SUMMARY;
RMAN> RESTORE DATABASE SKIP TABLESPACE temp, history;
RMAN> RESTORE DATABASE UNTIL SCN 154876;

RMAN> RESTORE TABLESPACE users;

RMAN> RESTORE TABLESPACE dwh1, dwh2;
RMAN> RESTORE TABLESPACE tbs1 PREVIEW;
RMAN> RESTORE TABLESPACE users VALIDATE;

RMAN> RESTORE DATAFILE 45;

RMAN> RESTORE DATAFILE 23 PREVIEW;
RMAN> RESTORE DATAFILE 12 VALIDATE;

RMAN> RESTORE CONTROLFILE;

RMAN> RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM AUTOBACKUP;
RMAN> RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM TAG 'monday_cf_backup';
RMAN> RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM '/u01/control01.ctl';
RMAN> RESTORE CONTROLFILE VALIDATE;
RMAN> RESTORE CONTROLFILE TO '/tmp/autobkp.dbf' FROM AUTOBACKUP MAXSEQ 20 MAXDAYS 150;

RMAN> RESTORE SPFILE;

RMAN> RESTORE SPFILE FROM AUTOBACKUP;
RMAN> RESTORE ARCHIVELOG ALL VALIDATE;
RMAN> RESTORE ARCHIVELOG ALL PREVIEW;
RMAN> RESTORE ARCHIVELOG ALL PREVIEW RECALL;
RMAN> RESTORE ARCHIVELOG ALL DEVICE TYPE sbt PREVIEW;
RMAN> RESTORE ARCHIVELOG LOW LOGSEQ 78311 HIGH LOGSEQ 78340 THREAD 1 ALL;
RMAN> RESTORE ARCHIVELOG FROM LOGSEQ=21531 UNTIL LOGSEQ=21590;
RMAN> RESTORE STANDBY CONTROLFILE FROM TAG 'forstandby';
RMAN> RESTORE CLONE CONTROLFILE TO '+DATA/pcrd/data2/control02.ctl' FROM
'+DATA/pcrd/data1/control01.ctl';

Restore the control file, (to all locations specified in the parameter file) then restore the database, using that
control file:
STARTUP NOMOUNT;
RUN
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 DEVICE TYPE sbt;
RESTORE CONTROLFILE;
ALTER DATABASE MOUNT;
RESTORE DATABASE;
}

RECOVER command
Perform media recovery from RMAN backups and copies. Apply redo log files and incremental backups to
datafiles or data blocks restored from backup or datafile copies, to update them to a specified time.

RECOVER [DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...]

recoverObject [recoverOptionList];

recoverObject::=
{ DATABASE
[ untilClause
| [untilClause] SKIP [FOREVER] TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']] ...]
| TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']]...
| DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
}

recoverOptionList::=
{ DELETE ARCHIVELOG [MAXSIZE {integer [K | M | G]}]
| CHECK READONLY
| NOREDO
| {FROM TAG | ARCHIVELOG TAG} [=] ['] tag_name [']
...
}

RMAN> RECOVER DATABASE;

RMAN> RECOVER DATABASE NOREDO;
RMAN> RECOVER DATABASE SKIP TABLESPACE temp;
RMAN> RECOVER DATABASE SKIP FOREVER TABLESPACE exam;
RMAN> RECOVER DATABASE UNTIL SCN 154876;

RMAN> RECOVER TABLESPACE users;

RMAN> RECOVER TABLESPACE dwh DELETE ARCHIVELOG MAXSIZE 2M;
RMAN> RECOVER DATAFILE 33;
RMAN> RECOVER DATAFILE 3 BLOCK 116 DATAFILE 4 BLOCK 10;
RMAN> RECOVER DATAFILE 2 BLOCK 204 DATAFILE 9 BLOCK 109 FROM TAG=sundaynight;
RMAN> RECOVER DATAFILECOPY '/disk1/img.df' UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-7';
RMAN> RECOVER COPY OF DATABASE WITH TAG 'incr';
RMAN> RECOVER COPY OF DATABASE WITH TAG 'upd' UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE - 7';
RMAN> RECOVER CORRUPTION LIST;

Restore and recover the whole database

RMAN> STARTUP FORCE MOUNT;
RMAN> RESTORE DATABASE;
RMAN> RECOVER DATABASE;
RMAN> ALTER DATABASE OPEN;

Restore and recover a tablespace

RMAN> SQL 'ALTER TABLESPACE users OFFLINE';
RMAN> RESTORE TABLESPACE users;
RMAN> RECOVER TABLESPACE users;
RMAN> SQL 'ALTER TABLESPACE users ONLINE';

Restore and recover a datafile

RMAN> SQL 'ALTER DATABASE DATAFILE 64 OFFLINE';
RMAN> RESTORE DATAFILE 64;
RMAN> RECOVER DATAFILE 64;
RMAN> SQL 'ALTER DATABASE DATAFILE 64 ONLINE';

Steps for media recovery:

1. Mount or open the Oracle database. Mount the database when performing whole database recovery, or open
the database when performing online tablespace/datafile recovery.
2. To perform incomplete recovery, use the SET UNTIL command to specify the time, SCN, or log sequence
number at which recovery terminates. Alternatively, specify the UNTIL clause on the RESTORE and RECOVER
commands.
3. Restore the necessary files with the RESTORE command.
4. Recover the datafiles with the RECOVER command.
5. Place the database in its normal state. For example, open it or bring recovered tablespaces/datafiles online.

DELETE command
Delete backups and copies, remove references to them from the recovery catalog, and update their control file
records to status DELETED.

DELETE [FORCE] [NOPROMPT]

{[EXPIRED]
{
{BACKUP [OF listObjectList] | COPY [OF listObectjList] | archivelogRecordSpecifier
} [maintQualifier [maintQualifier]...]
| recordSpec [DEVICE TYPE deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...]
}
| OBSOLETE [REDUNDANCY [=] integer | RECOVERY WINDOW OF integer DAYS | ORPHAN] [DEVICE TYPE
(deviceSpecifier [, deviceSpecifier]...]
};

recordSpec::=
{ { BACKUPPIECE | PROXY }
{ 'media_handle' [, 'media_handle']...| primary_key [, primary_key]...| TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] }
| BACKUPSET primary_key [, primary_key]...
| { CONTROLFILECOPY | DATAFILECOPY }
{ {primary_key [, primary_key]... | 'filename' [, 'filename']...}
| TAG [=] ['] tag_name ['] [, ['] tag_name [']]...
}
| ARCHIVELOG { primary_key [, primary_key]... | 'filename' [, 'filename']... }

listObjectList::=
[ DATAFILE datafileSpec [, datafileSpec]...
| TABLESPACE ['] tablespace_name ['] [, ['] tablespace_name [']]...
| archivelogRecordSpecifier
| DATABASE [SKIP TABLESPACE [']tablespace_name['] [, [']tablespace_name[']] ...]
| CONTROLFILE
| SPFILE
]...

RMAN> DELETE OBSOLETE;

RMAN> DELETE NOPROMPT OBSOLETE;
RMAN> DELETE NOPROMPT OBSOLETE RECOVERY WINDOW OF 7 DAYS;
RMAN> DELETE EXPIRED BACKUP;
RMAN> DELETE EXPIRED BACKUP DEVICE TYPE sbt;
RMAN> DELETE BACKUP OF DATABASE LIKE '/tmp%';
RMAN> DELETE NOPROMPT EXPIRED BACKUP OF TABLESPACE userd COMPLETED BEFORE
'SYSDATE-14';
RMAN> DELETE BACKUP OF SPFILE TABLESPACE users DEVICE TYPE SBT;

RMAN> DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL;

RMAN> DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL COMPLETED BEFORE 'sysdate-2';
RMAN> DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL BACKED UP 2 TIMES TO DEVICE TYPE SBT;
RMAN> DELETE ARCHIVELOG ALL LIKE '%755153075%';
RMAN> DELETE ARCHIVELOG UNTIL SEQUENCE=79228;
RMAN> DELETE FORCE ARCHIVELOG ALL COMPLETED BEFORE 'sysdate-1.5';
RMAN> DELETE FORCE ARCHIVELOG UNTIL SEQUENCE=16364;
RMAN> DELETE NOPROMPT ARCHIVELOG UNTIL SEQUENCE = 7300;
RMAN> DELETE EXPIRED ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN> DELETE NOPROMPT EXPIRED ARCHIVELOG ALL;
RMAN> DELETE BACKUPSET 101, 102, 103;
RMAN> DELETE NOPROMPT BACKUPSET TAG weekly_bkup;
RMAN> DELETE FORCE NOPROMPT BACKUPSET TAG weekly_bkup;

RMAN> DELETE DATAFILECOPY "+DG_DATA/db/datafile/system.259.699468079";

RMAN> DELETE CONTROLFILECOPY '/tmp/cntrlfile.copy';
RMAN> DELETE BACKUP DEVICE TYPE SBT;
RMAN> DELETE BACKUP DEVICE TYPE DISK;
RMAN> DELETE COPY;
RMAN> DELETE EXPIRED COPY;
RMAN> DELETE COPY TAG 'lastest';

DROP DATABASE command

Delete the target database from disk and unregisters it.
RMAN> DROP DATABASE;
RMAN> DROP DATABASE NOPROMPT;
RMAN> DROP DATABASE INCLUDING BACKUPS;
RMAN> DROP DATABASE INCLUDING BACKUPS NOPROMPT;

DUPLICATE command
Use backups of the target database to create a duplicate database that we can use for testing purposes or to
create a standby database.
RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE;
RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO dwhdb;
RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO test PFILE=/u01/apps/db/inittest.ora;
RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO devdb NOFILENAMECHECK;
RMAN> DUPLICATE DATABASE 'prod' DBID 139525561 TO 'dupdb' NOFILENAMECHECK;
RMAN> DUPLICATE DATABASE TO "cscp" NOFILENAMECHECK BACKUP LOCATION '/apps/oracle/backup';
RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO dup FROM ACTIVE DATABASE NOFILENAMECHECK
PASSWORD FILE SPFILE;

RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO dupdb

LOGFILE GROUP 1 ('?/dbs/dupdb_log_1_1.f','?/dbs/dupdb_log_1_2.f') SIZE 200K, GROUP 2
('?/dbs/dupdb_log_2_1.f','?/dbs/dupdb_log_2_2.f') SIZE 200K REUSE;
RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE TO dup FOR STANDBY FROM ACTIVE DATABASE PASSWORD
FILE SPFILEPARAMETER_VALUE_CONVERT '/disk1', '/disk2'
SET DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT '/disk1','/disk2'
SET LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT '/disk1','/disk2'
SET SGA_MAX_SIZE 200M SET SGA_TARGET 125M;

RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY NOFILENAMECHECK;

RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY FROM ACTIVE DATABASE;
RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY FROM ACTIVE DATABASE NOFILENAMECHECK;
RMAN> DUPLICATE TARGET DATABASE FOR STANDBY FROM ACTIVE DATABASE
SPFILE PARAMETER_VALUE_CONVERT '/stg/','/muc/'
SET "DB_UNIQUE_NAME"="muc"
SET LOG_FILE_NAME_CONVERT '/stg/','/muc/'
SET DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT '/stg/','/muc/'
DORECOVER;
RMAN> DUPLICATE DATABASE TO newdb
UNTIL RESTORE POINT firstquart12
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT='/u01/prod1/dbfiles/','/u01/newdb/dbfiles'
PFILE = '/u01/newdb/admin/init.ora';

SWITCH command
Specify that a datafile copy is now the current datafile, i.e. the datafile pointed to by the control file. This
command is equivalent to the SQL statement ALTER DATABASE RENAME FILE as it applies to datafiles.
RMAN> SWITCH DATABASE TO COPY;
RMAN> SWITCH TABLESPACE users TO COPY;
RMAN> SWITCH DATAFILE ALL;
RMAN> SWITCH DATAFILE '/disk1/tols.dbf' TO DATAFILECOPY '/disk2/tols.copy';
RMAN> SWITCH DATAFILE "+DG_OLD/db/datafile/sysaux.260.699468081" TO COPY;
RMAN> SWITCH TEMPFILE 1;
RMAN> SWITCH TEMPFILE 1 TO '/newdisk/dbs/temp1.f';
RMAN> SWITCH TEMPFILE ALL;
RMAN> SWITCH CLONE DATAFILE ALL;

CATALOG command
Add information about file copies and user-managed backups to the catalog repository.
RMAN> CATALOG DATAFILECOPY '/disk1/old_datafiles/01_10_2009/users01.dbf';
RMAN> CATALOG DATAFILECOPY '/disk2/backup/users01.bkp' LEVEL 0;
RMAN> CATALOG CONTROLFILECOPY '/disk3/backup/cf_copy.bkp';
RMAN> CATALOG ARCHIVELOG '/disk1/arch1_731.dbf', '/disk1/arch1_732.dbf';
RMAN> CATALOG BACKUPPIECE '/disk1/c-874220581-20090428-01';
RMAN> CATALOG LIKE '/backup';
RMAN> CATALOG START WITH '/fs2/arch';
RMAN> CATALOG START WITH '/disk2/archlog' NOPROMPT;
RMAN> CATALOG START WITH '+dg2';
RMAN> CATALOG RECOVERY AREA;

ALLOCATE command
Establish a channel, which is a connection between RMAN and a database instance.
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 DEVICE TYPE sbt;
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL ch DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT C:\ORACLEBKP\DB_U%;
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL t1 DEVICE TYPE DISK CONNECT 'sys/pwd@bkp1;
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS 'ENV=(OB_MEDIA_FAMILY=wholedb_mf)';
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL t1 DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS 'ENV=(OB_DEVICE_1=tape1,
OB_DEVICE_2=tape3)';
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL t1 TYPE 'sbt_tape'
PARMS='SBT_LIBRARY=/usr/openv/netbackup/bin/libobk.so.1';
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL t1 TYPE 'sbt_tape' SEND "NB_ORA_CLIENT=CLIENT_MACHINE_NAME";
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL 'dev1' TYPE 'sbt_tape' PARMS 'ENV=OB2BARTYPE=ORACLE8,
OB2APPNAME=ORCL, OB2BARLIST=MACHINENAME_ORCL_ARCHLOGS)';
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL y1 TYPE DISK RATE 70M;
RMAN> ALLOCATE AUXILIARY CHANNEL ac1 TYPE DISK;
RMAN> ALLOCATE AUXILIARY CHANNEL ac2 DEVICE TYPE sbt;

ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE - allocate a channel in preparation for issuing maintenance
commands such as DELETE.
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE DISK;
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT "/disk2/%U";
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE DISK CONNECT '@test1';
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE sbt;
RMAN> ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR MAINTENANCE DEVICE TYPE sbt PARMS
'SBT_LIBRARY=/usr/local/oracle/backup/lib/libobk.so, ENV=(OB_DEVICE_1=tape2)';

RELEASE CHANNEL command

Release a channel that was allocated with an ALLOCATE CHANNEL or ALLOCATE CHANNEL FOR
MAINTENANCE command.
RMAN> RELEASE CHANNEL;
RMAN> RELEASE CHANNEL c1;

BLOCKRECOVER command
Will recover the corrupted blocks.
RMAN> BLOCKRECOVER CORRUPTION LIST;
RMAN> BLOCKRECOVER DATAFILE 8 BLOCK 22;
RMAN> BLOCKRECOVER DATAFILE 7 BLOCK 233,235 DATAFILE 4 BLOCK 101;
RMAN> BLOCKRECOVER DATAFILE 2 BLOCK 12,13 DATAFILE 3 BLOCK 5,98,99 DATAFILE 4 BLOCK 19;
RMAN> BLOCKRECOVER DATAFILE 3 BLOCK 2,4,5 TABLESPACE sales DBA 4194405,4194412 FROM
DATAFILECOPY;
RMAN> BLOCKRECOVER TABLESPACE dwh DBA 4194404,4194405 FROM TAG "weekly";
RMAN> BLOCKRECOVER TABLESPACE dwh DBA 94404 RESTORE UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-2';

ADVISE FAILURE command (From Oracle 11g R1)

Display repair options.
RMAN> ADVISE FAILURE;
RMAN> ADVISE FAILURE 555, 242;
RMAN> ADVISE FAILURE ALL;
RMAN> ADVISE FAILURE CRITICAL;
RMAN> ADVISE FAILURE HIGH;
RMAN> ADVISE FAILURE LOW;
RMAN> ADVISE FAILURE HIGH EXCLUDE FAILURE 625;

REPAIR FAILURE command (From Oracle 11g R1)

Repair one or more failures recorded in the automated diagnostic repository.
RMAN> REPAIR FAILURE;
RMAN> REPAIR FAILURE PREVIEW;
RMAN> REPAIR FAILURE NOPROMPT;
RMAN> REPAIR FAILURE USING ADVISE OPTION integer;

VALIDATE command
Examine a backup set and report whether its data is intact. RMAN scans all of the backup pieces in the specified
backup sets and looks at the checksums to verify that the contents can be successfully restored.
RMAN> VALIDATE BACKUPSET 218;
RMAN> VALIDATE BACKUPSET 3871, 3890;
RMAN> VALIDATE DATABASE; -- 11g R1
RMAN> VALIDATE CHECK LOGICAL DATABASE;
RMAN> VALIDATE SKIP INACCESSIBLE DATABASE;
RMAN> VALIDATE COPY OF DATABASE;
RMAN> VALIDATE TABLESPACE dwh;
RMAN> VALIDATE COPY OF TABLESPACE dwh;
RMAN> VALIDATE DATAFILE 2;
RMAN> VALIDATE DATAFILE 4,8;
RMAN> VALIDATE DATAFILE 4 BLOCK 56;
RMAN> VALIDATE DATAFILE 8 SECTION SIZE = 200M;
RMAN> VALIDATE CURRENT CONTROLFILE;
RMAN> VALIDATE SPFILE;
RMAN> VALIDATE RECOVERY FILES;
RMAN> VALIDATE RECOVERY AREA;
RMAN> VALIDATE DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST;

SPOOL command
Write RMAN output to a log file.
RMAN> SPOOL LOG TO '/tmp/spool.log';
RMAN> SPOOL LOG TO '/tmp/backup.log' APPEND;
RMAN> SPOOL LOG OFF;

run command
Execute a sequence of one or more RMAN commands, which are one or more statements executed within the
braces of RUN.
RMAN> run {
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 TYPE DISK FORMAT '/orabak/%U';
BACKUP TABLESPACE users;
}
RMAN> run {
ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 TYPE DISK FORMAT '&1/%U';
BACKUP TABLESPACE &2;
}
RMAN> run
{
ALLOCATE CHANNEL dev1 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/fs1/%U';
ALLOCATE CHANNEL dev2 DEVICE TYPE DISK FORMAT '/fs2/%U';
BACKUP(TABLESPACE system,fin,mark FILESPERSET 20) (DATAFILE 2,3,6);
}

CREATE SCRIPT command

Create a stored script and store it in the recovery catalog.

RMAN> CREATE SCRIPT backup_whole

COMMENT "backup whole database and archived redo log files"
{BACKUP INCREMENTAL LEVEL 0 TAG backup_whole FORMAT "/disk2/backup/%U" DATABASE PLUS
ARCHIVELOG;}

RMAN> CREATE SCRIPT backup_ts_users

COMMENT 'tablespace users backup'
{ALLOCATE CHANNEL c1 TYPE DISK FORMAT 'c:\temp\%U';
BACKUP TABLESPACE users;}

RMAN> CREATE SCRIPT df {BACKUP DATAFILE &1 TAG &2.1 FORMAT '/disk1/&3_%U';}
RMAN> CREATE SCRIPT backup_ts_users FROM FILE 'backup_ts_users.rman';
RMAN> CREATE GLOBAL SCRIPT gl_backup_db {BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;}
RMAN> CREATE GLOBAL SCRIPT backup_db
COMMENT "back up any database from the recovery catalog, with logs"
{BACKUP DATABASE;}

PRINT SCRIPT command

Display a stored script.
RMAN> PRINT SCRIPT backup_db;
RMAN> PRINT GLOBAL SCRIPT backup_db;
RMAN> PRINT GLOBAL SCRIPT gl_backup_db TO FILE "/tmp/gl_backupdb.rman";

REPLACE SCRIPT command

Replace an existing script stored in the recovery catalog. If the script does not exist, then REPLACE SCRIPT
creates it.
RMAN> REPLACE SCRIPT backup_db {BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;}
RMAN> REPLACE SCRIPT df {BACKUP DATAFILE &1 TAG &2.1 FORMAT '&3_%U';}
RMAN> REPLACE GLOBAL SCRIPT backup_db {BACKUP DATABASE PLUS ARCHIVELOG;}
RMAN> REPLACE GLOBAL SCRIPT gl_full_bkp FROM FILE '/tmp/script_file.txt';

EXECUTE SCRIPT command

Run an RMAN stored script.
RMAN> RUN {EXECUTE SCRIPT backup_whole;}
RMAN> RUN {EXECUTE SCRIPT backup_ts_any USING 'example';}
RMAN> RUN {EXECUTE SCRIPT backup_df USING 3 test_backup df3;}
RMAN> RUN {EXECUTE GLOBAL SCRIPT global_backup_db;}

DELETE SCRIPT command

Delete a stored script from the recovery catalog.
RMAN> DELETE SCRIPT backup_db;
RMAN> DELETE GLOBAL SCRIPT global_backup_db;

FLASHBACK DATABASE command

Return the database to its state at a previous time or SCN.
RMAN> FLASHBACK DATABASE TO SCN 411010;
RMAN> FLASHBACK DATABASE TO RESTORE POINT 'before_update';

TRANSPORT TABLESPACE command

Create transportable tablespace sets from backup for one or more tablespaces.
RMAN> TRANSPORT TABLESPACE example, tools
TABLESPACE DESTINATION '/disk1/trans' AUXILIARY DESTINATION '/disk1/aux' UNTIL TIME 'SYSDATE-
15/1440';
RMAN> TRANSPORT TABLESPACE exam
TABLESPACE DESTINATION '/disk1/trans' AUXILIARY DESTINATION '/disk1/aux' DATAPUMP DIRECTORY
dpdir DUMP FILE 'dmpfile.dmp' IMPORT SCRIPT 'impscript.sql' EXPORT LOG 'explog.log';
CONVERT command
Convert datafile formats for transporting tablespaces and databases across platforms.
RMAN> CONVERT DATABASE NEW DATABASE 'prodwin' TRANSPORT SCRIPT
'/tmp/convertdb/transportscript' TO PLATFORM 'Microsoft Windows IA (32-bit)' DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT
'/disk1/oracle/dbs','/tmp/convertdb';
RMAN> CONVERT DATABASE ON DESTINATION PLATFORM CONVERT SCRIPT
'/tmp/convertdb/convertscript.rman'TRANSPORT SCRIPT '/tmp/convertdb/transportscript.sql' NEW DATABASE
'prodwin' FORMAT '/tmp/convertdb/%U';
RMAN> CONVERT DATABASE ON DESTINATION PLATFORM CONVERT SCRIPT
'/tmp/convert_newdb.rman' TRANSPORT SCRIPT '/tmp/transport_newdb.sql' NEW DATABASE
'prodaix' DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT '/u01/oradata/datafile','+DATA';

RMAN> CONVERT TABLESPACE tbs_2 FORMAT '/tmp/tbs_2_%U.df';

RMAN> CONVERT TABLESPACE fin, hr TO PLATFORM 'Solaris[tm] OE (32-bit)';
RMAN> CONVERT TABLESPACE fin, hr TO PLATFORM 'Solaris[tm] OE (32-bit)' FORMAT
'/tmp/transport_to_solaris/%U';

RMAN> CONVERT DATAFILE '/disk1/oracle/dbs/tbs_f1.df', '/disk1/oracle/dbs/ax1.f' FORMAT '+DATAFILE';

RMAN> CONVERT DATAFILE '/u01/oradata/datafile/system.dbf' FROM PLATFORM 'Linux x86 64-bit' FORMAT
'+DATA/system.dbf';
RMAN> CONVERT DATAFILE
'/tmp/from_solaris/fin/fin01.dbf', '/tmp/from_solaris/fin/fin02.dbf',
'/tmp/from_solaris/hr/hr01.dbf', '/tmp/from_solaris/hr/hr02.dbf'
DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT
'/tmp/from_solaris/fin','/disk2/orahome/dbs/fin','/tmp/from_solaris/hr','/disk2/orahome/dbs/hr'
FROM PLATFORM 'Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit)';

RMAN> CONVERT DATAFILE '/tmp/PSMN.dbf' TO PLATFORM='Solaris Operating System (x86-64)' FROM

PLATFORM='Solaris[tm] OE (64-bit)'
FORMAT '/tmp/test/%N.dbf' DB_FILE_NAME_CONVERT='/ui/prod/oracle/oradata/SEARCHP/data/', '/tmp/test';

EXIT or QUIT Command

Exit the RMAN console.

RMAN> exit;
RMAN> quit;

SEND command
Send a vendor-specific quoted string to one or more specific channels.
RMAN> SEND 'OB_DEVICE tape1';

HOST command
Invoke an operating system command-line subshell from within RMAN or run a specific operating system
command.
RMAN> HOST;
RMAN> HOST 'ls -lt /disk2/*';
RMAN> HOST '/bin/mv $ORACLE_HOME/dbs/*.arc /disk2/archlog/';

Oracle Remote Diagnostic Agent (RDA)

RDA (Remote Diagnostic Agent) is a utility, a set of shell scripts (or) a PERL script, that can be downloaded from
Metalink, to collect diagnostics information from an Oracle database and its environment (RAC, ASM, Exadata).

This utility is focused at collecting information that will aid in problem diagnosis. When logging a call, Oracle
Support will often request that you install the RDA utility, run it and upload the output to Metalink for analysis.

Its not only a great tool for troubleshooting but also very helpful for documenting an Oracle environment.
RDA offers lots of reporting options, is relatively unobtrusive and provides easy to read results. You can run it on
just about any version of the Database or Oracle Applications or Operating System and it is smart enough to
figure out where to go and what to gather.
Once installed and run rda.sh or rda.pl, you have to answer some questions and send it off to gather information
about your environment. As result you will get a lot of TXT and HTML files. The simplest way of reviewing the
output files is to launch a web browser on the same machine where rda.sh has run and open the file
RDA__START.htm located in the RDA_Output directory. If you pull up the RDA__START.htm, you can browse
through information about your database, server, Java, applications tier, forms and just about anything else you
ever wanted to know. And its all nicely formatted in HTML with drill-down links.

Download the patch from Metalink, FTP to database box and unzip it.

To find out whether RDA installation is successful or not

$./rda.sh -cv

To run RDA
$./rda.sh vdt or $perl rda.pl
[[Answer bundle of questions]]

For more options, read the README_UNIX.txt or README_WINDOWS.txt in the installation directory.

Examples:
./rda.sh -f -y -e RPT_GROUP='XD',ORACLE_SID=$ORACLE_SID,ORACLE_HOME=`grep -v -e ^[#,*,+]
/etc/oratab | grep $ORACLE_SID |cut -f2 -d:`,SQL_LOGIN='/',SQL_SYSDBA=1,ASM_ORACLE_SID=`grep
ASM /etc/oratab |cut -f1 -d:`,ASM_ORACLE_HOME=`grep ASM /etc/oratab |cut -f2 -d:` -p Exadata_Assessment
./rda.sh -p Exadata_Assessment
./rda.sh -vT ora600:`grep -i ora-00600 $B_D_D |cut -f1 -d:`
./rda.sh -p advanced DBM
./rda.sh -p Exadata_FailedDrives
./rda.sh ONET
./rda.sh -f -y -e RPT_GROUP='XD2',ORACLE_SID=$ORACLE_SID,ORACLE_HOME=`grep -v -e ^[#,*,+]
/etc/oratab | grep $ORACLE_SID |cut -f2 -d:`,SQL_LOGIN='/',SQL_SYSDBA=1,ASM_ORACLE_SID=`grep
ASM /etc/oratab |cut -f1 -d:`,ASM_ORACLE_HOME=`grep ASM /etc/oratab |cut -f2 -d:` ONET
./rda.sh -T oraddc
./rda.sh -f -y -e RPT_GROUP='XD2',ORACLE_SID=$ORACLE_SID,ORACLE_HOME=`grep -v -e ^[#,*,+]
/etc/oratab | grep $ORACLE_SID |cut -f2 -d:`,SQL_LOGIN='/',SQL_SYSDBA=1,ASM_ORACLE_SID=`grep
ASM /etc/oratab |cut -f1 -d:`,ASM_ORACLE_HOME=`grep ASM /etc/oratab |cut -f2 -d:` -T oraddc
./rda.sh EXA
./rda.sh -f -y -e RPT_GROUP='XD2',ORACLE_SID=$ORACLE_SID,ORACLE_HOME=`grep -v -e ^[#,*,+]
/etc/oratab | grep $ORACLE_SID |cut -f2 -d:`,SQL_LOGIN='/',SQL_SYSDBA=1,ASM_ORACLE_SID=`grep
ASM /etc/oratab |cut -f1 -d:`,ASM_ORACLE_HOME=`grep ASM /etc/oratab |cut -f2 -d:` EXA
./rda.sh -p Exadata_SickCell
./rda.sh -p Exadata_IbSwitch
./rda.sh -p Exadata_NetworkCabling

Recycle bin
Recycle bin in Oracle

Recycle bin was introduced in Oracle 10g

Recycle bin is actually a data dictionary table containing information about dropped objects. When an object has
been dropped from a locally managed tablespace (LMTS), which is not the SYSTEM tablespace, the database
does not immediately delete the object & reclaim the space associated with the object. Instead, it places the
object and any dependent objects in the recycle bin, which is similar to deleting a file/folder from
Windows/Macintosh. You can then restore the object, its data and its dependent objects from the recycle bin.

The FLASHBACK DROP and the FLASHBACK TABLE feature places the object in the recycle bin after removing
the object from the database. This eliminates the need to perform a point-in-time recovery operation.
When objects are dropped, the objects are not moved from the tablespace they were in earlier; they still occupy
the space there. The recycle bin is merely a logical structure that catalogs the dropped objects.

The recyclebin is enabled, by default, from Oracle 10g.

But you can turn it on or off with the RECYCLEBIN initialization parameter, at the system or session level.
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM/SESSION SET RECYCLEBIN=ON/OFF SCOPE=BOTH;
SQL> SHOW PARAMETER RECYCLEBIN

When the recycle bin is enabled, dropped tables and their dependent objects are placed in the recycle bin.

SQL> DROP TABLE attachment;

SQL> SELECT * FROM TAB;
TNAME TABTYPE CLUSTERID
------------------------------ ------- ----------
BIN$Wk/N7nbuC2DgRAAAd7F0UA==$0 TABLE
The deleted table has been renamed with system name, physically its not dropped.

The renaming convention is as follows:

BIN$unique_id$version
where:

unique_id is a 26-character globally unique identifier for this object, which makes the recycle bin name
unique across all databases
version is a version number assigned by the database
Use the following command to see recycle bin contents:
SQL> SELECT * FROM RECYCLEBIN;
or
SQL> SHOW RECYCLEBIN
ORIGINAL NAME RECYCLEBIN NAME OBJECT TYPE DROP TIME
------------- ------------------------ ---------- -----------------
ATTACHMENT BIN$Wk/N7nbuC2DgRAAAd7F0UA==$0 TABLE 2008-10-28:11:46:55

This shows the original name of the table, as well as the new name in the bin.

Note that users can see only objects that they own in the recycle bin.

Remember, placing tables in the recycle bin does not free up space in the original tablespace. To free the space,
you need to purge the bin using:
SQL> PURGE RECYCLEBIN;

But what if you want to drop the table completely, without needing a flashback feature, in that case, you can drop
it permanently using:
SQL> DROP TABLE table-name PURGE;

This is similar to SHIFT+DELETE in Windows. This command will not rename the table to the recycle bin name;
rather, it will be deleted permanently, as it would have been before Oracle 10g.

To get back the deleted table and its contents

SQL> FLASHBACK TABLE table-name/bin-name TO BEFORE DROP [RENAME TO new-name];

You can query objects that are in the recycle bin, just as you can query other objects. However, you must specify
the name of the object as it is identified in the recycle bin.
SQL> SELECT * FROM "BIN$W1PPyhVRSbuv6g+V69OgRQ==$0";

Managing Recycle Bin in Oracle

If the tables are not really dropped in this process, therefore not releasing the tablespace, what happens when
the dropped objects take up all of that space?
When a tablespace is completely filled up with recycle bin data such that the datafiles have to extend to make
room for more data, the tablespace is said to be under "space pressure." In that scenario, objects are
automatically purged from the recycle bin in a first-in-first-out manner. The dependent objects (such as indexes)
are removed before a table is removed.

Similarly, space pressure can occur with user quotas as defined for a particular tablespace. The tablespace may
have enough free space, but the user may be running out of his or her allotted portion of it. In such situations,
Oracle automatically purges objects belonging to that user in that tablespace.

In addition, there are several ways you can manually control the recycle bin. If you want to purge the specific
table from the recyclebin after its drop, you could issue
SQL> PURGE TABLE table-name;

or using its recycle bin name

SQL> PURGE TABLE "BIN$Wk/N7nbuC2DgRCBAd7F0UA==$0";

This command will remove table and all dependent objects such as indexes, constraints, and so on from the
recycle bin, saving some space.

If you want to permanently drop an index from the recycle bin, you can do so using:
SQL> PURGE INDEX index-name;

This will remove the index only, leaving the copy of the table in the recycle bin. Sometimes it might be useful to
purge at a higher level. For instance, you may want to purge all the objects in recycle bin in a tablespace.
You would issue:
SQL> PURGE TABLESPACE tablespace-name;

You may want to purge only the recycle bin for a particular user in that tablespace. This approach could come
handy in data warehouse environments where users create and drop many transient tables. You could modify the
command above to limit the purge to a specific user only:
SQL> PURGE TABLESPACE tablespace-name USER user-name;

The PURGE TABLESPACE command only removes recyclebin segments belonging to the currently connected
user. Therefore, it may not remove all the recyclebin segments in the tablespace. You can determine which users
have recyclebin segments in a target tablespace using the following query:
SQL> SELECT DISTINCT owner FROM dba_recyclebin WHERE ts_name = "tablespace-name";

You can then use the above PURGE TABLESPACE command to purge the segments for each of the users.

A normal user, such as SCOTT, could clear his own recycle bin with
SQL> PURGE RECYCLEBIN;

A DBA can purge all the objects in any tablespace using

SQL> PURGE DBA_RECYCLEBIN;

The PURGE DBA_RECYCLEBIN command can be used only if you have SYSDBA system privileges. It removes
all objects from the recycle bin, regardless of user.

Note: When a table is retrieved from the recycle bin, all the dependent objects for the table that are in the recycle
bin are retrieved with it. They cannot be retrieved separately.

The un-drop feature brings the table back to its original name, but not the associated objects like indexes and
triggers, which are left with the recycled names. Sources such as views and procedures defined on the table are
not recompiled and remain in the invalid state. These old names must be retrieved/renamed manually and then
applied to the flashed-back table.

A few types of dependent objects are not handled like the simple index above.

o Bitmap join indexes are not put in the recyclebin when their base table is DROPped, and not retrieved
when the table is restored with FLASHBACK DROP.
o The same goes for materialized view logs; when you drop a table, all mview logs defined on that table
are permanently dropped, not put in the recyclebin.
o Referential integrity constraints that reference another table are lost when the table is put in the
recyclebin and then restored.
If space limitations force Oracle to start purging objects from the recyclebin, it purges indexes first.

The constraint names are also not retrievable from the view. They have to be renamed from other sources.

When you drop a tablespace including its contents, the objects in the tablespace are not placed in the recycle bin
and the database purges any entries in the recycle bin for objects located in the tablespace.
The database also purges any recycle bin entries for objects in a tablespace when you drop the tablespace, not
including contents, and the tablespace is otherwise empty. Likewise:
When you drop a user, any objects belonging to the user are not placed in the recycle bin and any
objects in the recycle bin are purged.
When you drop a cluster, its member tables are not placed in the recycle bin and any former member
tables in the recycle bin are purged.
When you drop a type, any dependent objects such as subtypes are not placed in the recycle bin and
any former dependent objects in the recycle bin are purged.
When the recycle bin is disabled, dropped tables and their dependent objects are not placed in the recycle bin;
they are just dropped, and you must use other means to recover them (such as recovering from backup).
Disabling the recycle bin does not purge or otherwise affect objects already in the recycle bin.

Related Views
RECYCLEBIN$ (base table)
DBA_RECYCLEBIN
USER_RECYCLEBIN
RECYCLEBIN (synonym for USER_RECYCLEBIN)

Profiles
Profiles in Oracle
Profiles were introduced in Oracle 8.

Profiles are, set of resource limits, used to limit system resources a user can use. It allows us to regulate the
amount of resources used by each database user by creating and assigning profiles to them.

Whenever you create a database, one default profile will be created and assigned to all the users you have
created. The name of default profile is DEFAULT.

Kernel Resources
sessions_per_user -- Maximum concurrent sessions allowed for a user.
cpu_per_session -- Maximum CPU time limit per session, in hundredth of a second.
cpu_per_call -- Maximum CPU time limit per call, in hundredth of a second. Call being parsed, executed
and fetched.
connect_time -- Maximum connect time per session, in minutes.
idle_time -- Maximum idle time before user is disconnected, in minutes.
logical_reads_per_session -- Maximum blocks read per session.
logical_reads_per_call -- Maximum blocks read per call.
private_sga -- Maximum amount of private space in SGA.
composite_limit -- Sum of cpu_per_session, connect_time, logical_reads_per_session and private_sga.
In order to enforce above kernel resource limits, init parameter resource_limit must be set to true.
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET resource_limit=TRUE SCOPE=BOTH;
Password limiting functionality is not affected by this parameter.

Password Resources

failed_login_attempts -- Maximum failed login attempts.

Query to count failed login attempts
SQL> SELECT name, lcount FROM USER$ WHERE lcount <> 0;
password_life_time -- Maximum time a password is valid.
password_reuse_max -- Minimum of different passwords before password can be reused.
password_reuse_time -- Minimum of days before a password can be reused.
 password_lock_time -- Number of days an account is locked after failed login attempts.
password_grace_time -- The number of days after the grace period begins, during which a warning is
issued and login is allowed. If the password is not changed during the grace period, the password expires.
password_verify_function -- This function will verify the complexity of passwords.

Notes:

If PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME is set to an integer value, PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX must be set to

UNLIMITED and vice versa.
If PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX=DEFAULT and PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME is set to UNLIMITED, then
Oracle uses the PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX value defined in the DEFAULT profile and vice versa.
If both PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME and PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX are set to DEFAULT, then Oracle
uses whichever value is defined in the DEFAULT profile.
The system resource limits can be enforced at the session level or at the call level or both.

If a session exceeds one of these limits, Oracle will terminate the session. If there is a logoff trigger, it won't be
executed.
In order to track password limits, Oracle stores the history of passwords for a user in USER_HISTORY$.

Creating Profiles
In Oracle, the default cost assigned to a resource is unlimited. By setting resource limits, you can prevent users
from performing operations that will tie up the system and prevent other users from performing operations. You
can use resource limits for security to ensure that users log off the system and do not leave the sessions
connected for long periods of time.

Syntax for CREATE and ALTER command:

CREATE/ALTER PROFILE profile-name LIMIT
[SESSIONS_PER_USER value|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[CPU_PER_SESSION value|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[CPU_PER_CALL value|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[CONNECT_TIME value|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[IDLE_TIME value|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[LOGICAL_READS_PER_SESSION value|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[LOGICAL_READS_PER_CALL value|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[COMPOSITE_LIMIT value|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[PRIVATE_SGA value[K|M]|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS expr|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME expr|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME expr|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX expr|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[PASSWORD_LOCK_TIME expr|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME expr|UNLIMITED|DEFAULT]
[PASSWORD_VERIFY_FUNCTION function_name|NULL|DEFAULT]

e.g:
SQL> CREATE PROFILE onsite LIMIT
PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME 45
PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME 12
PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME 3
PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX 5
FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS 4
PASSWORD_LOCK_TIME 2
CPU_PER_CALL 5000
PRIVATE_SGA 250K
LOGICAL_READS_PER_CALL 2000;

Following is the create profile statement for DEFAULT profile (with all default values):
SQL> CREATE PROFILE "DEFAULT" LIMIT
CPU_PER_SESSION UNLIMITED
CPU_PER_CALL UNLIMITED
CONNECT_TIME UNLIMITED
IDLE_TIME UNLIMITED
SESSIONS_PER_USER UNLIMITED
LOGICAL_READS_PER_SESSION UNLIMITED
LOGICAL_READS_PER_CALL UNLIMITED
PRIVATE_SGA UNLIMITED
COMPOSITE_LIMIT UNLIMITED
PASSWORD_LIFE_TIME 180
PASSWORD_GRACE_TIME 7
PASSWORD_REUSE_MAX UNLIMITED
PASSWORD_REUSE_TIME UNLIMITED
PASSWORD_LOCK_TIME 1
FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS 10
PASSWORD_VERIFY_FUNCTION NULL;

SQL> ALTER PROFILE onsite LIMIT FAILED_LOGIN_ATTEMPTS 3;

Assigning Profiles
By default, when you create a user, they are assigned to the DEFAULT profile. If you don't want
that
CREATE USER user-name IDENTIFIED BY password PROFILE profile-name;
e.g. SQL> CREATE USER satya IDENTIFIED BY satya PROFILE onsite;

You can alter the existing user's profiles by

ALTER USER user-name PROFILE profile-name ;
e.g. SQL> ALTER USER surya PROFILE offshore;

Dropping Profiles
Syntax for dropping a profile, without dropping users.

DROP PROFILE profile-name

e.g. SQL> DROP PROFILE onsite;Syntax for dropping a profile with CASCADE clause, all the
users who are having this profile will be deleted.

DROP PROFILE profile-name CASCADE

e.g. SQL> DROP PROFILE offshore CASCADE;

Password Verify Function in Oracle

This will verify passwords for length, content and complexity.

The function requires the old and new passwords, so password changes can not be done with
ALTER USER. Password changes should be performed with the SQL*Plus PASSWORD command
or through a stored procedure that requires the correct inputs.

CREATE/ALTER PROFILE profile-name LIMIT PASSWORD_VERIFY_FUNCTION function-name;

It's possible to restrict a password's format by creating a PL/SQL procedure that validates
passwords. Itll check for minimum width, letters, numbers, or mixed case, or verifying that the
password isn't a variation of the username.

If you want to remove this password verify function, assign NULL value to
PASSWORD_VERIFY_FUNCTION.
ALTER PROFILE profile-name LIMIT PASSWORD_VERIFY_FUNCTION NULL;

Related Views
profile$
profname$
DBA_PROFILES
RESOURCE_COST (shows the unit cost associated with each resource)
 USER_RESOURCE_LIMITS (each user can find information on his resources and limits)
Password file (orapwd utility) in Oracle
Oracle password file stores passwords for users with administrative privileges.

If the DBA wants to start up an Oracle instance there must be a way for Oracle to authenticate the DBA.
Obviously, DBA password cannot be stored in the database, because Oracle cannot access the database before
the instance is started up. Therefore, the authentication of the DBA must happen outside of the database. There
are two distinct mechanisms to authenticate the DBA:
(i) Using the password file or
(ii) Through the operating system (groups). Any OS user under dba group, can login as SYSDBA.

The default location for the password file is:

$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orapw$ORACLE_SID on Unix, %ORACLE_HOME%\database\PWD%ORACLE_SID
%.ora on Windows.

REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE
The init parameter REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE specifies if a password file is used to authenticate the
Oracle DBA or not. If it set either to SHARED or EXCLUSIVE, password file will be used.

REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE is a static initialization parameter and therefore cannot be changed without

bouncing the database.

Following are the valid values for REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE:

NONE - Oracle ignores the password file if it exists i.e. no privileged connections are allowed over non secure
connections. If REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE is set to EXCLUSIVE or SHARED and the password file is
missing, this is equivalent to setting REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE to NONE.

EXCLUSIVE (default) - Password file is exclusively used by only one (instance of the) database. Any user can be
added to the password file. Only an EXCLUSIVE file can be modified. EXCLUSIVE password file enables you to
add, modify, and delete users. It also enables you to change the SYS password with the ALTER USER
command.

SHARED - The password file is shared among databases. A SHARED password file can be used by multiple
databases running on the same server, or multiple instances of an Oracle Real Application Clusters
(RAC) database. However, the only user that can be added/authenticated is SYS.
A SHARED password file cannot be modified i.e. you cannot add users to a SHARED password file. Any attempt
to do so or to change the password of SYS or other users with the SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM (this is
from Oracle 11g) privileges generates an error. All users needing SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM system
privileges must be added to the password file when REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE is set to EXCLUSIVE.
After all users are added, you can change REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE to SHARED.

This option is useful if you are administering multiple databases or a RAC database.

If a password file is SHARED or EXCLUSIVE is also stored in the password file. After its creation, the state is
SHARED. The state can be changed by setting REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE and starting the database
i.e. the database overwrites the state in the password file when it is started up.

ORAPWD
You can create a password file using orapwd utility. For some Operating systems, you can create this file as part
of standard installation.

Users are added to the password file when they are granted the SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM privilege.

The Oracle orapwd utility assists the DBA while granting SYSDBA, SYSOPER and SYSASM privileges to other
users. By default, SYS is the only user that has SYSDBA and SYSOPER privileges. Creating a password file, via
orapwd, enables remote users to connect with administrative privileges.

$ orapwd file=password_file_name [password=the_password] [entries=n] [force=Y|N] [ignorecase=Y|N]

[nosysdba=Y|N]
Examples:
$ orapwd file=orapwSID password=sys_password force=y nosysdba=y
$ orapwd file=$ORACLE_HOME/dbs/orapw$ORACLE_SID password=secret
$ orapwd file=orapwprod entries=30 force=y
C:\orapwd file=%ORACLE_HOME%\database\PWD%ORACLE_SID%.ora password=2012 entries=20
C:\orapwd file=D:\oracle11g\product\11.1.0\db_1\database\pwdsfs.ora password=id entries=6 force=y
$ orapwd file=orapwPRODB3 password=abc123 entries=10 ignorecase=n
$ orapwd file=orapwprodb password=oracle1 ignorecase=y

There are no spaces permitted around the equal-to (=).

The following describe the orapwd command line arguments.

FILE
Name to assign to the password file, which will hold the password information. You must supply complete path. If
you supply only filename, the file is written to the current directory. The contents are encrypted and are
unreadable. This argument is mandatory.

The filenames allowed for the password file are OS specific. Some operating systems require the password file to
adhere to a specific format and be located in a specific directory. Other operating systems allow the use of
environment variables to specify the name and location of the password file.

If you are running multiple instances of Oracle Database using Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC), the
environment variable for each instance should point to the same password file.

It is critically important to secure password file.

PASSWORD
This is the password the privileged users should enter while connecting as SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM.

ENTRIES
Entries specify the maximum number of distinct SYSDBA, SYSOPER and SYSASM users that can be stored in
the password file.

This argument specifies the number of entries that you require the password file to accept. The actual number of
allowable entries can be higher than the number of users, because the orapwd utility continues to assign
password entries until an OS block is filled. For example, if your OS block size is 512 bytes, it holds four
password entries. The number of password entries allocated is always a multiple of four.

Entries can be reused as users are added to and removed from the password file. When you exceed the
allocated number of password entries, you must create a new password file. To avoid this necessity, allocate a
number of entries that is larger than you think you will ever need.

FORCE
(Optional) If Y, permits overwriting an existing password file. An error will be returned if password file of the same
name already exists and this argument is omitted or set to N.

IGNORECASE
(Optional) If Y, passwords are treated as case-insensitive i.e. case is ignored when comparing the password that
the user supplies during login with the password in the password file.
NOSYSDBA
(Optional) For Oracle Data Vault installations.

Granting SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM privileges

Use the V$PWFILE_USERS view to see the users who have been granted SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM
system privileges for a database.

SQL> select * from v$pwfile_users;

USERNAME SYSDBA SYSOPER SYSASM
-------- ------ ------- ------
SYS TRUE TRUE FALSE

The columns displayed by the view V$PWFILE_USERS are:

Column Description

This column contains the name of the user that is recognized by the password file.
USERNAME
SYSDBA If the value of this column is TRUE, then the user can log on with SYSDBA system privilege.
SYSOPER If the value of this column is TRUE, then the user can log on with SYSOPER system privilege.
SYSASM If the value of this column is TRUE, then the user can log on with SYSASM system privilege.
If orapwd has not yet been executed or password file is not available, attempting to grant SYSDBA or SYSOPER
or SYSASM privileges will result in the following error:
SQL> grant sysdba to satya;
ORA-01994: GRANT failed: cannot add users to public password file

If your server is using an EXCLUSIVE password file, use the GRANT statement to grant the SYSDBA or
SYSOPER or SYSASM system privilege to a user, as shown in the following example:
SQL> grant sysdba to satya;

SQL> select * from v$pwfile_users;

USERNAME SYSDBA SYSOPER SYSASM
-------- ------ ------- ------
SYS TRUE TRUE FALSE
SATYA TRUE FALSE FALSE

SQL> grant sysoper to satya;

SQL> select * from v$pwfile_users;
USERNAME SYSDBA SYSOPER SYSASM
-------- ------ ------- ------
SYS TRUE TRUE FALSE
SATYA TRUE TRUE FALSE

SQL> grant sysasm to satya;

SQL> select * from v$pwfile_users;
USERNAME SYSDBA SYSOPER SYSASM
-------- ------ ------- ------
SYS TRUE TRUE FALSE
SATYA TRUE TRUE TRUE
When you grant SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM privileges to a user, that user's name and privilege
information are added to the password file. If the server does not have an EXCLUSIVE password file (i.e. if the
initialization parameter REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE is NONE or SHARED, or the password file is
missing), Oracle issues an error if you attempt to grant these privileges.

Use the REVOKE statement to revoke the SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM system privilege from a user, as
shown in the following example:
SQL> revoke sysoper from satya;

SQL> select * from v$pwfile_users;

USERNAME SYSDBA SYSOPER SYSASM
-------- ------ ------- ------
SYS TRUE TRUE FALSE
SATYA TRUE FALSE TRUE

A user's name remains in the password file only as long as that user has at least one of these three privileges. If
you revoke all 3 privileges, Oracle removes the user from the password file.

Because SYSDBA, SYSOPER and SYSASM are the most powerful database privileges, the WITH ADMIN
OPTION is not used in the GRANT statement. That is, the grantee cannot in turn grant the SYSDBA or
SYSOPER or SYSASM privilege to another user. Only a user currently connected as SYSDBA can grant or
revoke another user's SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM system privileges. These privileges cannot be granted
to roles, because roles are available only after database startup.

If you receive the file full error (ORA-01996) when you try to grant SYSDBA or SYSOPER or SYSASM system
privileges to a user, you must create a larger password file and regrant the privileges to the users.

Removing Password File

If you determine that you no longer require a password file to authenticate users, you can delete the password
file and then optionally reset the REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE initialization parameter to NONE. After you
remove this file, only those users who can be authenticated by the OS can perform SYSDBA or SYSOPER or
SYSASM database administration operations.

ADRCI Commands in Oracle

ADRCI Commands
Automatic Diagnostic Repository (ADR) Command Interpreter, from Oracle 11g

$ adrci [-HELP] [SCRIPT=script_filename] [EXEC="command [;command;...]"]

$ adrci -help
$ adrci script=adrci_script.adi
$ adrci script=env.adrci
$ adrci exec="show alert"
$ adrci exec="show home; export incident -p "incident_id>120""
$ adrci exec="dde show available actions; show tracefile"
$ adrci exec="begin backup; cp -R log /tmp; end backup"

$ adrci
adrci> HELP [COMMAND]

adrci> help
HELP [topic]
Available Topics:
CREATE REPORT
ECHO
EXIT
HELP
HOST
IPS
PURGE
RUN
SET BASE
SET BROWSER
SET CONTROL
SET ECHO
SET EDITOR
SET HOMES | HOME | HOMEPATH
SET TERMOUT
SHOW ALERT
SHOW BASE
SHOW CONTROL
SHOW HM_RUN
SHOW HOMES | HOME | HOMEPATH
SHOW INCDIR
SHOW INCIDENT
SHOW PROBLEM
SHOW REPORT
SHOW TRACEFILE
SPOOL
adrci> help set browser
adrci> help ips get remote keys
adrci> help merge file
adrci> help register incident file

adrci> CREATE REPORT report_type report_id

adrci> create report hm_run hm_run_6
HM - Health Monitor

adrci> ECHO quoted_string

adrci> echo "Hello world"

adrci> EXIT
adrci> exit

adrci> QUIT
adrci> quit
adrci> HOST ["host_command_string"]
adrci> host
adrci> host "ls -l *.sh"
adrci> host "vi tailalert.adrci"

Incident Packaging Service (IPS)

adrci> help ips
HELP IPS [topic]
Available Topics:
ADD
ADD FILE
ADD NEW INCIDENTS
CHECK REMOTE KEYS
COPY IN FILE
COPY OUT FILE
CREATE PACKAGE
DELETE PACKAGE
FINALIZE PACKAGE
GENERATE PACKAGE
GET MANIFEST
GET METADATA
GET REMOTE KEYS
PACK
REMOVE
REMOVE FILE
SET CONFIGURATION
SHOW CONFIGURATION
SHOW FILES
SHOW INCIDENTS
SHOW PACKAGE
UNPACK FILE
UNPACK PACKAGE
USE REMOTE KEYS

adrci> IPS ADD [INCIDENT inc_id | PROBLEM prob_id | PROBLEMKEY problem_key | SECONDS secs | TIME
start_time TO end_time] PACKAGE pkg_id
adrci> ips add incident 22 package 33
adrci> ips add problem 3 package 1
adrci> ips add seconds 60 package 9
adrci> ips add time '2011-10-01 10:00:00.00 -07:00' to '2011-10-01 23:00:00.00 -07:00' package 7

adrci> IPS ADD FILE filespec PACKAGE package_id

adrci> ips add file /u01/app/oracle/diag/rdbms/orcl/orcl/trace/alert_orcl.log package 99

adrci> IPS ADD NEW INCIDENTS PACKAGE package_id

adrci> ips add new incidents package 321

adrci> IPS CHECK REMOTE KEYS FILE file_spec

adrci> ips check remote keys file /tmp/key_file.txt

adrci> IPS COPY IN FILE filename [TO new_name][OVERWRITE] PACKAGE pkgid [INCIDENT incid]
adrci> ips copy in file /home/sona/trace/orcl_ora_63175.trc to ADR_HOME/trace/orcl_ora_63175.trc package 11
incident 6
adrci> ips copy in file /tmp/key_file.txt to new_file.txt overwrite package 12

adrci> IPS COPY OUT FILE source TO target [OVERWRITE]

adrci> ips copy out file ADR_HOME/trace/orcl_ora_63175.trc to /home/sona/trace/orcl_ora_63175.trc
adrci> ips copy out file ADR_HOME/trace/orcl_ora_11595.trc to /tmp/orcl_ora_11595.trc overwrite

adrci> IPS CREATE PACKAGE [INCIDENT inc_id | PROBLEM problem_id | PROBLEMKEY problem_key |
SECONDS secs | TIME start_time TO end_time} [CORRELATE BASIC|TYPICAL|ALL]
adrci> ips create package
adrci> ips create package incident 111
adrci> ips create package incident 222 correlate basic
adrci> ips create package problem 6
adrci> ips create package problemkey '?'
adrci> ips create package problemkey "?"
adrci> ips create package seconds 333
adrci> ips create package seconds 444 correlate all
adrci> ips create package time '2011-10-01 00:00:00 -05:30' to '2011-10-02 23.59.59 -05:30'

adrci> IPS DELETE PACKAGE pkg_id

adrci> ips delete package 22

adrci> IPS FINALIZE PACKAGE pkg_id

adrci> ips finalize package 33

adrci> IPS GENERATE PACKAGE pkg_id [IN location] [COMPLETE|INCREMENTAL]

adrci> ips generate package 4 in /tmp
adrci> ips generate package 14 incremental
adrci> ips generate package 345 complete

adrci> IPS GET MANIFEST FROM FILE filename

adrci> ips get manifest from file /home/satya/ORA603_20101006235311_INC_1.zip

adrci> IPS GET METADATA [FROM FILE filename | FROM ADR]

adrci> ips get metadata from file /home/satya/ORA600_20101006135346_COM_1.zip
adrci> ips get metadata from adr

adrci> IPS GET REMOTE KEYS FILE file_spec PACKAGE package_id

adrci> ips get remote keys file /tmp/key_file.txt package 12

adrci> IPS PACK [INCIDENT inc_id | PROBLEM prob_id | PROBLEMKEY prob_key | SECONDS secs | TIME
start_time TO end_time] [CORRELATE {BASIC|TYPICAL|ALL}] [IN path]
adrci> ips pack
adrci> ips pack incident 41
adrci> ips pack incident 24001 in /tmp
adrci> ips pack problem 5
adrci> ips pack problemkey ORA 4031
adrci> ips pack seconds 60 correlate all
adrci> ips pack time '2011-12-31 23:59:59.00 -07:00' to '2012-01-01 01:01:01.00 -07:00';

adrci> IPS REMOVE [INCIDENT inc_id | PROBLEM prob_id | PROBLEMKEY prob_key] PACKAGE pkg_id
adrci> ips remove incident 2 package 7
adrci> ips remove problem 4 package 8

adrci> IPS REMOVE FILE file_name PACKAGE pkg_id

adrci> ips remove file ADR_HOME/trace/orcl_ora_3579.trc package 4

adrci> IPS SET CONFIGURATION parameter_id value (parameter_id = 1 to 23)

adrci> ips set configuration 4 8

adrci> IPS SHOW CONFIGURATION [parameter_id] (parameter_id = 1 to 23)

adrci> ips show configuration
adrci> ips show configuration 21

adrci> IPS SHOW FILES PACKAGE pkg_id

adrci> ips show files package 9

adrci> IPS SHOW INCIDENTS PACKAGE package_id

adrci> ips show incidents package 333

adrci> IPS SHOW PACKAGE [package_id] [BASIC | BRIEF | DETAIL]

adrci> ips show package
adrci> ips show package 12 detail
adrci> ips show package 999 basic

adrci> IPS UNPACK FILE file_name [INTO path]

adrci> ips unpack file /home/oracle/ORA4030_20111008145306_COM_1.zip into /tmp/newadr

unpack file /home/oracle/ORA4030_20111008145306_INC_1.zip

adrci> IPS UNPACK PACKAGE pkg_name [INTO path]

adrci> ips unpack package IPSPKG_20111029010503 into /tmp/newadr

adrci> IPS USE REMOTE KEYS FILE file_spec PACKAGE package_id

adrci> ips use remote keys file /tmp/key_file.txt package 12

adrci> PURGE [[-i id1 | start_id end_id] | [-age mins [-type ALERT|INCIDENT|TRACE|CDUMP|HM|UTSCDMP]
adrci> purge
adrci> purge -i 123 456
adrci> purge -age 600 -type incident
adrci> purge age 720 type alert

adrci> RUN script_name

@script_name
@@script_name
adrci> run adrscr9
adrci> run adrscr.adi
adrci> @adr.scr

adrci> SET BASE base_string | -product product_name

adrci> set base /u01/app/oracle/product
adrci> set base .
adrci> set base -product client
adrci> set base -product adrci

adrci> SET BROWSER browser_program

adrci> set browser firefox
adrci> set browser mozilla

adrci> SET CONTROL (SHORTP_POLICY = [720|value] | LONGP_POLICY = [8760|value])

adrci> set control (SHORTP_POLICY = 360)
adrci> set control (LONGP_POLICY = 4380)

adrci> SET ECHO ON|OFF

adrci> set echo on
adrci> set echo off

adrci> SET EDITOR editor_program (default editor is vi)

adrci> set editor vi
adrci> set editor xemacs

adrci> SET HOME home_location

adrci> set home diag\rdbms\orabase\orabase

adrci> SET HOMES home_location1, home_location2 [, ...]

adrci> set homes diag\rdbms\orabase\orabase, diag\tnslsnr\testdb\listener

adrci> SET HOMEPATH homepath_str1 [homepath_str2] [...]

adrci> set homepath diag\dbms\orabase\orabase
adrci> set homepath diag/rdbms/orcl/orcl4
adrci> set homepath diag/rdbms/dwh3/dwh31 diag/rdbms/dwh3/dwh32

adrci> SET TERMOUT ON|OFF

adrci> set termout on
adrci> set termout off

adrci> SHOW ALERT [-p predicate_string] [-term] [[-tail [num] [-f]] | [-file alert_file_name]]
The fields in the predicate are the fields:
ORIGINATING_TIMESTAMP timestamp
NORMALIZED_TIMESTAMP timestamp
ORGANIZATION_ID text(65)
COMPONENT_ID text(65)
HOST_ID text(65)
HOST_ADDRESS text(17)
MESSAGE_TYPE number
MESSAGE_LEVEL number
MESSAGE_ID text(65)
MESSAGE_GROUP text(65)
CLIENT_ID text(65)
MODULE_ID text(65)
PROCESS_ID text(33)
THREAD_ID text(65)
USER_ID text(65)
INSTANCE_ID text(65)
DETAILED_LOCATION text(161)
UPSTREAM_COMP_ID text(101)
DOWNSTREAM_COMP_ID text(101)
EXECUTION_CONTEXT_ID text(101)
EXECUTION_CONTEXT_SEQUENCE number
ERROR_INSTANCE_ID number
ERROR_INSTANCE_SEQUENCE number
MESSAGE_TEXT text(2049)
MESSAGE_ARGUMENTS text(129)
SUPPLEMENTAL_ATTRIBUTES text(129)
SUPPLEMENTAL_DETAILS text(129)
PROBLEM_KEY text(65)
adrci> show alert -- it will open alert in vi editor
adrci> show alert -tail -- like Unix command tail
adrci> show alert -tail 200 -- like Unix command tail -200
adrci> show alert -tail -f -- like Unix command tail f
adrci> show alert -tail 20 -f
adrci> show alert -term
adrci> show alert -P "MESSAGE_TEXT LIKE '%ORA-%'"
-- To list all the "ORA-" errors

adrci> SHOW BASE [-product product_name]

adrci> show base
adrci> show base -product client
adrci> show base -product adrci

adrci> SHOW CONTROL

adrci> show control

adrci> SHOW HM_RUN [-p predicate_string]

The fields can appear in the predicate are:
RUN_ID number
RUN_NAME text(31)
CHECK_NAME text(31)
NAME_ID number
MODE number
START_TIME timestamp
RESUME_TIME timestamp
END_TIME timestamp
MODIFIED_TIME timestamp
TIMEOUT number
FLAGS number
STATUS number
SRC_INCIDENT_ID number
NUM_INCIDENTS number
ERR_NUMBER number
REPORT_FILE bfile
adrci> show hm_run
adrci> show hm_run -p "run_id=293"
adrci> SHOW HOME
adrci> show home

adrci> SHOW HOMES [-ALL | -base base_str | homepath_str1 ... ]

adrci> show homes
adrci> show homes -all
adrci> show homes -base /temp
adrci> show homes rdbms

adrci> SHOW HOMEPATH

adrci> show homepath

adrci> SHOW INCDIR [id | id_low id_high]

adrci> show incdir
adrci> show incdir 317
adrci> show incdir 3801 3804

adrci> SHOW INCIDENT [-p predicate_string] [-mode BASIC|BRIEF|DETAIL] [-last50|num|-all] [-orderby (field1,
field2, ...) [ASC|DSC]]
adrci> show incident
adrci> show incident -mode brief
adrci> show incident -mode basic -p "incident_id=905"
adrci> show incident -mode detail
adrci> show incident -mode detail -p "incident_id=33"
adrci> show incident -p "CREATE_TIME > '2011-09-18 21:35:25.012579 +00:00'"
adrci> show incident -p "problem_key='ORA 600 [ksmnfy2]'"
adrci> show incident -p "problem_key='ORA 700 [kfnReleaseASM1]'" -mode basic -last -all

adrci> SHOW PROBLEM [-p predicate_string] [-last 50|num|-all] [-orderby (field1, field2, ...) [ASC|DSC]]
The field names that users can specify in the predicate are:
PROBLEM_ID number
PROBLEM_KEY text(550)
FIRST_INCIDENT number
FIRSTINC_TIME timestamp
LAST_INCIDENT number
LASTINC_TIME timestamp
IMPACT1 number
IMPACT2 number
IMPACT3 number
IMPACT4 number
SERVICE_REQUEST text(64)
BUG_NUMBER text(64)
adrci> show problem
adrci> show problem -all
adrci> show problem -p "problem_id=44"
adrci> show problem -p "problem_key='ORA 600 [krfw_switch_4]'"

adrci> SHOW REPORT report_type run_name

adrci> show report hm_run hm_run_9

adrci> SHOW TRACEFILE [file1 file2 ...] [-rt | -t] [-i inc1 inc2 ...] [-path path1 path2 ...]

adrci> show tracefile

adrci> show tracefile -t
adrci> show tracefile -rt
adrci> show tracefile %pmon%
adrci> show tracefile alert%log
adrci> show tracefile %mmon% -rt
adrci> show tracefile %smon% -path /home/satya/temp
adrci> show tracefile -i 916
adrci> show tracefile -i 1 4 -path diag/rdbms/orabase/orabase

adrci> SPOOL full_file_name [APPEND|OFF]

adrci> spool c:\dwh\alrt.txt
adrci> spool /home/satya/myalert.log
adrci> spool myfile.ado append
adrci> spool off -- Turn off the spooling
adrci> spool -- Check the current spooling status

adrci> HELP EXTENDED

adrci> help extended
HELP [topic]
Available Topics:
BEGIN BACKUP
CD
CREATE STAGING XMLSCHEMA
CREATE VIEW
DDE
DEFINE
DELETE
DESCRIBE
DROP VIEW
END BACKUP
INSERT
LIST DEFINE
MERGE ALERT
MERGE FILE
MIGRATE
QUERY
REPAIR
SELECT
SET COLUMN
SHOW CATALOG
SHOW DUMP
SHOW SECTION
SHOW TRACE
SHOW TRACEMAP
SWEEP
UNDEFINE
UPDATE
VIEW

adrci> BEGIN BACKUP

adrci> begin backup

adrci> CREATE STAGING XMLSCHEMA [arguments]

adrci> create staging xmlschema

adrci> CREATE [OR REPLACE] [PUBLIC | PRIVATE] VIEW viewname [(alias)] AS select_stmt
adrci> create view my_incident as select incident_id from incident
Diagnostic Data Extractor (DDE)
adrci> help DDE
HELP DDE [topic]
Available Topics:
CREATE INCIDENT
EXECUTE ACTION
SET INCIDENT
SET PARAMETER
SHOW ACTIONS
SHOW AVAILABLE ACTIONS

adrci> DDE CREATE INCIDENT TYPE type

adrci> dde create incident type wrong_results

adrci> DDE EXECUTE ACTION [INCIDENT incident_id] ACTIONNAME action_name INVOCATION

invocation_id
adrci> dde execute action incident 12 actionname LSNRCTL_STATUS invocation 1
adrci> dde execute action actionname LSNRCTL_STATUS invocation 1

adrci> DDE SET INCIDENT incident_id

adrci> dde set incident 867

adrci> DDE SET PARAMETER value [INCIDENT incident_id] ACTIONNAME action_name INVOCATION
invocation_id POSITION position
adrci> dde set parameter incident 12 actionname LSNRCTL_STATUS invocation 1 position 1 service

adrci> DDE SHOW ACTIONS [INCIDENT incident_id]

adrci> dde show actions
adrci> dde show actions incident 222

adrci> DDE SHOW AVAILABLE ACTIONS

adrci> dde show available actions

adrci> DEFINE variable_name variable_value

adrci> define spool_file 'my_spool_file'
adrci> define alertLog "alert_prod.log"

adrci> DELETE FROM relation [WHERE predicate_string]

adrci> delete from incident where "incident_id > 99"

adrci> DESCRIBE relation_name [-SURROGATE] [-HOMEPATH homepath_str]

adrci> describe incident
adrci> describe problem -surrogate
adrci> describe hm_run
adrci> describe DDE_USER_INCIDENT_TYPE
adrci> describe DDE_USER_ACTION

adrci> DROP VIEW viewname

adrci> drop view my_incident
adrci> END BACKUP
adrci> end backup

adrci> INSERT INTO relation (field_list) VALUES (values_list)

adrci> insert into incident(create_time) values (systimestamp)

adrci> LIST DEFINE

adrci> list define

adrci> MERGE ALERT [(projection_list)] [-t ref_time_str beg_sec end_sec] [-tdiff|-tfull] [-term] [-plain]
adrci> merge alert
adrci> merge alert (fct ti)
adrci> merge alert -tfull -term
adrci> merge alert -t "2012-05-25 09:50:20.442132 -05:30" 10 10 -term

adrci> MERGE FILE [(projection_list)] [file1 file2 ...] [-t ref_time_str beg_sec end_sec | -i incid [beg_sec
end_sec]] [-tdiff|-tfull] [-alert] [-insert_incident] [-term] [-plain]
adrci> merge file (pid fct) orcl_m000_8544.trc -alert -term
adrci> merge file -i 1 -alert -tfull
adrci> merge file orcl_m000_8544.trc -i 1 600 10 -alert
adrci> merge file -t "2012-04-25 22:32:40.442132 -05:30" 10 10 -term

adrci> MIGRATE [RELATION name | SCHEMA] [-DOWNGRADE | -RECOVER]

adrci> migrate schema
adrci> migrate relation incident
adrci> migrate relation hm_run -recover
adrci> migrate relation problem -downgrade

adrci> QUERY [(field1, field2, ...)] relation_name [-p predicate_string] [-orderby (field1, field2, ...) [ASC|DSC]]
adrci> query (incident_id, create_time) incident -p "incident_id > 111"
adrci> query (problem_key) problem -p "PROBLEM_KEY like '%700%'"

adrci> REPAIR [RELATION | SCHEMA] name

adrci> repair relation incident
adrci> repair relation hm_run

adrci> SELECT [* | field1, ...] FROM relation_name [WHERE predicate_string] [ORDER BY field1, ... [ASC|DSC|
DESC]] [GROUP BY field1, ... ] [HAVING having_predicate]
adrci> select incident_id, create_time from incident where "incident_id > 90"
adrci> select * from problem where "PROBLEM_KEY like '%7445%'"

adrci> SET COLUMN TEXT num

adrci> set column text 32

adrci> SHOW CATALOG

adrci> show catalog

adrci> SHOW DUMP dump_name [(projection_list)] <[file1 file2 ...] | [[file1 file2 ...] -i inc1 inc2 ...] | [[file1 file2 ...]
-path path1 path2 ...]> [-plain] [-term]
adrci> show dump error_stack orcl_ora_27483.trc
adrci> SHOW SECTION section_name [(projection_list)] <[file1 file2 ...] | [[file1 file2 ...] -i inc1 inc2 ...] | [[file1 file2
...] -path path1 path2 ...]> [-plain] [-term]
adrci> show section sql_exec orcl_ora_27483.trc

adrci> SHOW TRACE [(projection_list)] <[file1 file2 ...] | [[file1 file2 ...] -i inc1 inc2 ...] | [[file1 file2 ...] -path path1
path2 ...]> [-plain] [-xp "path_pred_string"] [-xr display_path] [-term]
adrci> show trace (co, fi, li) orcl_ora_27483.trc
adrci> show trace (id, co) -i 145 152
adrci> show trace orcl_ora_27483.trc -xp "/dump[nm='Data block']" -xr /*
adrci> show trace alert_dwh.log
adrci> show trace ~alertLog

adrci> SHOW TRACEMAP [(projection_list)] <[file1 file2 ...] | [[file1 file2 ...] -i inc1 inc2 ...] | [[file1 file2 ...] -path
path1 path2 ...]> [-level level_num] [-xp "path_pred_string"] [-term]
adrci> show tracemap (nm)
adrci> show tracemap (co, nm) orcl_ora_27483.trc
adrci> show tracemap -level 3 -i 145 152
adrci> show tracemap orcl_ora_27483.trc -xp "/dump[nm='Data block']"

adrci> SWEEP ALL | id1 | id1 id2 | -RESWEEP -FORCE

adrci> sweep all
adrci> sweep 123
adrci> sweep 41 100
adrci> sweep 91 200 -resweep
adrci> sweep 16 600 -force

adrci> UNDEFINE variable_name

adrci> undefine spool_file
adrci> undefine alertLog

adrci> UPDATE relation SET {field1=val, ... } [WHERE predicate_string]

adrci> update incident set create_time = systimestamp where "incident_id > 6"

adrci> VIEW file1 file2 ...

adrci> view foo.trc foo1.trc
adrci> view alert.log

adrci> HELP HIDDEN

adrci> help hidden
HELP [topic]
Available Topics:
CREATE HOME
CREATE INCIDENT
REGISTER INCIDENT FILE

adrci> CREATE HOME keyname=key_value [keyname=key_value ...]

adrci> create home base=/tmp product_type=rdbms product_id=prod1 instance_id=inst1
Mandatory parameters are "BASE", "PRODUCT_TYPE", "PRODUCT_ID", and "INSTANCE_ID".

adrci> CREATE INCIDENT keyname=key_value [keyname=key_value ...]

adrci> create incident problem_key="ORA-00600: [Memory corruption]" error_facility=ORA error_number=600
error_message="ORA-00600: [Memory corruption]"
Mandatory keynames are "PROBLEM_KEY", "ERROR_FACILITY", "ERROR_NUMBER", "ERROR_MESSAGE".

adrci> REGISTER INCIDENT FILE keyname=key_value [keyname=key_value ...]

adrci> register incident file filename=ora_pmon_12345.trc incident_id=1
"FILENAME" and "INCIDENT_ID" are mandatory keys.

adrci> EXPORT relation_name [-p predicate_string] [-file filename] [-overwrite] [-dir]

adrci> export incident
adrci> export incident -p incident_id>80
adrci> export problem -p "problem_id>123" -overwrite
adrci> export hm_run -p "run_id-456" -file hm_run_456.exp

adrci> IMPORT file_name [-dir dir_name]

adrci> import incident_99.imp
adrci> import hm_run_456.exp -dir diag/clients/user_oracle/host

Automatic Storage Management

Oracle Database 10g Release 1, introduced Automatic Storage Management(ASM), a new framework for
managing Oracle database files,
to bypass the OS overhead,
to simplify Oracle data management,
to enforce the SAME (Stripe And Mirror Everywhere, RAID10), and
to provide a platform for file sharing in RAC and Grid computing.

Automatic Storage Management (ASM) is a new type of file system. ASM provided a foundation for highly
efficient storage management with kernelized asynchronous I/O, direct I/O, redundancy, striping, and an easy
way to manage storage. ASM is recommended file system for RAC and single instance ASM for storing database
files. This provides direct I/O to the file and performance is comparable with that provided by raw devices. Oracle
creates a separate instance for this purpose.

ASM includes volume management functionality similar to that of a generic logical volume manager. Automatic
Storage Management (ASM) will take physical disk partitions and manages their contents in a way that efficiently
supports the files needed to create an Oracle database.

Automatic Storage Management (ASM) simplifies administration of Oracle related files by allowing the
administrator to reference diskgroups rather than hundreds of individual disks and files, which are managed by
ASM. The ASM functionality is an extension of the Oracle Managed Files (OMF) functionality that also includes
striping and mirroring to provide balanced and secure storage. The ASM functionality can be used in combination
with existing raw and cooked file systems, along with OMF and manually managed files.

Before ASM, there were only two choices: file system storage and raw disk storage. File system storage is
flexible, allowing the DBA to see the individual files and to move them, copy them, and back them up easily, but it
also incurs overhead. Raw disk storage has no file directories on it, and Oracle manages its blocks directly, which
makes it more efficient. Raw disk storage is such a manageability nightmare that few DBAs use it.

ASM is the middle ground. It's raw disk storage managed by Oracle, and it is very efficient. Oracle uses a scaled
down Oracle instance to simulate a file structure on it where none exists, by recording all the metadata. The
metadata enables the Recovery Manager (RMAN) to backup and restore Oracle files easily within it.

Setting up storage takes a significant amount of time during most database installations. Zeroing on a specific
disk configuration from among the multiple possibilities requires careful planning and analysis, and most
important, intimate knowledge of storage technology, volume managers, and file systems. The design tasks at
this stage can be loosely described as follows:
1. Confirm that storage is recognized at the OS level and determine the level of redundancy
protection that might already be provided (hardware RAID, called external redundancy in ASM).
2. Assemble and build logical volume groups and determine if striping or mirroring is also
necessary.
3. Build a file system on the logical volumes created by the logical volume manager.
 4. Set the ownership and privileges so that the Oracle process can open, read, and write to the
devices.
5. Create a database on that file system while taking care to create special files such as redo
logs, temporary tablespaces, and undo tablespaces in non-RAID locations, if possible.

All above tasks, striping, mirroring, logical file system building, are done to serve Oracle database. Oracle
database offers some techniques of its own to simplify or enhance the process. Lets DBAs execute many of the
above tasks completely within the Oracle framework. Using ASM you can transform a bunch of disks to a highly
scalable and performance file system/volume manager using nothing more than what comes with Oracle
database software at no extra cost and you don't need to be an expert in disk, volume managers, or file system
management.

You can store the following file types in ASM diskgroups:

o Datafiles
o Control files
o Online redo logs
o Archive logs
o Flashback logs
o SPFILEs
o RMAN backups
o Temporary datafiles
o Datafile copies
o Disaster recovery configurations
o Change tracking bitmaps
o Datapump dumpsets

In summary, ASM provides the following functionality/features:

Manages groups of disks, called diskgroups. Must be careful while choosing disks for a diskgroup.
Manages disk redundancy within a diskgroup.
Provides near-optimal I/O balancing without any manual tuning.
Enables management of database objects without specifying mount points and filenames.
Supports large files.
Replacement for CFS (Cluster File System).
Also useful for Non-RAC databases.
A new instance type - ASM is introduced in 10g.
ASM instance has no data dictionary.
A Disk can be a partial, full or a LUN from the RG.
I/O is spread evenly across all disks of a diskgroup.
Disks can be dynamically added to any diskgroup.
When combined with OMF increases manageability.
ASM cannot maintain empty directories delete input has issues, create a dummy directory.
Use of ASM diskgroup is very simple create tablespace.
Enterprise Manager can also be used for administering diskgroups
Only RMAN can be used with ASM.
Introduces three additional Oracle background processes RBAL, ARBx and ASMB.
o ASMB - This ASMB process is used to provide information to and from cluster synchronization
services used by ASM to manage the disk resources. It's also used to update statistics and provide a heart beat
mechanism.
o Re-Balance, RBAL - RBAL is the ASM related process that performs rebalancing of disk
resources controlled by ASM.
o Actual Rebalance, ARBx - ARBx is configured by ASM_POWER_LIMIT.
ASM instance has it own set of v$views and init.ora parameters.

The advantages of ASM are

Disk Addition - Adding a disk is very easy. No downtime is required and file extents are redistributed
automatically.
I/O Distribution - I/O is spread over all the available disks automatically, without manual intervention,
reducing chances of a hot spot.
Stripe Width - Striping can be fine grained as in redolog files (128K for faster transfer rate) and coarse
for datafiles (1MB for transfer of a large number of blocks at one time).
Mirroring - Software mirroring can be set up easily, if hardware mirroring is not available.
Buffering - The ASM file system is not buffered, making it direct I/O capable by design.
Kernelized Asynchronous I/O - There is no special setup necessary to enable kernelized asynchronous
I/O, without using raw or third-party file systems such as Veritas Quick I/O.

ASM Instance
The ASM functionality is controlled by an ASM instance. This is a special instance, not a database where users
can create objects, just the memory structures and as such is very small and lightweight.

With ASM, you don't have to create anything on the OS side; the feature will group a set of physical disks to a
logical entity known as a diskgroup. A diskgroup is analogous to a striped and optionally mirrored, file system,
with important differences: it's not a general-purpose file system for storing user files and it's not buffered.
Diskgroup offers the advantage of direct access to this space as a raw device, yet provides the convenience and
flexibility of a file system. All the metadata about the disks are stored in the diskgroups themselves, making them
as self-describing as possible.

This special ASM instance is similar to other file systems in that it must be running for ASM to work and can't be
modified by the user. One ASM instance can serve number of Oracle databases. ASM instance and database
instances have to be present on same server. Otherwise it will not work.

Logical volume managers typically use a function, such as hashing, to map the logical address of the blocks to
the physical blocks. This computation uses CPU cycles. When a new disk is added, this typical striping function
requires each bit of the entire data set to be relocated. In contrast, ASM uses this special instance to address the
mapping of the file extents to the physical disk blocks. This design, in addition to being fast in locating the file
extents, helps while adding or removing disks because the locations of file extents need not be coordinated.

You should start the instance up when the server is booted i.e. it should be started before the database
instances, and it should be one of the last things stopped when the server is shutdown. From 11.2.0, we can
use ASMCMD to start and stop the ASM instances.

The initialization parameters that are specific to an ASM instance are:

INSTANCE_TYPE - Set to ASM. The default is RDBMS.
ASM_DISKGROUPS - The list of diskgroups that should be mounted by an ASM instance during
instance startup, or by the ALTER DISKGROUP ALL MOUNT statement. ASM configuration changes are
automatically reflected in this parameter.
ASM_DISKSTRING - Specifies a value that can be used to limit the disks considered for discovery. The
default value is NULL allowing all suitable disks to be considered. Altering the default value may improve the
speed of diskgroup mount time and the speed of adding a disk to a diskgroup. Changing the parameter to a value
which prevents the discovery of already mounted disks results in an error.
 ASM_POWER_LIMIT -The maximum power for a rebalancing operation on an ASM instance. The valid
values range from 1 (default) to 11. The higher the limit the more resources are allocated resulting in faster
rebalancing operations. This value is also used as the default when the POWER clause is omitted from a
rebalance operation. A value of 0 disables rebalancing.
ASM_PREFERRED_READ_FAILURE_GROUPS - This initialization parameter value (default is NULL)
is a comma-delimited list of strings that specifies the failure groups that should be preferentially read by the given
instance. This parameter is generally used only for clustered ASM instances and its value can be different on
different nodes. This is fromOracle 11g.
DB_UNIQUE_NAME - Specifies a globally unique name for the database. This defaults to +ASM but
must be altered if you intend to run multiple ASM instances.

To create an ASM instance first create pfile, init+ASM.ora, in the /tmp directory, containing the following
parameter.
INSTANCE_TYPE = ASM

Next, connect to the ideal instance.

$ export ORACLE_SID=+ASM
SQL> sqlplus "/as sysdba"

Create a spfile using the contents of the init+ASM.ora file.

SQL> CREATE SPFILE FROM PFILE='/tmp/init+ASM.ora';

SQL> startup nomount

ASM instance started
Total System Global Area 130023424 bytes
Fixed Size 2028368 bytes
Variable Size 102829232 bytes
ASM Cache 25165824 bytes

The ASM instance is now ready to use for creating and mounting diskgroups.

Once an ASM instance is present, diskgroups can be used for the following parameters in database instances
(INSTANCE_TYPE=RDBMS) to allow ASM file creation:
CONTROL_FILES
DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST
DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_n
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST
LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n
LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST
STANDBY_ARCHIVE_DEST

Startup of ASM Instances

ASM instances are started and stopped in a similar way to normal database instances.

The options for the STARTUP command are:

NOMOUNT - Starts the ASM instance without mounting any diskgroups.
MOUNT - Starts the ASM instance and mounts the diskgroups specified by the ASM_DISKGROUPS
parameter.
OPEN - ASM instance does not have open stage.
FORCE - Performs a SHUTDOWN ABORT before restarting the ASM instance.
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is startup (11g R2 command).

Shutdown of ASM Instances

The options for the SHUTDOWN command are:
NORMAL - The ASM instance waits for all connected ASM instances and SQL sessions to exit then
shuts down.
IMMEDIATE - The ASM instance waits for any SQL transactions to complete then shuts down. It doesn't
wait for sessions to exit.
TRANSACTIONAL - Same as IMMEDIATE.
ABORT - The ASM instance shuts down instantly.
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is shutdown (11g R2 command).

ASM Diskgroups
The main components of ASM are diskgroups, each of which comprise of several physical disks that are
controlled as a single unit. The physical disks are known as ASM disks, while the files that reside on the disks are
known as ASM files. The locations and names for the files are controlled by ASM, but user-friendly aliases and
directory structures can be defined for ease of reference.

Diskgroup is a terminology used for logical structure which holds the database files. Each diskgroup consists of
disks/raw devices where the files are actually stored. Any ASM file (and it's redundant copy) is completely
contained within a single diskgroup. A diskgroup might contain files belonging to several databases and a single
database can use files from multiple diskgroups.

In the initial release of Oracle 10g, ASM diskgroups were a black box. We had to manipulate ASM diskgroups
with SQL statements while logged in to the special ASM instance that manages the diskgroups.

In Oracle 10g Release 2, Oracle introduced a new command line tool called ASMCMD that lets you look inside
ASM volumes (which are called diskgroups). Now you can do many tasks from the command line.

While creating a diskgroup, we have to specify an ASM diskgroup type based on one of the following three
redundancy levels:
Normal redundancy - for 2-way mirroring, requiring two failure groups, when ASM allocates an extent for
a normal redundancy file, ASM allocates a primary copy and a secondary copy. ASM chooses the disk on which
to store the secondary copy in a different failure group other than the primary copy.
High redundancy - for 3-way mirroring, requiring three failure groups, in this case the extent is mirrored
across 3 disks.
External redundancy - to not use ASM mirroring. This is used if you are using hardware mirroring or third
party redundancy mechanism like RAID, Storage arrays.

ASM is supposed to stripe the data and also mirror the data (if using Normal, High redundancy). So this can be
used as an alternative for RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) 0+1 solutions.

No, we cannot modify the redundancy for diskgroup once it has been created. To alter it we will be required to
create a new diskgroup and move the files to it. This can also be done by restoring full backup on the new
diskgroup.
Failure groups are defined within a diskgroup to support the required level of redundancy, using normal/high
redundancy. They contain the mirrored ASM extents and must be containing different disks and preferably on
separate disk controller.

In addition failure groups and preferred names for disks can be defined in CREATE DISKGROUP statement. If
the NAME clause is omitted the disks are given a system generated name like "disk_group_1_0001". The
FORCE option can be used to move a disk from another diskgroup into this one.

Creating diskgroups
SQL> CREATE DISKGROUP dg_asm_data NORMAL REDUNDANCY
FAILGROUP failure_group_1 DISK
'/devices/diska1' NAME diska1, '/devices/diska2' NAME diska2,
FAILGROUP failure_group_2 DISK
'/devices/diskb1' NAME diskb1, '/devices/diskb2' NAME diskb2;

For two-way mirroring we would expect a diskgroup to contain two failure groups, so individual files are written to
two locations.

SQL> CREATE DISKGROUP dg_asm_fra HIGH REDUNDANCY

FAILGROUP failure_group_1 DISK
'/devices/diska1' NAME diska1, '/devices/diska2' NAME diska2,
FAILGROUP failure_group_2 DISK
'/devices/diskb1' NAME diskb1, '/devices/diskb2' NAME diskb2,
FAILGROUP failure_group_3 DISK
'/devices/diskc1' NAME diskc1, '/devices/diskc2' NAME diskc2;

For three-way mirroring we would expect a diskgroup to contain three failure groups, so individual files are written
to three locations.

SQL> CREATE DISKGROUP dg_grp1 EXTERNAL REDUNDANCY

DISK '/dev/d1','/dev/d2','/dev/d3','/dev/d4' ... ...;

In the above command, database will create a diskgroup named dg_grp1 with the physical disks named
/dev/d1, /dev/d2, and so on. Instead of giving disks separately, we can also specify disk names in wildcards in the
DISK clause as DISK '/dev/d*'.

We have also specified a clause EXTERNAL REDUNDANCY, which indicates that the failure of a disk will bring
down the diskgroup. This is usually the case when the redundancy is provided by the hardware, such as
mirroring. If there is no hardware based redundancy, the ASM can be set up to create a special set of disks called
failgroup in the diskgroup to provide that redundancy.

SQL> CREATE DISKGROUP dskgrp1 NORMAL REDUNDANCY

FAILGROUP failgrp1 DISK '/dev/d1','/dev/d2',
FAILGROUP failgrp2 DISK '/dev/d3','/dev/d4';

Although it may appear as such, d3 and d4 are not mirrors of d1 and d2. Rather, ASM uses all the disks to create
a fault-tolerant system. For example, a file on the diskgroup might be created in d1 with a copy maintained on d4.
A second file may be created on d3 with copy on d2, and so on. That is, primary copy will be on one failure group
and secondary copy will be another (third copy will be another, for high redundancy).
Failure of a specific disk allows a copy on another disk so that the operation can continue. For example, you
could lose the controller for both disks d1 and d2 and ASM would mirror copies of the extents across the failure
group to maintain data integrity.

SQL> CREATE DISKGROUP dg1 DISK '/dev/raw/*'

ATTRIBUTE 'compatible.rdbms' = '11.1', 'compatible.asm' = '11.1'; (11g R1 command)

SQL> CREATE DISKGROUP dg2 EXTERNAL REDUNDANCY

DISK '/dev/sde1' ATRRIBUTE 'au_size' = '32M'; (11g R1 command)

SQL> CREATE DISKGROUP archdg NORMAL REDUNDANCY

FAILGROUP fg1 DISK
'/devices/diska1','/devices/diska2','/devices/diska3','/devices/diska4'
FAILGROUP fg2 DISK
'/devices/diskb1','/devices/diskb2','/devices/diskb3','/devices/diskb4'
ATTRIBUTE 'au_size'='4M','compatible.asm'='11.2','compatible.rdbms'='11.2','compatible.advm'='11.2';(11g
R2 command)

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is mkdg (11g R2 command).

Listing diskgroups
To find out all the diskgroups:
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISKGROUP;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is lsdg.

Dropping diskgroups
Diskgroups can be deleted using the DROP DISKGROUP statement.
SQL> DROP DISKGROUP disk_group_1 INCLUDING CONTENTS;
SQL> DROP DISKGROUP disk_group_1 FORCE; (11g R1 command)
SQL> DROP DISKGROUP disk_group_1 FORCE INCLUDING CONTENTS; (11gR1 command)

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is dropdg (11g R2 command).

Altering diskgroups
Disks can be added or removed from diskgroups using the ALTER DISKGROUP statement. Remember that the
wildcard "*" can be used to reference disks so long as the resulting string does not match a disk already used by
an existing diskgroup.

Adding disks
We may have to add additional disks into the diskgroup to accommodate growing demand.
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dskgrp1 ADD DISK '/dev/d5';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg1 ADD DISK '/devices/disk*3', '/devices/disk*4';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is chdg (11g R2 command).

Listing disks
The following command shows all the disks managed by the ASM instance for all the client databases.
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISK;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is lsdsk (11g R1 command).

Listing client databases

The following command shows all the database instances connected to the ASM instance.
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_CLIENT;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is lsct.

Dropping disks
We can remove a disk from diskgroup.
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg4 DROP DISK diska4;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is chdg (11g R2 command).

Resizing disks
Disks can be resized using the RESIZE clause of the ALTER DISKGROUP statement. The statement can be
used to resize individual disks, all disks in a failure group or all disks in the diskgroup. If the SIZE clause is
omitted the disks are resized to the size of the disk returned by the OS.
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_data_1 RESIZE DISK diska1 SIZE 150G;

Resizing all disks in a failure group

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_data_1 RESIZE DISKS IN FAILGROUP fg_1 SIZE 50G;

Resizing all disks in a diskgroup

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_data_1 RESIZE ALL SIZE 100G;

Undropping disks
The UNDROP DISKS clause of the ALTER DISKGROUP statement allows pending disk drops to be undone. It
will not revert drops that have completed, or disk drops associated with the dropping of a diskgroup.
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group_1 UNDROP DISKS;

Online disks
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data ONLINE DISK 'disk_0000', 'disk_0001';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data ONLINE DISKS IN FAILGROUP 'fg_99';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data ONLINE ALL;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is online (11gR2 command).

Offline disks
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data OFFLINE DISK 'disk_0000', 'disk_0001';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data OFFLINE DISKS IN FAILGROUP 'fg_99';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data OFFLINE DISK d1_0001 DROP AFTER 30m;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is offline (11gR2 command).

Mounting diskgroups
Diskgroups are mounted at ASM instance startup and unmounted at ASM instance shutdown. Manual mounting
and dismounting can be accomplished using the ALTER DISKGROUP statement as below.

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP ALL MOUNT;

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_data2 MOUNT;
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_data2 MOUNT RESTRICTED; (11gR1 command)

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is mount (11gR2 command).

Dismounting diskgroups

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP ALL DISMOUNT;

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_fra DISMOUNT;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is umount (11gR2 command).

Changing attributes
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data3 SET ATTRIBUTE 'compatible.rdbms' = '11.1'; (11gR1 command)
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data3 SET ATTRIBUTE 'compatible.asm' = '11.2';
(11gR1 command)
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data3 SET ATTRIBUTE 'disk_repair_time' = '4.5h'; (11gR1 command)

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is setattr (11gR2 command).

Listing attributes
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_ATTRIBUTE;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is lsattr (11gR2 command).

Rebalancing
Diskgroups can be rebalanced manually using the REBALANCE clause of the ALTER DISKGROUP statement. If
the POWER clause is omitted the ASM_POWER_LIMIT parameter value is used. Rebalancing is only needed
when the speed of the automatic rebalancing is not appropriate.
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group_1 REBALANCE POWER 6;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is rebal (11gR2 command).

IO statistics of a diskgroup
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISK_IOSTAT;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is iostat (11gR2 command).

Until 11.1.0, all the above commands can not be performed with ASMCMD. From 11.2.0, we can.

Directories
As in other file systems, an ASM directory is a container for files, and an ASM directory can be part of a tree
structure of other directories. The fully qualified filename represents a hierarchy of directories in which the plus
sign (+) represent the root directory. In each diskgroup, ASM automatically creates a directory hierarchy that
corresponds to the structure of the fully qualified filenames in the diskgroup. The directories in this hierarchy are
known as system-generated directories.

An absolute path refers to the full path of a file or directory. An absolute path begins with a plus sign (+) followed
by a diskgroup name, followed by subsequent directories in the directory tree. The absolute path includes
directories until the file or directory is reached. A fully qualified filename is an example of an absolute path to a
file. A relative path includes only the part of the filename or directory name that is not part of the current directory.
That is, the path to the file or directory is relative to the current directory.

A directory hierarchy can be defined using the ALTER DISKGROUP statement to support ASM file aliasing.

Creating a directory
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_1 ADD DIRECTORY '+dg_1/my_dir';

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is mkdir.

Renaming a directory
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_1 RENAME DIRECTORY '+dg_1/my_dir' TO '+dg_1/my_dir_2';

Deleting a directory
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_1 DROP DIRECTORY '+dg_1/my_dir_2' FORCE;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is rm.

Files
There are several ways to reference ASM files. Some forms are used during creation and some for referencing
ASM files. Every file created in ASM gets a system-generated filename, known as fully qualified filename, this is
same as complete path name in a local file system.

The forms of the ASM filenames are:

Filename Type Format
Fully Qualified ASM Filename +dgroup/dbname/file_type/ file_type_tag.file.incarnation
Numeric ASM Filename +dgroup.file.incarnation
Alias ASM Filenames +dgroup/directory/filename
Alias ASM Filename with Template +dgroup(template)/alias
Incomplete ASM Filename +dgroup
Incomplete ASM Filename with Template +dgroup(template)

ASM generates filenames according to the following scheme:

+diskGroupName/databaseName/fileType/fileTypeTag.fileNumber.incarnation

e.g: +dgroup2/crm/CONTROLFILE/Current.256.541956473
+dg_fra/hrms/DATAFILE/users.309.621906475

ASM does not place system-generated files into user-created directories; it places them only in system-
generated directories. We can add aliases or other directories to a user-created directory.

Dropping Files
Files are not deleted automatically if they are created using aliases, as they are not Oracle Managed Files
(OMF), or if a recovery is done to a point-in-time before the file was created. For these circumstances it is
necessary to manually delete the files, as shown below.

Dropping file using an alias

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_2 DROP FILE '+dg_2/my_dir/my_file.dbf';

Dropping file using a numeric form filename

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_2 DROP FILE '+dg_2.321.123456789';

Dropping file using a fully qualified filename

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_2 DROP FILE '+dg_2/mydb/datafile/my_ts.292.265390671';

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is rm.

Aliases
Aliases allow you to reference ASM files using user-friendly names, rather than the fully qualified ASM filenames.

Creating an alias
Creating an alias, using the fully qualified filename
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_3 ADD ALIAS '+dg_3/my_dir/users.dbf' FOR
'+dg_3/mydb/datafile/users.392.333222555';

Creating an alias, using the numeric form filename

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_3 ADD ALIAS '+dg_3/my_dir/my_file.dbf' FOR '+dg_3.317.111222333';

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is mkalias.

Renaming an alias
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_3 RENAME ALIAS '+dg_3/my_dir/my_file.dbf' TO '+dg_3/my_dir/my_file2.dbf';

Deleting an alias
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_3 DELETE ALIAS '+dg_3/my_dir/my_file.dbf';

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is rmalias.

Attempting to drop a system alias results in an error.

Templates
Templates are named groups of attributes that can be applied to the files within a diskgroup. The level of
redundancy and the granularity of the striping can be controlled using templates. Default templates are provided
for each file type stored by ASM, but additional templates can be defined as needed.

Available attributes are:

UNPROTECTED - No mirroring or striping regardless of the redundancy setting.
MIRROR - Two-way mirroring for normal redundancy and three-way mirroring for high redundancy.
COARSE - Specifies lower granularity for striping.
FINE - Specifies higher granularity for striping.

MIRROR, COARSE, FINE attributes are cannot be set for external redundancy.

Creating a template
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_4 ADD TEMPLATE mf_template ATTRIBUTES (MIRROR FINE);

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is mktmpl (11gR2 command).

Modifying a template
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_4 ALTER TEMPLATE c_template ATTRIBUTES (COARSE);

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is chtmpl (11gR2 command).

Listing templates
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_TEMPLATE;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is lstmpl (11gR2 command).

Dropping a template
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_4 DROP TEMPLATE u_template;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is rmtmpl (11gR2 command).

Checking Metadata
The internal consistency of diskgroup metadata can be checked in a number of ways using the CHECK clause of
the ALTER DISKGROUP statement.

Checking metadata for a specific file

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_5 CHECK FILE '+dg_5/my_dir/my_file.dbf'

Checking metadata for a specific disk in the diskgroup

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_5 CHECK DISK diska1;

Checking metadata for a specific failure group in the diskgroup

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_5 CHECK FAILGROUP failure_group_1;
Checking metadata for all disks in the diskgroup
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_5 CHECK ALL;

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_5 CHECK;

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_5 CHECK NOREPAIR;
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_5 CHECK REPAIR;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is chkdg (11gR2 command).

User Management
From Oracle 11g release 2, we can create ASM users and usergroups and manipulate the permissions and
ownership of files.

Creating an ASM usergroup

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg ADD USERGROUP 'grp1';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg ADD USERGROUP 'grp2' WITH MEMBER 'oracle1','oracle2';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is mkgrp (11gR2 command).

Listing ASM usergroups

To find out the list of ASM usergroups.
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USERGROUP;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is lsgrp (11gR2 command).

Dropping an ASM usergroup

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg DROP USERGROUP 'grp1';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is rmgrp (11gR2 command).

Modifying(adding/deleting ASM users to/from) an ASM usergroup

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg MODIFY USERGROUP 'grp2' ADD MEMBER 'oracle3';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg MODIFY USERGROUP 'grp2' DROP MEMBER 'oracle3';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is grpmod (11gR2 command).

Creating an ASM user

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg ADD USER 'oracle1';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is mkusr (11gR2 command).

Listing ASM users

To find out the list of ASM users.
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USER;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is lsusr (11gR2 command).

Listing ASM usergroups to which user belongs

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USERGROUP_MEMBER;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is groups (11gR2 command).
Dropping an ASM user
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg DROP USER 'oracle1';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is rmusr (11gR2 command).

Modifying permissions for a file

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg SET PERMISSION OWNER=read write, GROUP=read only, OTHER=none
FOR FILE '+data_dg/controlfile.f';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is chmod (11gR2 command).

Modifying ownership of a file

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg SET OWNERSHIP OWNER='oracle1', GROUP='grp1' FOR FILE
'+data_dg/controlfile.f';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is chown (11gR2 command).

Volume Management
From 11g release 2, we can create Oracle ASM Dynamic Volume Manager (Oracle ADVM) volumes in a
diskgroups. The volume device associated with the dynamic volume can then be used to host an (Oracle ACFS)
file system.

Creating a volume
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg ADD VOLUME volume1 SIZE 20G;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is volcreate (11gR2 command).

Listing volume information

To find out the volumes information.
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_VOLUME;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is volinfo (11gR2 command).

Listing volume statistics

To find out the volumes statistics information.
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_VOLUME_STAT;

ASMCMD equivalent for this command is volstat (11gR2 command).

Dropping a volume
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP data_dg DROP VOLUME volume1;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is voldelete (11gR2 command).

Resizing a volume
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP fra_dg RESIZE VOLUME volume1 SIZE 25G;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is volresize (11gR2 command).

Disabling a volume
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP redo_dg DISABLE VOLUME volume1;
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP ALL DISABLE VOLUME ALL;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is voldisable (11gR2 command).
Enabling a volume
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP arch_dg ENABLE VOLUME volume1;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is volenable (11gR2 command).

Setting a volume
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP asm_dg_data MODIFY VOLUME volume1 USAGE 'acfs';
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is volset (11gR2 command).

Misc
Listing the current operations
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_OPERATION;
ASMCMD equivalent for this command is lsop (11gR2 command).

Creating Tablespaces
Now create a tablespace in the main database using a datafile in the ASM-enabled storage.
SQL> CREATE TABLESPACE user_data DATAFILE '+dskgrp1/user_data_01'
SIZE 1024M;

ASM filenames can be used in place of conventional filenames for most Oracle file types, including controlfiles,
datafiles, logfiles etc. For example, the following command creates a new tablespace with a datafile in the
disk_group_1 diskgroup.
SQL> CREATE TABLESPACE my_ts DATAFILE '+disk_group_1' SIZE 100M AUTOEXTEND ON;

Note how the diskgroup is used as a virtual file system. This approach is useful not only in datafiles, but in other
types of Oracle files as well. For instance, we can create online redo log files as
...
LOGFILE GROUP 1 (
'+dskgrp1/redo/group_1.258.659723485',
'+dskgrp2/redo/group_1.258.659723485'
) SIZE 50M,
...

Archived log destinations can also be set to a diskgroup. Everything related to Oracle database can be created in
an ASM diskgroup. Backup is another great use of ASM. You can set up a bunch of inexpensive disks to create
the recovery area of a database, which can be used by RMAN to create backup datafiles and archived log files.

ASM supports files created by and read by the Oracle database only; it is not a replacement for a general-
purpose file system.

Until Oracle 11g release1, we cannot store binaries or flat files. We cannot use ASM for storing the voting disk
and OCR. It is due to the fact that Clusterware starts before ASM instance and it should be able to access these
files which are not possible if you are storing it on ASM. You will have to use raw devices or OCFS or any other
shared storage. But from 11g release 2, we can store ALL files on ASM.

Can we see the files stored in the ASM instance using standard Unix commands?
No, you cannot see the files using standard Unix commands like ls. You need to use utility called asmcmd to do
this. Oracle 10g release2 introduces asmcmd which makes administration very easy.
$ asmcmd
ASMCMD>

ASMLIB is the support library for the ASM. ASMLIB allows an Oracle database using ASM more efficient and
capable access to diskgroups. The purpose of ASMLIB, is to provide an alternative interface to identify and
access block devices. ASMLIB API enables storage and OS vendors to supply extended storage-related
features.

Migrating to ASM using RMAN

The following method shows how a database can be migrated to ASM from a disk based backup:

1) Shutdown the database.

SQL> SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE

2) Modify the parameter file of the database as follows:

Set DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST and DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_n parameters to the relevant ASM
diskgroups.

3) Remove CONTROL_FILES parameter from the spfile so the control files will be moved to the DB_CREATE_*
destination and the spfile gets updated automatically. If you are using a pfile the CONTROL_FILES parameter
must be set to the appropriate ASM files or aliases.

4) Start the database in nomount mode.

RMAN> STARTUP NOMOUNT

5) Restore the controlfile into the new location from the old location.
RMAN> RESTORE CONTROLFILE FROM 'old_control_file_name';

6) Mount the database.

RMAN> ALTER DATABASE MOUNT;

7) Copy the database into the ASM diskgroup.

RMAN> BACKUP AS COPY DATABASE FORMAT '+disk_group';

8) Switch all datafile to the new ASM location.

RMAN> SWITCH DATABASE TO COPY;

9) Open the database.

RMAN> ALTER DATABASE OPEN;

10) Create new redo logs in ASM and delete the old ones.

ASM New features in Oracle 11g release1

Support for rolling upgrades.
We can maintain version compatibilites at diskgroup level.
SQL> alter diskgroup dg-name set attribute 'compatible.rdbms'='11.1';
SQL> alter diskgroup dg-name set attribute 'compatible.asm'='11.1';
ASM drops disks and if they remain offline for more than 3.6 hours. The diskgroups default time limit is
altered by changing the DISK_REPAIR_TIME parameter with a unit of minutes(M/m) or hours(H/h).
SQL> alter diskgroup dg-name set attribute 'disk_repair_time'='4.5h';
Automatic bad block detection and repair.
 Supports variable extent(allocation unit) sizes. The total number of extents in shared pool will be
significantly reduced and improved performance.
SQL> create diskgroup ... attribute 'au_size' = 'number-of-bytes';
New SYSASM role (like SYSDBA, SYSOPER) & OSASM OS group (like OSDBA, OSOPER) to manage
ASM instance only. This will separate storage administration from database administration.
$ sqlplus "/as sysasm" or $ asmcmd -a sysasm
ASM Preferred Mirror Read or Preferred Read Failure Groups -
ASM_PREFERRED_READ_FAILURE_GROUPS parameter is set to the preferred failure groups for each node.
Faster Mirror Resync - Fast mirror resync after temporary connectivity lost.
We can drop a diskgroup forcefully.
SQL> drop diskgroup dg-name force including contents;
Can mount the disk in restricted mode, to rebalance faster.
SQL> alter diskgroup dg-name mount restricted;
New commands in ASMCMD.
o cp - to copy between ASM and local or remote destination.
o md_backup - to backup metadata.
o md_restore - to restore metadata.
o lsdsk - to list(check) disks.
o remap - to repair a range of physical blocks on disk.

ASM New features in Oracle 11g release2

ASM Configuration Assistant (ASMCA) is a new tool to install and configure ASM.
ASM Cluster File System (ACFS) provides support for files such as Oracle binaries, Clusterware
binaries, report files, trace files, alert logs, external files, and other application datafiles. ACFS can be managed
by ACFSUTIL, ASMCMD, OEM, ASMCA, SQL command interface.
ASM Dynamic Volume Manager (ADVM) provides volume management services and a standard device
driver interface to its clients (ACFS, ext3, OCFS2 and third party files systems).
ACFS Snapshots are read-only on-line, space efficient, point in time copy of an ACFS file system. ACFS
snapshots can be used to recover from inadvertent modification or deletion of files from a file system.
ASM can hold and manage OCR (Oracle Cluster Registry) file and voting file.
ASM diskgroups can be renamed, by using renamedg command.
ASMCMD utility can do
o startup and shutdown of ASM instances.
o Managing diskgroups (create, mount, alter, drop).
o File access control (like OS, ugo and rwx ...).
o User management.
o Template management.
o Volume management.
o We can execute OS commands at asmcmd by using !, in the same we do at SQL prompt.

ASM Views
The ASM configuration can be viewed using the V$ASM_% views, which contain information depending on
whether they are queried from the ASM instance, or a dependant database instance.

View In ASM instance In DB instance

Displays a row for each alias present
V$ASM_ALIAS in every diskgroup mounted by the Returns no rows.
ASM instance.
 Displays attributes of
V$ASM_ATTRIBUTE (11gR2) Displays attributes of diskgroups.
diskgroups.
Displays a row for each database Displays a row for the ASM
V$ASM_CLIENT instance using a diskgroup managed instance if the database has
by the ASM instance. open ASM files.
Displays a row for each disk
Displays a row for each disk
discovered by the ASM instance,
V$ASM_DISK or V$ASM_DISK_STAT in diskgroups in use by the
including disks which are not part of
database instance.
any diskgroup.
Displays IO statistics of
V$ASM_DISK_IOSTAT(11gR2) Displays IO statistics of disks.
disks.
Displays a row for each
V$ASM_DISKGROUP or Displays a row for each diskgroup
diskgroup mounted by the
V$ASM_DISKGROUP_STAT discovered by the ASM instance.
local ASM instance.
Displays a row for each file for each
V$ASM_FILE diskgroup mounted by the ASM Displays no rows.
instance.
Displays a row for each filesystem for
V$ASM_FILESYSTEM(11gR2) each diskgroup mounted by the ASM Displays no rows.
instance.
Displays a row for each file for each
V$ASM_OPERATION long running operation executing in Displays no rows.
the ASM instance.
Displays a row for each
Displays a row for each template
template present in each
V$ASM_TEMPLATE present in each diskgroup mounted
diskgroup mounted by the
by the ASM instance.
ASM instance.
V$ASM_USER (11gR2) Displays a row for each ASM user. -
Displays a row for each
V$ASM_USERGROUP(11gR2) -
ASM usergroup.
Displays ASM usergroups and it's
V$ASM_USERGROUP_MEMBER(11gR2) -
members.
V$ASM_VOLUME
Displays a row for each volume. -
orV$ASM_VOLUME_STAT(11gR2)

ASM backup can be taken by spooling the output of the ASM views to text file.

SPOOL asm_views.log
SET ECHO ON
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_ALIAS;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_ATTRIBUTE;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_CLIENT;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISK;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISK_IOSTAT;SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISK_STAT;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISKGROUP;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISKGROUP_STAT;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_FILE;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_FILESYSTEM;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_OPERATION;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_TEMPLATE;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USER;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USERGROUP;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USERGROUP_MEMBER;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_VOLUME;
SELECT * FROM V$ASM_VOLUME_STAT;
SPOOL OFF

asmcmd utility in Oracle

Automatic Storage Management (ASM) Command line utility (ASMCMD), introduced with Oracle Database 10g
release 2.

Managing ASM through SQL interfaces, in Oracle Database 10g Release 1, posed a challenge for administrators
who were not very familiar with SQL and preferred a more conventional command line interface. From Oracle
Database 10g Release 2, we have an option to manage the ASM files by using ASMCMD, a powerful and easy to
use command line tool.

In Oracle Database 10g Release 1, ASM diskgroups are not visible outside the database for regular file system
administration tasks such as copying and creating directories. From Oracle Database 10g Release 2, we can
transfer the files from ASM to locations outside of the diskgroups via FTP and through a web browser using
HTTP.

(From 11.2.0) ASMCMD is used to

start/stop ASM instances
create or alter or drop diskgroups
mount or dismount diskgroups
list the contents, statistics and attributes of diskgroups, and files on them
backup and restore the metadata of diskgroups
create and remove directories, templates and aliases
managing volumes
make online or offline the disks/failure groups
can rebalance the diskgroups
repair physical blocks
copy the files between the diskgroups and OS
backup and restore of SP file
add/remove/modify/list users from password file
add/remove/modify/list templates
manipulate diskstring
create/modify/remove ASM users, groups
change ASM file permissions, owners and groups
display space utilization
perform searches

ASMCMD has equivalent commands for all the SQL commands that can be performed through SQL*Plus.

ASMCMD is included in the installation of the Oracle Database software (from 10g Release 2), no separate setup
is required.

We cant see the files stored in the ASM instance using standard UNIX commands like ls. We need to use
asmcmd. The asmcmd command line interface is very similar to standard UNIX/Linux commands, but it only
manages files at the OS level. The asmcmd utility supports all common Linux commands. The idea of this tool is
to make administering the ASM files similar to administering standard OS files.

Invoking asmcmd
To start using ASMCMD, You must log in as a user that has SYSASM or SYSDBA privileges through OS
authentication. The environmental variables ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_SID must be set to the ASM
instance. Ensure that $ORACLE_HOME/bin is in PATH environment variable. You must have ASM configured on
the machine and started, and the ASM diskgroups are mounted.

The default value of the ASM SID for a single instance database is +ASM. In Real Application Clusters
(RAC) environments, the default value of the ASM SID on any node is +ASMnode# (+ASM1, +ASM2, ...).
$ export ORACLE_SID=+ASM

To enter in interactive mode, type asmcmd, which brings up the ASM command prompt.
$ asmcmd
ASMCMD>

To run a specific ASMCMD command, non interactively, we can type

$ asmcmd command arguments

We can specify the -p option with the asmcmd command to include the current directory in the ASMCMD prompt.
$ asmcmd -p
ASMCMD [+] > cd dgroup1/hrms
ASMCMD [+dgroup1/hrms] >

We can specify the -a option to choose the type of connection, either SYSASM or SYSDBA. From 11g, the
SYSASM privilege is preferred & default.
$ asmcmd -a sysasm or asmcmd -a sysdba

We can specify the -V option when starting asmcmd to displays the asmcmd version number. This is from 11g.
$ asmcmd -V
asmcmd version 11.1.0.6.0

We can specify the -v option when starting asmcmd to displays the additional information. This is from 11g.
$ asmcmd -v

ASM Filenames & Directories

Pathnames within ASMCMD, can use either the forward slash (/) as in UNIX or the backward slash (\) as in
Windows, they're interchangeable. Also, we can use either the UNIX wildcard "*" to match any string in a
pathname, or its SQL equivalent, "%".

Filenames are not case sensitive, but are case retentive, that is, ASMCMD retains the case of the directory that
you entered.

The fully qualified filename represents a hierarchy of directories in which the plus sign (+) represent the root
directory. We can also create our own directories as subdirectories of the system-generated directories using the
ALTER DISKGROUP command or with the ASMCMD mkdir command. Those directories can have
subdirectories, and we can navigate the hierarchy of both system-generated directories and user-created
directories with the cd command.

When we run an ASMCMD command that accepts a filename or directory name as an argument, we can use the
name as either an absolute path or a relative path.

An absolute path refers to the full path of a file or directory. An absolute path begins with a plus sign (+) followed
by a diskgroup name, followed by subsequent directories in the directory tree. The absolute path includes
directories until the file or directory is reached. A fully qualified filename is an example of an absolute path to a
file.

Using an absolute path enables the command to access the file or directory regardless of where the current
directory is set. The following rm command uses an absolute path for the filename:
ASMCMD [+] > rm +dgroup1/hrms/datafile/users.280.555341999

A relative path includes only the part of the filename or directory name that is not part of the current directory.
That is, the path to the file or directory is relative to the current directory.
ASMCMD [+dgroup1/hrms/DATAFILE] > ls -l undotbs1.267.557429239

Paths to directories can also be relative and we can use the pseudo-directories "." and ".." in place of a directory
name. The wildcard characters * and % match zero or more characters anywhere within an absolute or relative
path, which saves typing of the full directory or file name. These two wildcard characters behave identically.

Alias
As in UNIX, we can create alias names for files listed in the diskgroup. Aliases are user-friendly filenames that
are references or pointers to system-generated filenames. Aliases are similar to symbolic links in UNIX flavors.
ASM's auto generated names can be a bit strange, so creating aliases makes working with ASM files with
ASMCMD easier. Aliases simplify ASM filename administration. We can create aliases with an ALTER
DISKGROUP command or with the mkalias ASMCMD command.

An alias has at a minimum the diskgroup name as part of its complete path. We can create aliases at the
diskgroup level or in any system-generated or user-created subdirectory. The following are examples of aliases:
+dgroup1/ctl1.f
+dgroup1/crm/ctl1.f
+dgroup1/mydir/ctl1.f

If you run the ASMCMD ls (list directory) with the -l flag, each alias is listed with the system-generated file to
which the alias refers.
ctl1.f => +dgroup2/hrms/CONTROLFILE/Current.256.541956473

We can run the ASMCMD utility in either interactive or non interactive mode.

ASMCMD in Interactive Mode

The interactive mode of the ASMCMD utility provides an environment like shell or SQL*Plus, where we are
prompted to enter ASMCMD commands.

To run ASMCMD in interactive mode:

1. Enter the following at the OS command prompt:
$ asmcmd

Oracle displays an ASMCMD command prompt as follows:

ASMCMD>

2. Enter an ASMCMD command and press Enter. The command runs and displays its output, and then ASMCMD
prompts for the next command.

3. Continue entering ASMCMD commands. Enter the command exit to exit ASMCMD.

ASMCMD in Non Interactive Mode

In non interactive mode, you run a single ASMCMD command by including the command and command
arguments on the command line that invokes ASMCMD. ASMCMD runs the command, generates output, and
then exits. The non interactive mode is especially useful for running scripts.

To run ASMCMD in non interactive mode, where command is any valid ASMCMD command and arguments is a
list of command flags and arguments, at the command prompt enter the following:
$ asmcmd command arguments

$ asmcmd ls -l
State Type Rebal Unbal Name
MOUNTED NORMAL N N DG_GROUP1/
MOUNTED NORMAL N N DG_GROUP2/

$ asmcmd lsdg ASM_DG_FRA

$ asmcmd mkdir +data/hrms/archives
$ asmcmd md_restore -b /u01/app/oracle/BACKUP/asm_md_backup -t nodg
Oracle 10g (Release 2) commands
cd command
Changes to a specified directory. We can go up or down the hierarchy of the current directory tree by providing a
directory argument to the cd command.
cd dir_name

dir_name may be specified as either an absolute path or a relative path, including the . and .. pseudo-directories
and wildcards.

ASMCMD [+dgroup2/crm] > cd +dgroup1/hrms

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/hrms] > cd DATAFILE
ASMCMD [+dgroup1/hrms/DATAFILE] > cd ..
ASMCMD [+]> cd +dgroup1/sample/C*

If a wildcard pattern matches only one directory when using wildcard characters with cd, then cd changes the
directory to that destination. If the wildcard pattern matches multiple directories, then ASMCMD does not change
the directory but instead returns an error.

pwd command
Displays the absolute path of the current directory.
pwd

ASMCMD> pwd

help command
Displays the syntax of a command and description of the command parameters.
help [command] or ? [command]

If you do not specify a value for command, then the help command lists all of the ASMCMD commands and
general information about using the ASMCMD utility.
ASMCMD> help
ASMCMD> help lsct
ASMCMD> ?
ASMCMD> ? mkgrp

du command
Displays the total space used for files in the specified directory and in the entire directory tree under the directory.
du [-H] [dir_name]

The -H flag suppresses column headings from the output.

This command is similar to the du -s command on UNIX flavors. If you do not specify dir_name, then information
about the current directory is displayed. dir_name can contain wildcard characters.

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/prod] > du

Used_MB Mirror_used_MB
1251 2507

Used_MB - The total space used in the directory, this value does not include mirroring.
Mirror_used_MB - This value includes mirroring.

For example, if a normal redundancy diskgroup contains 100 MB of data, then assuming that each file in the
diskgroup is 2way mirrored, Used_MB is 100 MB and Mirror_used_MB is 200 MB.

ASMCMD> du TEMPFILE
Used_MB Mirror_used_MB
24582 24582

In this case, Used_MB & Mirror_used_MB are the same, because the diskgroups are not mirrored.

ASMCMD [+ASM_DG_DATA/CRM] > du -H DATAFILE/

98203 98203

find command
Displays the absolute paths of all occurrences of the specified name pattern (can have wildcards) in a specified
directory and its subdirectories.
find [-t type] dir_name name_pattern
find [--type type] dir_name name_pattern (Oracle 11g R2 syntax)

type can be (these are the type values from the type column of the V$ASM_FILE)
CONTROLFILE,DATAFILE,ONLINELOG,ARCHIVELOG,TEMPFILE,BACKUPSET,PARAMETERFILE,DATAGUA
RDCONFIG,FLASHBACK,CHANGETRACKING,DUMPSET,AUTOBACKUP,XTRANSPORT

This command searches the specified directory and all subdirectories under it in the directory tree for the
supplied name_pattern. The value that you use for name_pattern can be a directory name or a filename.

ASMCMD> find +dgroup1 undo*

+dgroup1/crm/DATAFILE/UNDOTBS1.258.555341963
+dgroup1/crm/DATAFILE/UNDOTBS1.272.557429239

ASMCMD> find -t CONTROLFILE +dg_data/hrms *

 +dg_data/hrms/CONTROLFILE/Current.260.555342185
+dg_data/hrms/CONTROLFILE/Current.261.555342183

ASMCMD [+] > find --type CONTROLFILE +data/devdb *

+data/devdb/CONTROLFILE/Current.260.691577263

ls command

Lists the contents of an ASM directory, the attributes of the specified file, or the names and attributes of all
diskgroups from the V$ASM_DISKGROUP_STAT (default) or V$ASM_DISKGROUP.

ls [-lsdrtLacgH] [name]

ls [-lsdtLacgH] [--reverse] [--permission] [pattern] (11g R2 syntax)

name can be a filename or directory name, can include wildcards.

If name is a directory name, then ASMCMD lists the contents of the directory and depending on flag settings,
ASMCMD also lists information about each directory member. Directories are listed with a trailing forward slash
(/) to distinguish them from files.

If name is a filename, then ASMCMD lists the file and depending on the flag settings, ASMCMD also lists
information about the file.

Flag Description
(none) Displays only filenames and directory names.
Displays extended file information, including striping and redundancy information and whether the file
was system-generated (indicated by Y under the SYS column) or user-created (as in the case of an
-l
alias, indicated by N under the SYS column). Note that not all possible file attributes or diskgroup
attributes are included.
-s Displays file space information.
If the value for the name argument is a directory, then ASMCMD displays information about that
-d
directory, rather than the directory contents. Typically used with another flag, such as the -l flag.
-r or
Reverses the sort order of the listing.
--reverse
-t Sorts the listing by timestamp.
If the value for the name argument is an alias, then ASMCMD displays information about the file that it
-L
references. Typically used with another flag, such as the -l flag.
-a For each listed file, displays the absolute path of the alias that references it.
-c Selects from V$ASM_DISKGROUP or GV$ASM_DISKGROUP if the -g flag is also specified.
Selects from GV$ASM_DISKGROUP_STAT or GV$ASM_DISKGROUP if the -c flag is also specified.
-g
GV$ASM_DISKGOUP.INST_ID is included in the output.
-H Suppresses column headings.
-- Shows the permissions of a file (V$ASM_FILE.permission, V$ASM_FILE.owner,
permission V$ASM_FILE.usergroup, V$ASM_ALIAS.name).
pattern Name of a file, directory, or pattern.

If you specify all of the flags, then the command shows a union of their attributes, with duplicates removed. To
see the complete set of column values for a file or a diskgroup, query the V$ASM_FILE and
V$ASM_DISKGROUP.
ASMCMD [+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE] > ls

EXAMPLE.269.555342243

SYSAUX.257.555341961

SYSTEM.256.555341961

UNDOTBS1.258.555341963

UNDOTBS1.272.557429239

USERS.259.555341963

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE] > ls -l

Type Redund Striped Time Sys Name
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE APR 18 19:16:07 Y EXAMPLE.269.555342243
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 09 22:01:28 Y SYSAUX.257.555341961
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE APR 19 19:16:24 Y SYSTEM.256.555341961
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 05 12:28:42 Y UNDOTBS1.258.555341963
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 04 17:27:34 Y UNDOTBS1.272.557429239
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE APR 18 19:16:07 Y USERS.259.555341963

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE] > ls -lt

Type Redund Striped Time Sys Name
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 09 22:01:28 Y SYSAUX.257.555341961
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 05 12:28:42 Y UNDOTBS1.258.555341963
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 04 17:27:34 Y UNDOTBS1.272.557429239
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE APR 19 19:16:24 Y SYSTEM.256.555341961
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE APR 18 19:16:07 Y USERS.259.555341963
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE APR 18 19:16:07 Y EXAMPLE.269.555342243

ASMCMD [+] > ls --permission +data/prod/datafile

User Group Permission Name
rw-rw-rw- EXAMPLE.265.691577295
rw-rw-rw- SYSAUX.257.691577149
rw-rw-rw- SYSTEM.256.691577149
rw-rw-rw- UNDOTBS1.258.691577151
rw-rw-rw- USERS.259.691577151

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE] > ls -l undo*

Type Redund Striped Time Sys Name
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 05 12:28:42 Y UNDOTBS1.258.555341963
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 04 17:27:34 Y UNDOTBS1.272.557429239

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE] > ls -s

Block_Size Blocks Bytes Space Name
8192 12801 104865792 214958080 EXAMPLE.269.555342243
8192 48641 398467072 802160640 SYSAUX.257.555341961
8192 61441 503324672 101187584 SYSTEM.256.555341961
8192 6401 52436992 110100480 UNDOTBS1.258.555341963
8192 12801 104865792 214958080 UNDOTBS1.272.557429239
8192 641 5251072 12582912 USERS.259.555341963

ASMCMD [+dgroup1] > ls +dgroup1/sample

CONTROLFILE/
DATAFILE/
ONLINELOG/
PARAMETERFILE/
TEMPFILE/
spfilesample.ora

ASMCMD [+dgroup1] > ls -l +dgroup1/sample

Type Redund Striped Time Sys Name
Y CONTROLFILE/
Y DATAFILE/
Y ONLINELOG/
Y PARAMETERFILE/
Y TEMPFILE/
N spfilesample.ora=>+dgroup1/sample/PARAMETERFILE/spfile.270.555342443

ASMCMD [+dgroup1] > ls -r +dgroup1/sample

spfilesample.ora
TEMPFILE/
PARAMETERFILE/
ONLINELOG/
DATAFILE/
CONTROLFILE/

ASMCMD [+dgroup1] > ls -lL example_df2.f

Type Redund Striped Time Sys Name
DATAFILE MIRROR COARSE APR 27 11:04 N example_df2.f =>
+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE/EXAMPLE.271.556715087

ASMCMD [+dgroup1] > ls -a +dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE/EXAMPLE.271.556715087

+dgroup1/example_df2.f => EXAMPLE.271.556715087

ASMCMD [+dgroup1] > ls -lH +dgroup1/sample/PARAMETERFILE

PARAMETERFILE MIRROR COARSE MAY 04 21:48 Y spfile.270.555342443

If you enter ls +, then the command returns information about all diskgroups, including information about whether
the diskgroups are mounted.
ASMCMD [+dgroup1] > ls -l +
State Type Rebal Unbal Name
MOUNTED NORMAL N N DGROUP1/
MOUNTED HIGH N N DGROUP2/
MOUNTED EXTERN N N DGROUP3/

ASMCMD [+USERDG2/prod] > ls -l

Type Redund Striped Time Sys Name
- - - - Y CONTROLFILE/
- - - - Y DATAFILE/
- - - - Y ONLINELOG/
- - - - Y TEMPFILE/
- - - - N control01.ctl => +USERDG2/prod/CONTROLFILE/Current.260.573852215
- - - - N control02.ctl => +USERDG2/prod/CONTROLFILE/Current.261.573852215
- - - - N control03.ctl => +USERDG2/prod/CONTROLFILE/Current.262.573852215
- - - - N example01.dbf => +USERDG2/prod/DATAFILE/UNKNOWN.267.573852295
- - - - N redo01.log => +USERDG2/prod/ONLINELOG/group_1.263.573852243
- - - - N redo02.log => +USERDG2/prod/ONLINELOG/group_2.264.573852249
- - - - N redo03.log => +USERDG2/prod/ONLINELOG/group_3.265.573852255
- - - - N sysaux01.dbf => +USERDG2/prod/DATAFILE/SYSAUX.257.573852115
- - - - N system01.dbf => +USERDG2/prod/DATAFILE/SYSTEM.256.573852113
- - - - N temp01.dbf => +USERDG2/prod/TEMPFILE/TEMP.266.573852277
- - - - N undotbs01.dbf => +USERDG2/prod/DATAFILE/UNDOTBS1.258.573852115
- - - - N users01.dbf => +USERDG2

The Sys column, immediately to the left of the Name column, shows if the file or directory was created by the
ASM system. Because the CONTROLFILE directory is not a real file but an alias, the attributes of the alias, such
as size, free space, and redundancy, shown in the first few columns of the output are null.

The following examples illustrate the use of wildcards.

ASMCMD> ls +dgroup1/mydir1/d*
data1.f
dummy.f

ASMCMD> ls +group1/sample/*
+dgroup1/sample/CONTROLFILE/:
Current.260.555342185
Current.261.555342183

+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE/:
EXAMPLE.269.555342243
SYSAUX.257.555341961
SYSTEM.256.555341961
UNDOTBS1.272.557429239
USERS.259.555341963

+dgroup1/sample/ONLINELOG/:
group_1.262.555342191
group_1.263.555342195
group_2.264.555342197
group_2.265.555342201

+dgroup1/sample/PARAMETERFILE/:
spfile.270.555342443

+dgroup1/sample/TEMPFILE/:
TEMP.268.555342229

lsct command
Lists information about current ASM clients (from V$ASM_CLIENT). A client, is a database or Oracle ASM
Dynamic Volume Manager (Oracle ADVM), uses diskgroups that are managed by the ASM instance to which
ASMCMD is currently connected.
lsct [-gH] [disk_group]

Flag Description
(none) Displays information about current ASM clients from V$ASM_CLIENT.
-g Selects from GV$ASM_CLIENT. GV$ASM_CLIENT.INST_ID is included in the output.
-H Suppresses column headings.

An ASM instance serves as a storage container; it's not a database by itself. Other databases use the space in
the ASM instance for datafiles, control files, and so on.

How do you know how many databases are using an ASM instance?
ASMCMD [+DG1_FRA] > lsct
DB_Name Status Software_Version Compatible_version Instance_Name
PROD CONNECTED 10.2.0.1.0 10.2.0.1.0 PROD
REP CONNECTED 10.2.0.1.0 10.2.0.1.0 REP

ASMCMD [+] > lsct flash (in 11g)

DB_Name Status Software_Version Compatible_version Instance_Name Group_Name
TESTDB CONNECTED 11.2.0.1.0 11.2.0.1.0 TESTDB FLASH

SQL equivalent for lsct command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_CLIENT;

lsdg command
Lists all diskgroups and their attributes from V$ASM_DISKGROUP_STAT (default) or V$ASM_DISKGROUP. The
output also includes notification of any current rebalance operation. The output also includes notification of any
current rebalance operation for a diskgroup. If a diskgroup is specified, then lsdg returns only information about
that diskgroup.
lsdg [-gcH] [disk_group]
lsdg [-gH][--discovery][pattern] (11.2.0 syntax)

If group is specified, then information about only that diskgroup is listed.

Flag Description
(none) Displays all the diskgroup attributes.
-c or Selects from V$ASM_DISKGROUP or GV$ASM_DISKGROUP if the -g flag is also specified. This
--discovery option is ignored if the ASM instance is version 10.1 or earlier.
Selects from GV$ASM_DISKGROUP_STAT or GV$ASM_DISKGROUP if the -c or --discovery flag is
-g also specified. GV$ASM_DISKGOUP.INST_ID is included in the output. The REBAL column of the
GV$ASM_OPERATION is also included in the output.
-H Suppresses column headings.
pattern Returns only information about the specified diskgroup or diskgroups that match the supplied pattern.

To see the complete set of attributes for a diskgroup, use the V$ASM_DISKGROUP_STAT or
V$ASM_DISKGROUP.

Attribute Name Description

 State of the diskgroup (BROKEN, CONNECTED, DISMOUNTED, MOUNTED, QUIESCING,
State
and UNKNOWN).
Type Diskgroup redundancy (NORMAL, HIGH, EXTERN).
Rebal Y if a rebalance operation is in progress.
Sector Sector size in bytes.
Block Block size in bytes.
AU Allocation unit size in bytes.
Total_MB Size of the diskgroup in MB.
Free_MB Free space in the diskgroup in MB, without redundancy, from V$ASM_DISKGROUP.
Amount of space that must be available in the diskgroup to restore full redundancy after the
Req_mir_free_MB most severe failure that can be tolerated by the diskgroup. This is the
REQUIRED_MIRROR_FREE_MB column from V$ASM_DISKGROUP.
Amount of free space, adjusted for mirroring, that is available for new files, from
Usable_file_MB
V$ASM_DISKGROUP.
Offline_disks Number of offline disks in the diskgroup. Offline disks are eventually dropped.
Name Diskgroup name.
Voting_files Specifies whether the diskgroup contains voting files (Y or N).

ASMCMD [+] > lsdg dgroup2

State Type Rebal Sector Block AU Total_MB Free_MB Req_mir_free_MB Usable_file_MB Offline_disks Name
MOUNTED NORMAL N 512 4096 1048576 206 78 0 39 0 dgroup2

The following example lists the attributes of the dg_data diskgroup (in 11.2.0).
ASMCMD [+] > lsdg dg_data
State Type Rebal Sector Block AU Total_MB Free_MB Req_mir_free_MB Usable_file_MB Offline_disks
Voting_files Name
MOUNTED NORMAL N 512 4096 4194304 12288 8835 1117 3859 0 N DG_DATA

SQL equivalent for lsdg command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISKGROUP;
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISKGROUP_STAT;

mkalias command
Creates an alias for specified system-generated filename.
mkalias file alias

alias must be in the same diskgroup as the system-generated file. Only one alias is permitted for each ASM file.

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE] > mkalias SYSAUX.257.555341961 sysaux.f

SQL equivalent for mkalias command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_name ADD ALIAS user_alias FOR file;

mkdir command
Creates ASM directories under the current directory.
mkdir dir_name [dir_name...]

The current directory can be created by the system or by the user. You cannot create a directory at the root (+)
level, which is a diskgroup.

ASMCMD [+dgroup1] > mkdir subdir1 subdir2

SQL equivalent for mkdir command is:
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_name ADD DIRECTORY dir_name[, dir_name ...];

rm command
Deletes specified ASM files and directories.
rm [-rf] name [name]...

Flag Description
-f Force, remove it without user interaction.
-r Recursive, remove sub-directories also.

If name is a file or alias (can contain wildcard characters), then the rm command can delete the file or alias, only
if it is not currently in use by a client database.

If name is a directory, then the rm command can delete it only if it is empty (unless the -r flag is used) and it is not
a system-generated directory.

If name is an alias, then the rm command deletes both the alias and the file to which the alias refers.
For example, if we have an alias,
+dg1/dir1/file.alias => +dg/orcl/DATAFILE/System.256.146589651
then running the
rm -r +dg1/dir1
command removes the +dg1/dir1/file.alias as well as +dg/orcl/DATAFILE/System.256.146589651.

To delete only an alias and retain the file that the alias references, use the rmalias command.

If you use a wildcard, the rm command deletes all of the matches except nonempty directories, unless you use
the -r flag. To recursively delete, use the -r flag. This enables you to delete a nonempty directory, including all
files and directories in it and in the entire directory tree underneath it. If you use the -r flag or a wildcard
character, then the rm command prompts you to confirm the deletion before proceeding, unless you specify the -f
flag. When using the -r flag, either the system-generated file or the alias must be present in the directory in which
you run the rm command.

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/sample/DATAFILE] > rm alias293.f

ASMCMD> rm -rf +dg/orcl/DATAFILE
ASMCMD> rm -rf fradg/*

SQL equivalents for rm command are:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_name DROP FILE ...;
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_name DROP DIRECTORY ...;

rmalias command
Deletes the specified aliases, retaining the files that the aliases reference.
rmalias [-r] alias [alias]...

To recursively delete, use the -r flag. This enables you to delete all of the aliases in the current directory and in
the entire directory tree beneath the current directory. If any user-created directories become empty as a result of
deleting aliases, they are also deleted. Files and directories created by the system are not deleted.

ASMCMD [+dgroup1/orcl/DATAFILE] > rmalias sysaux.f

 ASMCMD > rmalias r +dgroup1/orcl/ARCHIVES

SQL equivalent for rmalias command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP dg_name DELETE ALIAS user_alias;

exit command
Exits ASMCMD and returns control to the OS command prompt.
exit

ASMCMD> exit

Oracle 11g Release1 commands

cp command
Used to copy files between ASM diskgroups on local instances to and from remote instances. The file copy
cannot be between remote instances. The local ASM instance must be either the source or the target. We can
also use this command to copy files from ASM diskgroups to the OS.
cp [-ifr] [\@connect_identifier:]src_fname [\@connect_identifier:]tgt_fname
cp [-ifr] [\@connect_identifier:]src_fnameN[, src_fnameN+1] [\@connect_identifier:]tgt_directory
Flag Description
-i Interactive, prompt before copy file or overwrite.
-f Force, if an existing destination file, remove it and try again without user interaction.
-r Recursive, copy forwarding sub-directories recursively.

The connect_identifier parameter is not required for a local instance copy, which is default. In case of a remote
instance copy, we need to specify the connect_identifier and ASM prompts for a password in a non-echoing
prompt. The connect_identifier is in the form of:
user_name@host_name[.port_number].SID
The user_name, host_name, and SID are required. The default port number is 1521.

src_fname(s) - Source file name to copy from. Enter either the fully qualified file name, or the ASM alias.
tgt_fname - A user alias for the created target file name or alias directory name.
tgt_directory - A target alias directory within an ASM diskgroup. The target directory must exist, otherwise the file
copy returns an error.

The format of copied files is portable between Little-Endian and Big-Endian systems, if the files exist in an ASM
diskgroup. ASM automatically converts the format when it writes the files. For copying non-ASM files from or to
an ASM diskgroup, you can copy the files to a different endian platform and then use one of the commonly used
utilities to convert the file.

ASMCMD [+] > cp +DG1/vdb.ctf1 /backups/vdb.ctf1

copying file(s)...
source +DG1/vdb.ctf1
target /backups/vdb.ctf1
file, /backups/vdb.ctf1, copy committed.

ASMCMD [+DG3/prod/DATAFILE] > cp warehouse.dbf /tmp

copying file(s)...
source +DG3/prod/DATAFILE/warehouse.dbf
 target /tmp/warehouse.dbf
file, /tmp/warehouse.dbf, copy committed.

ASMCMD [+] > cp +DATA/db11g/datafile/users.273.661514191 /tmp/users.dbf

ASMCMD [+] > cp +DATA1/db11g/datafile/users.273.661514191 +DATA2/db11g/datafile/users.f

md_backup command
Creates a backup file containing metadata for one or more diskgroups. By default, all the mounted diskgroups
are included in the backup file which is saved in the current working directory. If the name of the backup file is not
specified, ASM names the file AMBR_BACKUP_INTERMEDIATE_FILE. Here AMBR stands for ASM Managed
Backup Recovery.
md_backup [-b location_of_backup] [-g dgname [-g dgname...]]
md_backup [-b location_of_backup] [-g dgname[, dgname...]]

Flag Description
-b Specifies the location in which you want to store the intermediate backup file.
-g Specifies the diskgroup name that needs to be backed up.

This example backs up all of the mounted diskgroups and creates the backup in the current working directory.
ASMCMD > md_backup

The following example creates a backup of diskgroup asmdsk1 and asmdsk2. The backup will be saved in the
/tmp/dgbackup100221 file.
ASMCMD > md_backup b /tmp/dgbackup100221 g admdsk1 g asmdsk2

ASMCMD > md_backup -b /u01/backup/backup.txt -g dg_fra,dg_data

md_restore command
This command restores a diskgroup metadata backup.
md_restore -b backup_file [-li] [-t (full)|nodg|newdg] [-f sql_script_file] [-g 'dg_name,dg_name,...'] [-o
'old_dg_name:new_dg_name,...']

md_restore backup_file [--silent]

[--full|--nodg|--newdg -o 'old_diskgroup:new_diskgroup [,...]']
[-S sql_script_file] [-G 'diskgroup [,diskgroup...]'] (11g R2 syntax)

Flag Description
-b Reads the metadata information from backup_file.
-l Prints the messages to a file.
-i or --silent If md_restore encounters an error, it will stop. Specifying this flag ignores any errors.
Specifies the type of diskgroup to be created:
full - Create diskgroup and restore metadata.
-t
nodg - Restore metadata only.
newdg - Create diskgroup with a different name and restore metadata, -o is required to rename.
-f or -S Write SQL commands to sql_script_file instead of executing them.
-g or -G Select the diskgroups to be restored. If no diskgroups are defined, then all diskgroups will be restored.
-o Rename diskgroup old_dg_name to new_dg_name.

ASMCMD> md_restore -b /tmp/backup.txt -t full -g data

ASMCMD> md_restore t newdg of override.txt i backup_file

Example restores the diskgroup asmdsk1 from the backup script and creates a copy.
ASMCMD> md_restore t full g asmdsk1 i backup_file

Example takes an existing diskgroup asmdsk6 and restores its metadata.

ASMCMD> md_restore t nodg g asmdsk6 i backup_file

Example restores diskgroup asmdsk1 completely but the new diskgroup that is created is called asmdsk2.
ASMCMD> md_restore t newdg -o 'asmdsk1:asmdsk2' i backup_file

Example restores from the backup file after applying the overrides defined in the file override.txt.
ASMCMD> md_restore t newdg of override.txt i backup_file

Example restores the diskgroup data from the backup script and creates a copy.
ASMCMD [+] > md_restore -full G data -silent /tmp/dgbackup20090714

Example takes an existing diskgroup data and restores its metadata.

ASMCMD [+] > md_restore -nodg G data -silent /tmp/dgbackup20090714

Example restores diskgroup data completely but the new diskgroup that is created is called data2.
ASMCMD [+] > md_restore -newdg -o 'data:data2' --silent /tmp/dgbackup20090714

Example restores from the backup file after applying the overrides defined in the override.sql script file.
ASMCMD [+] > md_restore -S override.sql --silent /tmp/dgbackup20090714

ASMCMD> md_restore -b dg7.backup -t full -f cr8_dg7.sql

lsdsk command
List the disks that are visible to ASM, using V$ASM_DISK_STAT (default) or V$ASM_DISK.
lsdsk [-ksptcgHI] [-d diskgroup_name] [pattern]

lsdsk [-kptgMHI] [-G diskgroup] [--member|--candidate]

[--discovery] [--statistics] [pattern] (11g R2 syntax)

Flag Description
(none) Displays PATH column of V$ASM_DISK.
Displays TOTAL_MB, FREE_MB, OS_MB, NAME, FAILGROUP, LIBRARY, LABEL, UDID,
-k
PRODUCT, REDUNDANCY, and PATH columns of V$ASM_DISK.
-s or Displays READS, WRITES, READ_ERRS, WRITE_ERRS, READ_TIME, WRITE_TIME,
--statistics BYTES_READ, BYTES_WRITTEN, and PATH columns of V$ASM_DISK.
Displays GROUP_NUMBER, DISK_NUMBER, INCARNATION, MOUNT_STATUS,
-p
HEADER_STATUS, MODE_STATUS, STATE, and PATH columns of V$ASM_DISK.
-t Displays CREATE_DATE, MOUNT_DATE, REPAIR_TIMER, and PATH columns of V$ASM_DISK.
Selects from GV$ASM_DISK_STAT or GV$ASM_DISK if the -c flag is also specified.
-g
GV$ASM_DISK.INST_ID is included in the output.
Selects from V$ASM_DISK or GV$ASM_DISK, if the -g flag is also specified. This option is ignored if
-c
the ASM instance is version 10.1 or earlier.
-H Suppresses column headings.
Scans disk headers for information rather than extracting the information from an ASM instance. This
-I
option forces the non-connected mode.
-d or -G Restricts results to only those disks that belong to the group specified by diskgroup_name.
Selects from V$ASM_DISK, or from GV$ASM_DISK if the -g flag is also specified. This option is
--discovery always enabled if the Oracle ASM instance is version 10.1 or earlier. This flag is disregarded if lsdsk
is running in non-connected mode.
Displays the disks that are visible to some but not all active instances. These are disks that, if
-M included in a diskgroup, cause the mount of that diskgroup to fail on the instances where the disks
are not visible.
--candidate Restricts results to only disks having membership status equal to CANDIDATE.
--member Restricts results to only disks having membership status equal to MEMBER.
pattern Returns only information about the specified disks that match the supplied pattern.

The k, s, p, and t flags modify how much information is displayed for each disk. If any combinations of the flags
are specified, then the output shows the union of the attributes associated with each flag.

pattern restricts the output to only disks that matches the pattern specified.
ASMCMD> lsdsk -d DG_DATA -k
ASMCMD> lsdsk -g -t -d DATA1 *_001

This command can run in connected or non-connected mode. The connected mode is always attempted first. The
-I option forces the non-connected mode.
In connected mode, ASMCMD uses dynamic views to retrieve disk information.
In non-connected mode, ASMCMD scans disk headers to retrieve disk information, using an ASM disk string to
restrict the discovery set. This is not supported on Windows.

ASMCMD> lsdsk -k -d ASM_DG_DATA *_001

ASMCMD> lsdsk -sp -d ASM_DG_FRA *_001
ASMCMD> lsdsk -Ik
ASMCMD> lsdsk -t -d ASM_DG_IDX *_001
ASMCMD> lsdsk -Ct -d ASM_DG_DATA *_001

The first and second examples list information about disks in the data diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > lsdsk -t -G data
Create_Date Mount_Date Repair_Timer Path
13-JUL-09 13-JUL-09 0 /devices/diska1
13-JUL-09 13-JUL-09 0 /devices/diska2
13-JUL-09 13-JUL-09 0 /devices/diskb1
13-JUL-09 13-JUL-09 0 /devices/diskb2

ASMCMD [+] > lsdsk -p -G data /devices/diska*

Group_Num Disk_Num Incarn Mount_Stat Header_Stat Mode_Stat State Path
1 0 2105454210 CACHED MEMBER ONLINE NORMAL /devices/diska1
1 1 2105454199 CACHED MEMBER ONLINE NORMAL /devices/diska2
1 2 2105454205 CACHED MEMBER ONLINE NORMAL /devices/diska3

The third example lists information about candidate disks.

ASMCMD [+] > lsdsk --candidate -p
Group_Num Disk_Num Incarn Mount_Stat Header_Stat Mode_Stat State Path
0 5 2105454171 CLOSED CANDIDATE ONLINE NORMAL /devices/diske1
0 25 2105454191 CLOSED CANDIDATE ONLINE NORMAL /devices/diske2
0 18 2105454184 CLOSED CANDIDATE ONLINE NORMAL /devices/diske3
SQL equivalent for lsdsk command is:
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISK;
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISK_STAT;

remap command
Repairs range of physical blocks on a disk. The remap command only repairs blocks that have read disk I/O
errors. It does not repair blocks that contain corrupted contents, whether those blocks can be read or not. The
command assumes a physical block size of 512 bytes and supports all allocation unit sizes (1MB to 64MB).
It reads the blocks from a good copy of an ASM mirror and rewrites them to an alternate location on disk if the
blocks on the original location cannot be read properly.
remap diskgroup_name disk_name block_range

Flag Description
diskgroup_name Name of the diskgroup in which a disk must be repaired.
disk_name Name of the disk that must be repaired.
block_range Range of physical blocks to repair, in the format: starting_number-ending_number

The following example repairs blocks 4500 through 5599 for disk DATA_001 in diskgroup DISK_GRP_DATA.
ASMCMD> remap DISK_GRP_DATA DATA_001 4500-5599

The following example repairs blocks 7200 through 8899 for disk largedisk_2 in diskgroup DISK_GRP_GRA.
ASMCMD> remap DISK_GRP_FRA largedisk_2 7200-8899

Oracle 11g Release2 commands

From 11g release 2, ASMCMD utility can also do

startup and shutdown of ASM instances.
Managing diskgroups (create, mount, alter, drop).
File access control (like OS, ugo and rwx ...).
User management.
Template management.
Volume management.

ASMCMD Instance Management Commands

startup command
Starts up an Oracle ASM instance.
startup [--nomount] [--restrict] [--pfile pfile_name]

Flag Description
(default) Will mount diskgroups and enables Oracle ADVM volumes.
--nomount Specifies no mount operation.
--restrict Specifies restricted mode.
--pfile Oracle ASM initialization parameter file.

The following is an example of the startup command that starts the Oracle ASM instance without mounting
diskgroups and uses the asm_init.ora initialization parameter file.
ASMCMD> startup --nomount --pfile asm_init.ora

SQL equivalent for startup command is:

SQL> STARTUP ... ;

shutdown command
Shuts down an Oracle ASM instance.
shutdown [--abort|--immediate]

Flag Description
(default) normal shutdown.
--abort Shut down aborting all existing operations.
--immediate Shut down immediately.

Oracle strongly recommends that you shut down all database instances that use the Oracle ASM instance and
dismount all file systems mounted on Oracle ASM Dynamic Volume Manager (Oracle ADVM) volumes before
attempting to shut down the Oracle ASM instance with the abort (--abort) option.

The first example performs a shutdown of the Oracle ASM instance with normal action.
ASMCMD [+] > shutdown

The second example performs a shut down with immediate action

ASMCMD [+] > shutdown -immediate

The third example performs a shut down that aborts all existing operations.
ASMCMD [+] > shutdown --abort

SQL equivalent for shutdown command is:

SQL> SHUTDOWN ... ;

dsset command

Sets the discovery diskstring value that is used by the Oracle ASM instance and its clients. The specified
diskstring must be valid for existing mounted diskgroups. The updated value takes effect immediately.
dsset [--normal] [--parameter] [--profile [--force]] diskstring

Flag Description
Sets the discovery string in the Grid Plug and Play (GPnP) profile and in the Oracle ASM instance.
The update occurs after the Oracle ASM instance has successfully validated that the specified
--normal discovery string has discovered all the necessary diskgroups and voting files. This command fails if
the instance is not using a server parameter file (SPFILE).
This is the default setting.
--profile [-- Specifies the discovery diskstring that is pushed to the GPnP profile without any validation by the
force] Oracle ASM instance, ensuring that the instance can discover all the required diskgroups. The update
is guaranteed to be propagated to all the nodes that are part of the cluster.
If --force is specified, the specified diskstring is pushed to the local GPnP profile without any
 synchronization with other nodes in the cluster. This command option updates only the local profile
file. This option should only be used for recovery. The command fails if the Oracle Clusterware stack
is running.
Specifies that the diskstring is updated in memory after validating that the discovery diskstring
--parameter discovers all the current mounted diskgroups and voting files. The diskstring is not persistently
recorded in either the SPFILE or the GPnP profile.
diskstring Specifies the value for the discovery diskstring.

The following example uses dsset to set the current value of the discovery diskstring in the GPnP profile.
ASMCMD [+] > dsset /devices/disk*

dsget command
Retrieves the discovery diskstring value that is used by the Oracle ASM instance and its clients.
dsget [[--normal] [--profile [--force]] [--parameter]]

Flag Description
Retrieves the discovery string from the Grid Plug and Play (GPnP) profile and the one that is set in
--normal the Oracle ASM instance. It returns one row each for the profile and parameter setting. This is the
default setting.
--profile [-- Retrieves the discovery string from the GPnP profile. If --force is specified, retrieves the discovery
force] string from the local GPnP profile.
--parameter Retrieves the ASM_DISKSTRING parameter setting of the Oracle ASM instance.

The following example uses dsget to retrieve the current discovery diskstring value from the GPnP profile and the
ASM_DISKSTRING parameter.
ASMCMD [+] > dsget
profile: /devices/disk*
parameter: /devices/disk*

lspwusr command

List the current users from the local Oracle ASM password file.
lspwusr [-H]

-H Suppresses column headers from the output.

ASMCMD [+] > lspwusr

Username sysdba sysoper sysasm
SYS TRUE TRUE TRUE
ASMSNMP TRUE FALSE FALSE

ASMCMD [+] > lspwusr -H

SYS TRUE TRUE TRUE
Satya TRUE TRUE FALSE

orapwusr command
Add, drop, or modify an Oracle ASM password file user. The command requires the SYSASM privilege to run. A
user logged in as SYSDBA cannot change its password using this command.
orapwusr {{ {--add | --modify [--password]}
[--privilege {sysasm|sysdba|sysoper}] } | --delete} user

Flag Description
--add Adds a user to the password file. Also prompts for a password.
--delete Drops a user from the password file.
--modify Changes a user in the password file.
--privilege Sets the role for the user. The options are sysasm, sysdba, and sysoper.
--password Prompts for and then changes the password of a user.
user Name of the user to add, drop, or modify.

orapwusr attempts to update passwords on all nodes in a cluster.

This example adds the Satya to the Oracle ASM password file with the role of the user set to SYSASM.
ASMCMD [+] > orapwusr --add --privilege sysasm Satya
ASMCMD [+] > lspwusr
Username sysdba sysoper sysasm
SYS TRUE TRUE TRUE
Satya TRUE TRUE TRUE

spset command
Sets the location of the Oracle ASM SPFILE in the Grid Plug and Play (GPnP) profile.
spset location

The following is an example of the spset command that sets the location of the Oracle ASM SPFILE command in
the dg_data diskgroup.
ASMCMD> spset +DG_DATA/asm/asmparameterfile/asmspfile.ora

spget command
Retrieves the location of the Oracle ASM SPFILE from the Grid Plug and Play (GPnP) profile.
spget

The location retrieved by spget is the location in the GPnP profile, but not always the location of the SPFILE
currently used. For example, the location could have been recently updated by spset or spcopy with the -u option
on an Oracle ASM instance that has not been restarted. After the next restart of the Oracle ASM, this location
point to the ASM SPFILE currently is being used.

The following is an example of the spget command that retrieves and displays the location of the SPFILE from
the GPnP profile.
ASMCMD [+] > spget
+DATA/asm/asmparameterfile/registry.253.691575633

spbackup command
Backs up an Oracle ASM SPFILE. spbackup does not affect the GPnP profile.
spbackup source destination

The backup file that is created is not a special file type and is not identified as a SPFILE. This file cannot be
copied with spcopy. To copy this backup file, use the ASMCMD cp command.

The first example backs up the Oracle ASM SPFILE from one operating system location to another.
ASMCMD> spbackup /u01/oracle/dbs/spfile+ASM.ora /u01/oracle/dbs/bakspfileASM.ora
The second example backs up the SPFILE from an operating system location to the data/bakspfileASM.ora
diskgroup.
ASMCMD> spbackup /u01/oracle/dbs/spfile+ASM.ora +DG_DATA/bakspfileASM.ora

spcopy command
Copies an Oracle ASM SPFILE from source to destination. To use spcopy to copy an Oracle ASM SPFILE into a
diskgroup, the diskgroup attribute COMPATIBLE.ASM must be set to 11.2 or greater.
spcopy [-u] source destination

-u updates the Grid Plug and Play (GPnP) profile. We can also use spset to update the GPnP profile.

Note the following about the use of spcopy:

spcopy can copy an Oracle ASM SPFILE from a diskgroup to a different diskgroup or to an operating
system file.
spcopy can copy an Oracle ASM SPFILE from an operating system file to a diskgroup or to an operating
system file.
spcopy can copy an Oracle ASM SPFILE when the SPFILE is being used by an open Oracle ASM
instance.
After copying the SPFILE, you must restart the instance with the SPFILE in the new location to use that SPFILE.
When the Oracle ASM instance is running with the SPFILE in the new location, you can remove the source
SPFILE.

The first example copies the Oracle ASM SPFILE from one operating system location to another.
ASMCMD> spcopy /u01/oracle/dbs/spfile+ASM.ora /u01/oracle/dbs/testspfileASM.ora

The second example copies the SPFILE from an operating system location to the data diskgroup and updates
the GPnP profile.
ASMCMD> spcopy -u /u01/oracle/dbs/spfile+ASM.ora +DATA/testspfileASM.ora

spmove command
Moves an Oracle ASM SPFILE from source to destination and automatically updates the GPnP profile. To use
spmove to move an Oracle ASM SPFILE into a diskgroup, the diskgroup attribute COMPATIBLE.ASM must be
set to 11.2 or greater.
spmove source destination

Note the following about the use of spmove:

spmove can move an Oracle ASM SPFILE when the open instance is using a PFILE or a different
SPFILE. After moving the SPFILE, you must restart the instance with the SPFILE in the new location to use that
SPFILE.
spmove cannot move an Oracle ASM SPFILE when the SPFILE is being used by an open Oracle ASM
instance.
The first example moves the Oracle ASM SPFILE from one operating system location to another.
ASMCMD> spmove /u01/oracle/dbs/spfile+ASM.ora /u01/oracle/dbs/testspfileASM.ora

The second example moves the SPFILE from an operating system location to the data diskgroup.
ASMCMD> spmove /u01/oracle/dbs/spfile+ASM.ora +DATA/testspfileASM.ora

lsop command
Lists the current operations on diskgroups or Oracle ASM instance, from V$ASM_OPERATION.
lsop
ASMCMD [+] > lsop
Group_Name Dsk_Num State Power
DG_DATA REBAL WAIT 2

ASMCMD [+] > lsop

Group_Name Dsk_Num State Power
DG_FRA REBAL REAP 3

SQL equivalent for lsop command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_OPERATION

ASMCMD File Access Control Commands

mkusr command
Adds a valid operating system user to a diskgroup. Only users authenticated as SYSASM can run this command.
mkusr diskgroup user

The following example adds the asmdba2 user to the dg_fra diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > mkusr dg_fra asmdba2

SQL equivalent for mkusr command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group ADD USER 'user_name';

lsusr command
Lists Oracle ASM users in a diskgroup.
lsusr [-Ha] [-G diskgroup] [pattern]

Flag Description
-H Suppresses column headings.
-a List all users and the diskgroups to which the users belong.
-G Limits the results to the specified diskgroup name.
pattern Displays the users that match the pattern expression.

The example lists users in the asm_dg_data diskgroup and also shows the OS user Id assigned to the user.
ASMCMD [+] > lsusr -G asm_dg_data
User_Num OS_ID OS_Name
3 1001 oradba
1 1021 asmdba1
2 1022 asmdba2

ASMCMD [+] > lsusr -G asm_dg_fra asm*

User_Num OS_ID OS_Name
1 1021 asmdba1
2 1022 asmdba2

SQL equivalent for lsusr command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USER;
passwd command
Changes the password of a user. The command requires the SYSASM privilege to run.
passwd user

The user is first prompted for the current password, then the new password. An error will be raised if the user
does not exist in the Oracle ASM password file.

ASMCMD [+] > passwd asmdba2

Enter old password (optional):
Enter new password: ******

rmusr command
Deletes an OS user from a diskgroup. Only a user authenticated as SYSASM can run this command.
rmusr [-r] diskgroup user

-r removes all files in the diskgroup that the user owns at the same time that the user is removed.

The following is an example to remove the asmdba2 user from the dg_data2 diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > rmusr dg_data2 asmdba2

SQL equivalent for rmusr command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group DROP USER 'user_name';

mkgrp command
Creates a new Oracle ASM user group. We can optionally specify a list of users to be included as members of
the new user group. User group name can have maximum 30 characters.
mkgrp diskgroup usergroup [user] [user...]

This example creates the asm_data user group in the dg_data diskgroup and adds the asmdba1 and asmdba2
users to the user group.
ASMCMD [+] > mkgrp dg_data asm_data asmdba1 asmdba2

ASMCMD [+] > mkgrp dg_fra asm_fra

SQL equivalent for mkgrp command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group ADD USERGROUP 'usergroup_name';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group ADD USERGROUP 'usergroup_name' WITH MEMBER 'user_names';

lsgrp command
Lists all Oracle ASM user groups.
lsgrp [-Ha] [-G diskgroup] [pattern]

Flag Description
-H Suppresses column headings.
-a Lists all columns.
-G Limits the results to the specified diskgroup name.
pattern Displays the user groups that match the pattern expression.
The following example displays a subset of information about the user groups whose name matches the asm%
pattern.
ASMCMD [+] > lsgrp asm%
DG_Name Grp_Name Owner
DG_FRA asm_fra grid
DG_DATA asm_data grid

The second example displays all information about all the user groups.
ASMCMD [+] > lsgrp a G DG_DATA
DG_Name Grp_Name Owner Members
DG_DATA asm_data grid asmdba1 asmdba2

SQL equivalent for lsgrp command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USERGROUP;

rmgrp command
Removes a user group from a diskgroup. The command must be run by the owner of the group and also requires
the SYSASM privilege to run.
rmgrp diskgroup usergroup

Removing a group might leave some files without a valid group. To ensure that those files have a valid group,
explicitly update those files to a valid group.

The following is an example of the rmgrp command that removes the asm_data user group from the dg_data
diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > rmgrp dg_data asm_data

SQL equivalent for rmgrp command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group DROP USERGROUP 'usergroup_name';

grpmod command
Adds or removes OS users to and from an existing Oracle ASM user group. Only the owner of the user group can
use this command. The command requires the SYSASM privilege to run. This command accepts an OS user
name or multiple user names separated by spaces. The OS users are typically owners of a database instance
home.
grpmod {--add | --delete} diskgroup usergroup user [user...]

Flag Description
--add Specifies to add users to the user group.
--delete Specifies to delete users from the user group.
usergroup Name of the user group.
user Name of the user to add or remove from the user group.

The following example adds the asmdba1 and asmdba2 users to the asm_fra user group of the dg_fra diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > grpmod -add dg_fra asm_fra asmdba1 asmdba2

The second example removes the asmdba2 user from the asm_data user group of the dg_data diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > grpmod -delete dg_data asm_data asmdba2
SQL equivalent for grpmod command is:
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group MODIFY USERGROUP 'usergroup_name' ADD MEMBER 'user_name';
SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group MODIFY USERGROUP 'usergroup_name' DROP MEMBER
'user_name';

groups command
Lists all the user groups to which the specified user belongs.
groups diskgroup user

ASMCMD [+] > groups dg9 asmdba1

asm_data

SQL equivalent for groups command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_USERGROUP_MEMBER;

chmod command
Changes permissions of a file or list of files. This command accepts a file name or multiple file names separated
by spaces. The specified files must be closed.
chmod mode file [file ...]

mode can be one of the following forms:

{ugo|ug|uo|go|u|g|o|a} {+|-} {r|w|rw}
a specifies permissions for all users, u specifies permissions for the owner/user of the file, g specifies the group
permissions, and o specifies permissions for other users.
{0|4|6} {0|4|6} {0|4|6}
The first digit specifies owner permissions, the second digit specifies group permissions, and the third digit
specifies other permissions.
Flag Description
6 Read write permissions
4 Read only permissions
0 No permissions
u Owner permissions, used with r or w
g Group permissions, used with r or w
o Other user permissions, used with r or w
a All user permissions, used with r or w
+ Add a permission, used with r or w
- Removes a permission, used with r or w
r Read permission
w Write permission
file Name of a file

We can only set file permissions to read-write, read-only, and no permissions. We cannot set file permissions to
write-only.
ASMCMD [+fra/orcl/archivelog/flashback] > chmod ug+rw log_7.264.684968167 log_8.265.684972027

ASMCMD [+fra/orcl/archivelog/flashback] > chmod 640 log_7.264.684968167 log_8.265.684972027

To view the permissions on a file, use the ASMCMD ls command with the --permission option.
ASMCMD [+] > ls --permission +fra/orcl/archivelog/flashback
User Group Permission Name
grid asm_fra rw-r----- log_7.264.684968167
grid asm_fra rw-r----- log_8.265.684972027

ASMCMD> chmod ug+rw +data/hrms/Controlfile/Current.175.654892547

SQL equivalent for chmod command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group SET PERMISSION OWNER=read write, GROUP=read only,
OTHER=none FOR FILE '..path..';

chown command
Changes the owner of a file or list of files. This command accepts a file name or multiple file names separated by
spaces. The specified files must be closed. Only the Oracle ASM administrator can use this command.
chown user[:usergroup ] file [file ...]

user typically refers to the user that owns the database instance home. Oracle ASM File Access Control uses the
OS name to identify a database.
ASMCMD [+fra/orcl/archivelog/flashback] > chown asmdba1 log_7.264.684968167 log_8.265.684972027

ASMCMD [+fra/orcl/archivelog/flashback] > chown asmdba1:asm_fra log_9.264.687650269

ASMCMD> chown oracle1:asm_users +data/hrms/Controlfile/Current.175.654892547

SQL equivalent for chown command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group SET OWNERSHIP OWNER='user_name', GROUP='usergroup_name'
FOR FILE '..path..';

chgrp command
Changes the Oracle ASM user group of a file or list of files. This command accepts a file name or multiple file
names separated by spaces. Only the file owner or the Oracle ASM administrator can use this command. If the
user is the file owner, then he must also be either the owner or a member of the group for this command to
succeed.
chgrp usergroup file [file ...]

ASMCMD [+] > chgrp asm_data +data/orcl/controlfile/Current.260.684924747

ASMCMD [+fra/orcl/archivelog/flashback] > chgrp asm_fra log_7.264.684968167 log_8.265.684972027

ASMCMD Diskgroup Management Commands

mkdg command
Creates a diskgroup based on an XML configuration file which specifies the name of the diskgroup, redundancy,
attributes, and paths of the disks that form the diskgroup.
mkdg {config_file.xml | 'contents_of_xml_file'}

Flag Description
Name of the XML file that contains the configuration for the new diskgroup. mkdg searches
config_file
for the XML file in the directory where ASMCMD was started unless a path is specified.
contents_of_xml_file The XML script enclosed in single quotations.
Redundancy is an optional parameter; the default is normal redundancy. For some types of redundancy, disks
are required to be gathered into failure groups. In the case that failure groups are not specified for a diskgroup,
each disk in the diskgroup belongs to its own failure group.

It is possible to set some diskgroup attribute values during diskgroup creation. Some attributes, such as AU_SIZE
and SECTOR_SIZE, can be set only during diskgroup creation.

The default diskgroup compatibility settings are 10.1 for Oracle ASM compatibility, 10.1 for database
compatibility, and no value for Oracle ADVM compatibility.

Tags for mkdg XML Configuration File

<dg> diskgroup
name diskgroup name
redundancy normal, external, high

<fg> failure group

name failure group name
</fg>

<dsk> disk
name disk name
path disk path
size size of the disk to add
</dsk>

<a> attribute
name attribute name
value attribute value
</a>
</dg>

The following is an example of an XML configuration file for mkdg. The configuration file creates a diskgroup
named dg_data with normal redundancy. Two failure groups, fg1 and fg2, are created, each with two disks
identified by associated disk strings. The diskgroup compatibility attributes are all set to 11.2.
<dg name="dg_data" redundancy="normal">
<fg name="fg1">
<dsk string="/dev/disk1"/>
<dsk string="/dev/disk2"/>
</fg>
<fg name="fg2">
<dsk string="/dev/disk3"/>
<dsk string="/dev/disk4"/>
</fg>
<a name="compatible.asm" value="11.2"/>
<a name="compatible.rdbms" value="11.2"/>
<a name="compatible.advm" value="11.2"/>
</dg>

The first example executes mkdg with an XML configuration file in the directory where ASMCMD was started.
ASMCMD [+] > mkdg data_config.xml
The second example executes mkdg using information on the command line.
ASMCMD [+] > mkdg '<dg name="data"><dsk path="/dev/disk*"/></dg>'

SQL equivalent for mkdg command is:

SQL> CREATE DISKGROUP diskgroup_name ... ;

chdg command
Changes a diskgroup (adds disks, drops disks, or rebalances) based on an XML configuration file.
chdg {config_file.xml | 'contents_of_xml_file'}

Flag Description
Name of the XML file that contains the changes for the diskgroup. chdg searches for the
config_file
XML file in the directory where ASMCMD was started unless a path is specified.
contents_of_xml_file The XML script enclosed in single quotations.

The modification includes adding or deleting disks from an existing diskgroup, and the setting rebalance power
level. The power level can set from 0 to the maximum of 11, the same values as the ASM_POWER_LIMIT
initialization parameter.

When adding disks to a diskgroup, the diskstring must be specified in a format similar to the ASM_DISKSTRING
initialization parameter.

The failure groups are optional parameters. The default causes every disk to belong to a its own failure group.

Dropping disks from a diskgroup can be performed through this operation. An individual disk can be referenced
by its Oracle ASM disk name. A set of disks that belong to a failure group can be specified by the failure group
name.

We can resize a disk inside a diskgroup with chdg. The resize operation fails if there is not enough space for
storing data after the resize.

Tags for the chdg XML Configuration Template

<chdg> update disk clause (add/delete disks/failure groups)
name diskgroup to change
power power to perform rebalance

<add> items to add are placed here</add>

<drop> items to drop are placed here</drop>

<fg> failure group

name failure group name
</fg>

<dsk> disk
name disk name
path disk path
size size of the disk to add
</dsk>
</chdg>

The following is an example of an XML configuration file for chdg. This XML file alters the diskgroup named data.
The failure group fg1 is dropped and the disk data_0001 is also dropped. The /dev/disk8 disk is added to failure
group fg2. The rebalance power level is set to 4.
<chdg name="data" power="4">
<drop>
<fg name="fg1"></fg>
<dsk name="data_0001"/>
</drop>
<add>
<fg name="fg2">
<dsk string="/dev/disk8"/>
</fg>
</add>
</chdg>

The following are examples of the chdg command with the configuration file or configuration information on the
command line.
ASMCMD [+] > chdg data_config.xml

ASMCMD [+] > chdg '<chdg name="data" power="3">

<drop><fg name="fg1"></fg><dsk name="data_0001"/></drop>
<add><fg name="fg2"><dsk string="/dev/disk5"/></fg></add></chdg>'

SQL equivalent for chdg command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP diskgroup_name ... ;

dropdg command
Drops an existing diskgroup. The diskgroup cannot be mounted on multiple nodes.
dropdg [-r] [-f] diskgroup

Flag Description
-f Force the operation. Only applicable if the diskgroup cannot be mounted.
-r Recursive, include contents.
diskgroup Name of diskgroup to drop.

The first example forces the drop of the diskgroup dg_data, including any data in the diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > dropdg -r -f dg_data

The second example drops the diskgroup dg_fra, including any data in the diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > dropdg -r dg_fra

SQL equivalent for dropdg command is:

SQL> DROP DISKGROUP diskgroup_name ... ;

chkdg command
Checks or repairs the metadata of a diskgroup. chkdg checks the metadata of a diskgroup for errors and
optionally repairs the errors.
chkdg [--repair] diskgroup

The following is an example of the chkdg command used to check and repair the dg_data diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > chkdg --repair dg_data

SQL equivalent for chkdg command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP diskgroup_name CHECK ... ;

mount command
Will mount the specified diskgroups. This operation mounts one or more diskgroups. A diskgroup can be mounted
with or without force or restricted options.
mount [--restrict] {[-a] | [-f] diskgroup[,diskgroup,...]}

Flag Description
--restrict Mounts in restricted mode.
-a Mounts all diskgroups.
-f Forces the mount operation.
diskgroup Name of the diskgroup.

The following are examples of the mount command showing the use of the force, restrict, and all options.
ASMCMD [+] > mount -f data

ASMCMD [+] > mount --restrict data

ASMCMD [+] > mount -a

SQL equivalent for mount command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP diskgroup_name MOUNT;

umount command
Will dismount the specified diskgroup.
umount {-a | [-f] diskgroup}

Flag Description
Dismounts all mounted diskgroups. These disk groups are listed in the output of the
-a
V$ASM_DISKGROUP view.
-f Forces the dismount operation.
diskgroup Name of the diskgroup.

The first example dismounts all diskgroups mounted on the Oracle ASM instance.
ASMCMD [+] > umount -a

The second example forces the dismount of the data disk group.
ASMCMD [+] > umount -f data

SQL equivalent for umount command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP diskgroup_name DISMOUNT;

offline command
Offline disks or failure groups that belong to a diskgroup.
offline -G diskgroup {-F failgroup|-D disk} [-t {minutes|hours}]

Flag Description
-G Diskgroup name.
-F Failure group name.
-D Specifies a single disk name.
Specifies the time before the specified disk is dropped as nm or nh, where m specifies minutes and h
-t
specifies hours. The default unit is hours.

When a failure group is specified, this implies all the disks that belong to it should be offlined.

The first example offlines the failgroup1 failure group of the dg_data diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > offline -G dg_data -F failgroup1

The second example offlines the data_0001 disk of the dg_data diskgroup with a time of 1.5 hours before the
disk is dropped.
ASMCMD [+] > offline -G dg_data -D data_0001 -t 1.5h

SQL equivalent offline command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP diskgroup_name OFFLINE ...;

online command
Online all disks, a single disk, or a failure group that belongs to a diskgroup.
online {[-a] -G diskgroup|-F failgroup|-D disk} [-w]

Flag Description
-a Online all offline disks in the diskgroup.
-G Diskgroup name.
-F Failure group name.
-D Disk name.
Wait option. Causes ASMCMD to wait for the diskgroup to be rebalanced before returning control to the user.
-w
The default is not waiting.

When a failure group is specified, this implies all the disks that belong to it should be onlined.

The first example onlines all disks in the failgroup1 failure group of the dg_data diskgroup with the wait option
enabled.
ASMCMD [+] > online -G dg_data -F failgroup1 -w

The second example onlines the data_0001 disk in the dg_data diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > online -G dg_data -D data_0001

SQL equivalent online command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP diskgroup_name ONLINE ...;

rebal command
Rebalances a diskgroup. The power level can be set from 0 to 11. A value of 0 disables rebalancing. If the
rebalance power is not specified, the value defaults to the setting of the ASM_POWER_LIMIT initialization
parameter.
rebal [--power power_value] [-w] diskgroup

Flag Description
--power Power setting (0 to 11).
Wait option. Causes ASMCMD to wait for the diskgroup to be rebalanced before returning control to the
-w
user. The default is not waiting.
diskgroup Diskgroup name.

The following example rebalances the dg_fra diskgroup with a power level set to 6.
ASMCMD [+] > rebal --power 6 dg_fra

We can determine if a rebalance operation is occurring with the ASMCMD lsop command.
ASMCMD [+] > lsop
Group_Name Dsk_Num State Power
FRA REBAL RUN 6

SQL equivalent rebal command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP diskgroup_name REBALANCE POWER n;

iostat command
Will display I/O statistics of disks in mounted ASM diskgroups, by using V$ASM_DISK_IOSTAT.
iostat [-etH] [--io] [--region] [-G diskgroup] [interval]

Flag Description
-e Displays error statistics (Read_Err, Write_Err).
-t Displays time statistics (Read_Time, Write_Time).
-H Suppresses column headings.
--io Displays information in number of I/Os, instead of bytes.
--region Displays information for cold and hot disk regions (Cold_Reads, Cold_Writes, Hot_Reads, Hot_Writes).
-G Displays statistics for the diskgroup name.
Refreshes the statistics display based on the interval value (seconds). Use Ctrl-C to stop the interval
interval
display.

To see the complete set of statistics for a diskgroup, use the V$ASM_DISK_IOSTAT view.
Attribute
Description
Name
Group_Name Name of the diskgroup.
Dsk_Name Name of the disk.
Number of bytes read from the disk. If the --io option is entered, then the value is displayed as
Reads
number of I/Os.
Number of bytes written from the disk. If the --io option is entered, then the value is displayed as
Writes
number of I/Os.
Number of bytes read from the cold disk region. If the --io option is entered, then the value is
Cold_Reads
displayed as number of I/Os.
Number of bytes written from the cold disk region. If the --io option is entered, then the value is
Cold_Writes
displayed as number of I/Os.
Number of bytes read from the hot disk region. If the --io option is entered, then the value is
Hot_Reads
displayed as number of I/Os.
 Number of bytes written from the hot disk region. If the --io option is entered, then the value is
Hot_Writes
displayed as number of I/Os.
Read_Err Number of failed I/O read requests for the disk.
Write_Err Number of failed I/O write requests for the disk.
I/O time (in hundredths of a second) for read requests for the disk if the
Read_Time
TIMED_STATISTICSinitialization parameter is set to TRUE (0 if set to FALSE).
I/O time (in hundredths of a second) for write requests for the disk if the
Write_Time
TIMED_STATISTICSinitialization parameter is set to TRUE (0 if set to FALSE).

If a refresh interval is not specified, the number displayed represents the total number of bytes or I/Os. If a
refresh interval is specified, then the value displayed (bytes or I/Os) is the difference between the previous and
current values, not the total value.

The first example displays disk I/O statistics for the data diskgroup in total number of bytes.

ASMCMD> iostat -G DG_DATA

Group_Name Disk_Name Reads Writes
DG_DATA DATA_0010 58486 29183
DG_DATA DATA_0011 4860 18398

The second example displays disk I/O statistics for the data diskgroup in total number of I/O operations.
ASMCMD [+] > iostat --io -G data
Group_Name Dsk_Name Reads Writes
DATA DATA_0000 2801 34918
DATA DATA_0001 58301 35700
DATA DATA_0002 3320 36345

ASMCMD> iostat -t
Group_Name Disk_Name Reads Writes Read_Time Write_Time
FRA DATA_0099 54601 38411 441.234546 672.694266

SQL equivalent for iostat command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_DISK_IOSTAT;

setattr command
setattr command will change an attribute of a diskgroup.
setattr -G disk_group attribute_name attribute_value

ASMCMD> setattr -G DG_ASM_FRA compatible.asm 11.2.0.0.0

ASMCMD> setattr -G DG_ASM_DATA compatible.rdbms 11.1.0.0.0
ASMCMD> setattr -G DG_ASM_DATA au_size 2M

SQL equivalent for setattr command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group SET ATTRIBUTE attribute_name=attribute_value;

lsattr command
List attributes of a diskgroup, from V$ASM_ATTRIBUTE.
lsattr [-G diskgroup] [-Hlm] [pattern]

Flag Description
-G Diskgroup name.
-H Suppresses column headings.
-l Display names with values.
-m Displays additional information, such as the RO and Sys columns.
pattern Display the attributes that contain pattern expression.

The RO (read-only) column identifies those attributes that can only be set when a diskgroup is created. The Sys
column identifies those attributes that are system-created.

ASMCMD> lsattr -l -G DG_ASM_FRA

Name Value
access_control.enabled FALSE
access_control.umask 066
au_size 1048576
cell.smart_scan_capable FALSE
compatible.asm 11.2.0.0.0
compatible.rdbms 10.1.0.0.0
disk_repair_time 3.6h
sector_size 512

ASMCMD> setattr -G DG_ASM_FRA compatible.rdbms 11.2.0.0.0

ASMCMD> lsattr -l -G DG_ASM_FRA
Name Value
access_control.enabled FALSE
access_control.umask 066
au_size 1048576
cell.smart_scan_capable FALSE
compatible.asm 11.2.0.0.0
compatible.rdbms 11.2.0.0.0
disk_repair_time 3.6h
sector_size 512

ASMCMD [+] > lsattr -l -G fra %compat*

Name Value
compatible.asm 11.2.0.0.0
compatible.rdbms 10.1.0.0.0

SQL equivalent for lsattr command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_ATTRIBUTE;

lsod command
Lists the open ASM disks.
lsod [-H] [-G diskgroup] [--process process_name] [pattern]

Flag Description
-H Suppresses column header information from the output.
-G Specifies the diskgroup that contains the open disks.
--process Specifies a pattern to filter the list of processes.
pattern Specifies a pattern to filter the list of disks.

The rebalance operation (RBAL) opens a disk both globally and locally so the same disk may be listed twice in
the output for the RBAL process.
 The first example lists the open devices associated with the data diskgroup and the LGWR process.
ASMCMD [+] > lsod -G data --process LGWR
Instance Process OSPID Path
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diska1
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diska2
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diska3
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diskb1
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diskb2
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diskb3
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diskd1

The second example lists the open devices associated with the LGWR process for disks that match the diska
pattern.
ASMCMD [+] > lsod --process LGWR diska
Instance Process OSPID Path
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diska1
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diska2
1 oracle@dadvmn0652 (LGWR) 26593 /devices/diska3

ASMCMD Template Management Commands

mktmpl command
Adds a template to a diskgroup.
mktmpl -G diskgroup [--striping {coarse|fine}]
[--redundancy {high|mirror|unprotected}] [--primary {hot|cold}]
[--secondary {hot|cold}] template

Flag Description
-G Name of the diskgroup.
--striping Striping specification, either coarse or fine.
--redundancy Redundancy specification, either high, mirror, or unprotected.
--primary Intelligent Data Placement specification for primary extents, either hot or cold region.
--secondary Intelligent Data Placement specification for secondary extents, either hot or cold region.
template Name of the template to create.

The following example adds temp_mc template to the dg_data diskgroup. The new template has the redundancy
set to mirror and the striping set to coarse.
ASMCMD [+] > mktmpl -G dg_data --redundancy mirror --striping coarse temp_mc

SQL equivalent for mktmpl command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group ADD TEMPLATE template_name ...;

lstmpl command
Lists all templates or the templates for a specified diskgroup.
lstmpl [-Hl] [-G diskgroup] [pattern]

Flag Description
-H Suppresses column headings.
-l Displays all details.
-G Specifies diskgroup name.
pattern Displays the templates that match pattern expression.

The example lists all details of the templates in the dg_data diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > lstmpl -l -G dg_data
Group_Name Group_Num Name Stripe Sys Redund PriReg MirrReg
DG_DATA 1 ARCHIVELOG COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 ASMPARAMETERFILE COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 AUTOBACKUP COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 BACKUPSET COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 CHANGETRACKING COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 CONTROLFILE FINE Y HIGH COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 DATAFILE COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 DATAGUARDCONFIG COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 DUMPSET COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 FLASHBACK COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 MYTEMPLATE FINE N HIGH COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 OCRFILE COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 ONLINELOG COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 PARAMETERFILE COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 TEMPFILE COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD
DG_DATA 1 XTRANSPORT COARSE Y MIRROR COLD COLD

SQL equivalent for lstmpl command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_TEMPLATE;

chtmpl command
Changes the attributes of a template.
chtmpl -G diskgroup { [--striping {coarse|fine}]
[--redundancy {high|mirror|unprotected}] [--primary {hot|cold}]
[--secondary {hot|cold}]} template

Flag Description
-G Name of the diskgroup.
--striping Striping specification, either coarse or fine.
--redundancy Redundancy specification, either high, mirror, or unprotected.
--primary Intelligent Data Placement specification for primary extents, either hot or cold region.
--secondary Intelligent Data Placement specification for secondary extents, either hot or cold region.
template Name of the template to change.

At least one of these options is required: --striping, --redundancy, --primary, or --secondary.

The following example updates temp_hf template of the dg_fra diskgroup. The redundancy attribute is set to high
and the striping attribute is set to fine.
ASMCMD [+] > chtmpl -G dg_fra --redundancy high --striping fine temp_hf

SQL equivalent for chtmpl command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group ALTER TEMPLATE template_name ...;

rmtmpl command
Removes a template from a diskgroup.
rmtmpl -G diskgroup template

The following example removes temp_uf template from the dg_data diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > rmtmpl -G dg_data temp_uf

SQL equivalent for rmtmpl command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group DROP TEMPLATE template_name ...;

ASMCMD Volume Management Commands

volcreate command
Creates an Oracle ADVM volume in the specified diskgroup.
volcreate -G diskgroup -s size [--column number] [--width stripe_width] [--redundancy {high|mirror|unprotected}]
[--primary {hot|cold}] [--secondary {hot|cold}] volume

Flag Description
-G Name of the diskgroup containing the volume.
Size of the volume to be created in units of K, M, G, T, P, or E. The unit designation must be
-s size
appended to the number specified. No space is allowed. For example: 20G
--column Number of columns in a stripe set. Values range from 1 to 8. The default value is 4.
Stripe width of a volume. The value can range from 4 KB to 1 MB, at power-of-two intervals, with a
--width
default of 128 KB.
Redundancy of the Oracle ADVM volume which can be specified for normal redundancy diskgroups.
-- The range of values are as follows: unprotected for non-mirrored redundancy, mirror for double-
redundancy mirrored redundancy, or high for triple-mirrored redundancy. If redundancy is not specified, the
setting defaults to the redundancy level of the diskgroup.
--primary Intelligent Data Placement specification for primary extents, either hot or cold region.
--secondary Intelligent Data Placement specification for secondary extents, either hot or cold region.
Name of the volume to be created. Can be a maximum of 11 alphanumeric characters; dashes are
volume
not allowed. The first character must be alphabetic.

When creating an Oracle ADVM volume, a volume device name is created with a unique Oracle ADVM persistent
diskgroup number that is concatenated to the end of the volume name. The unique number can be one to three
digits.

On Linux, the volume device name is in the format volume_name-nnn, such as volume1-123. On Windows the
volume device name is in the format asm-volume_name-nnn, such as asm-volume1-123.

A successful volume creation automatically enables the volume device.

The volume device file functions as any other disk or logical volume to mount file systems or for applications to
use directly.

The following example creates volume1 in the dg_data diskgroup with the size set to 10 gigabytes.
ASMCMD [+] > volcreate -G dg_data -s 10G --width 64K --column 8 volume1

You can determine the volume device name with the volinfo command.
ASMCMD [+] > volinfo -G dg_data volume1
Diskgroup Name: DATA
Volume Name: VOLUME1
Volume Device: /dev/asm/volume1-123
State: ENABLED
Size (MB): 10240
Resize Unit (MB): 512
Redundancy: MIRROR
Stripe Columns: 8
Stripe Width (K): 64
Usage:
Mountpath:

ASMCMD [+] > volcreate -G dg_fra -s 100M vol2

SQL equivalent for volcreate command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group ADD VOLUME volume_name SIZE n;

volinfo command
Displays information about Oracle ADVM volumes.
volinfo {-a | -G diskgroup -a | -G diskgroup volume}
volinfo [--show_diskgroup|--show_volume] volumedevice}

Flag Description
When used without a diskgroup name, specifies all volumes within all diskgroups. When used
-a
with a diskgroup name (-G diskgroup -a), specifies all volumes within that diskgroup.
-G Name of the diskgroup containing the volume.
volume Name of the volume.
--show_diskgroup Returns only the diskgroup name. A volume device name is required.
--show_volume Returns only the volume name. A volume device name is required.
volumedevice Name of the volume device.

The first example displays information about the volume1 volume in the dg_data diskgroup and was produced in
a Linux environment. The mount path field displays the last mount path for the volume.
ASMCMD [+] > volinfo -G dg_data volume1
Diskgroup Name: DG_DATA
Volume Name: VOLUME1
Volume Device: /dev/asm/volume1-123
State: ENABLED
Size (MB): 10240
Resize Unit (MB): 512
Redundancy: MIRROR
Stripe Columns: 8
Stripe Width (K): 64
Usage: ACFS
Mountpath: /u01/app/acfsmounts/acfs1

The second example displays information about the asm-volume1 volume in the dg_data diskgroup and was
produced in a Windows environment.
ASMCMD [+] > volinfo -G dg_data -a
Diskgroup Name: DG_DATA
Volume Name: VOLUME1
Volume Device: \\.\asm-volume1-311
State: ENABLED
Size (MB): 1024
Resize Unit (MB): 256
Redundancy: MIRROR
Stripe Columns: 4
Stripe Width (K): 128
Usage: ACFS
Mountpath: C:\oracle\acfsmounts\acfs1

ASMCMD [+] > volinfo -a

SQL equivalent for volinfo command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_VOLUME;
SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_VOLUME_STAT;

voldelete command
Deletes an Oracle ADVM volume.
voldelete -G diskgroup volume

To successfully execute this command, the local Oracle ASM instance must be running and the diskgroup
required by this command must be mounted in the Oracle ASM instance. Before deleting a volume, you must
ensure that there are no active file systems associated with the volume.

The following example deletes volume1 from the dg_data diskgroup.

ASMCMD [+] > voldelete -G dg_data volume1

SQL equivalent for voldelete command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group DROP VOLUME volume_name;

voldisable command
Disables Oracle ADVM volumes in mounted diskgroups and removes the volume device on the local node.
voldisable {-a | -G diskgroup -a | -G diskgroup volume}

Flag Description
When used without a diskgroup name, specifies all volumes within all diskgroups.
-a
When used with a diskgroup name (-G diskgroup -a), specifies all volumes within that diskgroup.
-G Name of the diskgroup containing the volume.
Name of the volume to be operated on. Can be maximum of 30 alphanumeric characters. The first
volume
character must be alphabetic.

You can disable volumes before shutting down an Oracle ASM instance or dismounting a diskgroup to verify that
the operations can be accomplished normally without including a force option due to open volume files. Disabling
a volume also prevents any subsequent opens on the volume or device file because it no longer exists.

Before disabling a volume, you must ensure that there are no active file systems associated with the volume. You
must first dismount the Oracle ACFS file system before disabling the volume. You can delete a volume without
first disabling the volume.

The following example disables volume1 in the dg_data diskgroup.

ASMCMD [+] > voldisable -G dg_data volume1

SQL equivalent for voldisable command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group DISABLE VOLUME volume_name;

volenable command
Enables Oracle ADVM volumes in mounted diskgroups. A volume is enabled when it is created.
volenable {-a | -G diskgroup -a | -G diskgroup volume}

Description
Flag
When used without a diskgroup name, specifies all volumes within all diskgroups.
-a
When used with a diskgroup name (-G diskgroup -a), specifies all volumes within that diskgroup.
-G Name of the diskgroup containing the volume.
volume Name of the volume to be operated on.

The following example enables volume1 in the dg_data diskgroup.

ASMCMD [+] > volenable -G dg_data volume1

SQL equivalent for volenable command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group ENABLE VOLUME volume_name;

volresize command
Resizes an Oracle ADVM volume.
volresize -G diskgroup -s size [-f] volume

Flag Description
-G Name of the diskgroup containing the volume.
-f Force the shrinking of a volume that is not an Oracle ACFS volume to suppress the warning message.
volume Name of the volume to be operated on.
-s New size of the volume in units of K, M, G, or T.

If the volume is mounted on a non-Oracle ACFS file system, then dismount the file system first before resizing. If
the new size is smaller than current, you are warned of possible data corruption. Unless the -f (force) option is
specified, you are prompted whether to continue with the operation.

If there is an Oracle ACFS file system on the volume, then you cannot resize the volume with the volresize
command. You must use the acfsutil size command, which also resizes the volume and file system.

The following is an example of the volresize command that resizes volume1 in the dg_data diskgroup to 20
gigabytes.
ASMCMD [+] > volresize -G dg_data -s 20G volume1

SQL equivalent for volresize command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group RESIZE VOLUME volume_name SIZE n;

volset commnad
Sets attributes of an Oracle ADVM volume in mounted diskgroups.
volset -G diskgroup [--usagestring string] [--mountpath mount_path] [--primary {hot|cold}] [--secondary {hot|cold}]
volume

Flag Description
-G Name of the diskgroup containing the volume.
Optional usage string to tag a volume which can be up to 30 characters. This string is set to ACFS
--usagestring
when the volume is attached to an Oracle ACFS file system and should not be changed.
Optional string to tag a volume with its mount path string which can be up to 1024 characters. This
--mountpath
string is set when the file system is mounted and should not be changed.
--primary Intelligent Data Placement specification for primary extents, either hot or cold region.
--secondary Intelligent Data Placement specification for secondary extents, either hot or cold region.
volume Name of the volume to be operated on.

When running the mkfs command to create a file system, the usage field is set to ACFS and mountpath field is
reset to an empty string if it has been set. The usage field should remain at ACFS.

When running the mount command to mount a file system, the mountpath field is set to the mount path value to
identify the mount point for the file system. After the value is set by the mount command, the mountpath field
should not be updated.

The following is an example of a volset command that sets the usage string for a volume that is not associated
with a file system.
ASMCMD [+] > volset -G dg_arch --usagestring 'no file system created' volume1
ASMCMD [+] > volset -G dg_data --usagestring 'acfs' volume1

SQL equivalent for volset command is:

SQL> ALTER DISKGROUP disk_group MODIFY VOLUME volume_name USAGE 'usage_string;

volstat command
Reports I/O statistics for Oracle ADVM volumes.
volstat [-G diskgroup] [volume]

The following apply when using the volstat command.

If the diskgroup is not specified and the volume name is specified, all mounted diskgroups are searched
for the specified volume name.
If the diskgroup name is specified and the volume name is omitted, all volumes are displayed for the
named diskgroup.
If both the diskgroup name and the volume name are omitted, all volumes on all diskgroups are
displayed.
The following is an example of the volstat command that displays information about volumes in the dg_data
diskgroup.
ASMCMD [+] > volstat -G dg_data
DISKGROUP NUMBER / NAME: 1 / DG_DATA
---------------------------------------
VOLUME_NAME
READS BYTES_READ READ_TIME READ_ERRS
WRITES BYTES_WRITTEN WRITE_TIME WRITE_ERRS
-------------------------------------------------------------
VOLUME1
10085 2290573312 22923 0
1382 5309440 1482 0

SQL equivalent for volstat command is:

SQL> SELECT * FROM V$ASM_VOLUME_STAT;

ASMCMD File Management Commands

lsof command
Lists the open files of the local clients.
lsof [-H] {-G diskgroup|--dbname db|-C instance}

Flag Description
-H Suppresses column headings.
-G List files only from this specified disk group.
--dbname List files only from this specified database.
-C List files only from this specified instance.

ASMCMD [+] > lsof -G dg_data

DB_Name Instance_Name Path
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/controlfile/current.260.691577263
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/datafile/example.265.691577295
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/datafile/sysaux.257.691577149
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/datafile/system.256.691577149
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/datafile/undotbs1.258.691577151
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/datafile/users.259.691577151
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/onlinelog/group_1.261.691577267
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/onlinelog/group_2.262.691577271
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/onlinelog/group_3.263.691577275
orcl orcl +dg_data/orcl/tempfile/temp.264.691577287

ASMCMD [+] > lsof -C +ASM

DB_Name Instance_Name Path
asmvol +ASM +data/VOLUME1.271.679226013
asmvol +ASM +data/VOLUME2.272.679227351

Other file management commands are

cd, cp, du, find, ls, mkalias, pwd, rm, rmalias

asmcmd command line history

The asmcmd utility does not provide command history with the up-arrow key. With rlwrap utility installed, that can
be done by adding the following entry to the oracle users profile file:
alias asmcmd='rlwrap asmcmd'

Auditing in Oracle
Auditing in Oracle
The auditing mechanism for Oracle is extremely flexible. Oracle stores information that is relevant to
auditing in its data dictionary.

Every time a user attempts anything in the database where audit is enabled the Oracle kernel checks
to see if an audit record should be created or updated (in the case or a session record) and generates
the record in a table owned by the SYS user called AUD$. This table is, by default, located in the
SYSTEM tablespace. This in itself can cause problems with potential denial of service attacks. If the
SYSTEM tablespace fills up, the database will hang.

init parameters
Until Oracle 10g, auditing is disabled by default, but can be enabled by setting the AUDIT_TRAIL
static parameter in the init.ora file.

From Oracle 11g, auditing is enabled for some system level privileges.

SQL> show parameter audit

NAME TYPE VALUE

---------------------- ------------ -------------

audit_file_dest string ?/rdbms/audit

audit_sys_operations boolean FALSE

audit_syslog_level string NONE

audit_trail string DB

transaction_auditing boolean TRUE

AUDIT_TRAIL can have the following values.

AUDIT_TRAIL={NONE or FALSE| OS| DB or TRUE| DB_EXTENDED| XML |XML_EXTENDED}

The following list provides a description of each value:

NONE or FALSE -> Auditing is disabled. Default until Oracle 10g.

DB or TRUE -> Auditing is enabled, with all audit records stored in the database audit trial
(AUD$). Default from Oracle 11g.
DB_EXTENDED > Same as DB, but the SQL_BIND and SQL_TEXT columns are also
populated.
XML-> Auditing is enabled, with all audit records stored as XML format OS files.
XML_EXTENDED > Same as XML, but the SQL_BIND and SQL_TEXT columns are also
populated.
OS -> Auditing is enabled, with all audit records directed to the operating system's file
specified by AUDIT_FILE_DEST.
Note: In Oracle 10g Release 1, DB_EXTENDED was used in place of "DB,EXTENDED". The XML
options were brought in Oracle 10g Release 2.

The AUDIT_FILE_DEST parameter specifies the OS directory used for the audit trail when the OS,
XML and XML_EXTENDED options are used. It is also the location for all mandatory auditing
specified by the AUDIT_SYS_OPERATIONS parameter.
The AUDIT_SYS_OPERATIONS static parameter enables or disables the auditing of operations
issued by users connecting with SYSDBA or SYSOPER privileges, including the SYS user. All audit
records are written to the OS audit trail.

Run the $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/cataudit.sql script while connected as SYS (no need to run
this, if you ran catalog.sql at the time of database creation).

Start Auditing
Syntax of audit command:
audit {statement_option|privilege_option} [by user] [by {session|access}] [whenever
{successful|not successful}]

Only the statement_option or privilege_option part is mandatory. The other clauses are optional and
enabling them allows audit be more specific.

There are three levels that can be audited:

Statement level
Auditing will be done at statement level.
Statements that can be audited are found in STMT_AUDIT_OPTION_MAP.
SQL> audit table by scott;

Audit records can be found in DBA_STMT_AUDIT_OPTS.

SQL> select * from DBA_STMT_AUDIT_OPTS;

Object level
Auditing will be done at object level.
These objects can be audited: tables, views, sequences, packages, stored procedures and stored
functions.
SQL> audit insert, update, delete on scott.emp by hr;

Audit records can be found in DBA_OBJ_AUDIT_OPTS.

SQL> select * from DBA_OBJ_AUDIT_OPTS;

Privilege level
Auditing will be done at privilege level.
All system privileges that are found in SYSTEM_PRIVILEGE_MAP can be audited.
SQL> audit create tablespace, alter tablespace by all;

Specify ALL PRIVILEGES to audit all system privileges.

Audit records can be found in DBA_PRIV_AUDIT_OPTS.

SQL> select * from DBA_PRIV_AUDIT_OPTS;

Audit options
BY SESSION
Specify BY SESSION if you want Oracle to write a single record for all SQL statements of the same
type issued and operations of the same type executed on the same schema objects in the same
session.

Oracle database can write to an operating system audit file but cannot read it to detect whether an
entry has already been written for a particular operation. Therefore, if you are using an operating
system file for the audit trail (that is, the AUDIT_TRAIL initialization parameter is set to OS), then the
database may write multiple records to the audit trail file even if you specify BY SESSION.
SQL> audit create, alter, drop on currency by xe by session;
SQL> audit alter materialized view by session;

BY ACCESS
Specify BY ACCESS if you want Oracle database to write one record for each audited statement and
operation.

If you specify statement options or system privileges that audit data definition language (DDL)
statements, then the database automatically audits by access regardless of whether you specify the
BY SESSION clause or BY ACCESS clause.

For statement options and system privileges that audit SQL statements other than DDL, you can
specify either BY SESSION or BY ACCESS. BY SESSION is the default.
SQL> audit update on health by access;
SQL> audit alter sequence by tester by access;

WHENEVER [NOT] SUCCESSFUL

Specify WHENEVER SUCCESSFUL to audit only SQL statements and operations that succeed.
Specify WHENEVER NOT SUCCESSFUL to audit only SQL statements and operations that fail or
result in errors.

If you omit this clause, then Oracle Database performs the audit regardless of success or failure.
SQL> audit insert, update, delete on hr.emp by hr by session whenever not successful;
SQL> audit materialized view by pingme by access whenever successful;

Examples
Auditing for every SQL statement related to roles (create, alter, drop or set a role).
SQL> AUDIT ROLE;

Auditing for every statement that reads files from database directory
SQL> AUDIT READ ON DIRECTORY ext_dir;

Auditing for every statement that performs any operation on the sequence
SQL> AUDIT ALL ON hr.emp_seq;

View Audit Trail

The audit trail is stored in the base table SYS.AUD$.
It's contents can be viewed in the following views:
DBA_AUDIT_TRAIL
DBA_OBJ_AUDIT_OPTS
DBA_PRIV_AUDIT_OPTS
DBA_STMT_AUDIT_OPTS
DBA_AUDIT_EXISTS
DBA_AUDIT_OBJECT
DBA_AUDIT_SESSION
DBA_AUDIT_STATEMENT
 AUDIT_ACTIONS
DBA_AUDIT_POLICIES
DBA_AUDIT_POLICY_COLUMNS
DBA_COMMON_AUDIT_TRAIL
DBA_FGA_AUDIT_TRAIL (FGA_LOG$)
DBA_REPAUDIT_ATTRIBUTE
DBA_REPAUDIT_COLUMN

The audit trail contains lots of data, but the following are most likely to be of interest:
Username - Oracle Username.
Terminal - Machine that the user performed the action from.
Timestamp - When the action occurred.
Object Owner - The owner of the object that was interacted with.
Object Name - name of the object that was interacted with.
Action Name - The action that occurred against the object (INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, SELECT,
EXECUTE)

Fine Grained Auditing (FGA), introduced in Oracle9i, allowed recording of row-level changes along
with SCN numbers to reconstruct the old data, but they work for select statements only, not for DML
such as update, insert, and delete.
From Oracle 10g, FGA supports DML statements in addition to selects.

Several fields have been added to both the standard and fine-grained audit trails:

EXTENDED_TIMESTAMP - A more precise value than the existing TIMESTAMP column.

PROXY_SESSIONID - Proxy session serial number when an enterprise user is logging in via
the proxy method.
GLOBAL_UID - Global Universal Identifier for an enterprise user.
INSTANCE_NUMBER - The INSTANCE_NUMBER value from the actioning instance.
OS_PROCESS - Operating system process id for the oracle process.
TRANSACTIONID - Transaction identifier for the audited transaction. This column can be
used to join to the XID column on the FLASHBACK_TRANSACTION_QUERY view.
SCN - System change number of the query. This column can be used in flashback queries.
SQL_BIND - The values of any bind variables if any.
SQL_TEXT - The SQL statement that initiated the audit action.
The SQL_BIND and SQL_TEXT columns are only populated when the
AUDIT_TRAIL=DB_EXTENDED or AUDIT_TRAIL=XML_EXTENDED initialization parameter is set.
Maintenance
The audit trail must be deleted/archived on a regular basis to prevent the SYS.AUD$ table growing to
an unacceptable size.

Only users who have been granted specific access to SYS.AUD$ can access the table to select, alter
or delete from it. This is usually just the user SYS or any user who has had permissions. There are
two specific roles that allow access to SYS.AUD$ for select and delete, these are
DELETE_CATALOG_ROLE and SELECT_CATALOG_ROLE. These roles should not be granted to
general users.

Auditing modifications of the data in the audit trail itself can be achieved as follows
SQL> AUDIT INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE ON sys.aud$ BY ACCESS;
To delete all audit records from the audit trail:
SQL> DELETE FROM sys.aud$;

From Oracle 11g R2, we can change audit table's (SYS.AUD$ and SYS.FGA_LOG$) tablespace and
we can periodically delete the audit trail records using DBMS_AUDIT_MGMT package.

Disabling Auditing
The NOAUDIT statement turns off the various audit options of Oracle. Use it to reset statement,
privilege and object audit options. A NOAUDIT statement that sets statement and privilege audit
options can include the BY USER option to specify a list of users to limit the scope of the statement
and privilege audit options.

SQL> NOAUDIT;
SQL> NOAUDIT session;
SQL> NOAUDIT session BY scott, hr;
SQL> NOAUDIT DELETE ON emp;
SQL> NOAUDIT SELECT TABLE, INSERT TABLE, DELETE TABLE, EXECUTE PROCEDURE;
SQL> NOAUDIT ALL;
SQL> NOAUDIT ALL PRIVILEGES;
SQL> NOAUDIT ALL ON DEFAULT;

Background Processes in oracle

To maximize performance and accommodate many users, a multiprocess Oracle database system
uses background processes. Background processes are the processes running behind the scene and
are meant to perform certain maintenance activities or to deal with abnormal conditions arising in the
instance. Each background process is meant for a specific purpose and its role is well defined.

Background processes consolidate functions that would otherwise be handled by multiple database
programs running for each user process. Background processes asynchronously perform I/O and
monitor other Oracle database processes to provide increased parallelism for better performance and
reliability.

Not all background processes are mandatory for an instance. Some are mandatory and some are
optional. Mandatory background processes are DBWn, LGWR, CKPT, SMON, PMON, and RECO. All
other processes are optional, will be invoked if that particular feature is activated.

Oracle background processes are visible as separate operating system processes in Unix/Linux. In
Windows, these run as separate threads within the same service. Any issues related to background
processes should be monitored and analyzed from the trace files generated and the alert log.

Background processes are started automatically when the instance is started.

To findout background processes from database:

SQL> select SID,PROGRAM from v$session where TYPE='BACKGROUND';

To findout background processes from OS:

$ ps -ef|grep ora_|grep SID

Mandatory Background Processes in Oracle

If any one of these 6 mandatory background processes is killed/not running, the instance will be
aborted.
1) Database Writer (maximum 20) DBW0-DBW9,DBWa-
DBWj
Whenever a log switch is occurring as redolog file is becoming CURRENT to ACTIVE stage, oracle
calls DBWn and synchronizes all the dirty blocks in database buffer cache to the respective datafiles,
scattered or randomly.

Database writer (or Dirty Buffer Writer) process does multi-block writing to disk asynchronously. One
DBWn process is adequate for most systems. Multiple database writers can be configured by
initialization parameter DB_WRITER_PROCESSES, depends on the number of CPUs allocated to the
instance. To have more than one DBWn only make sense if each DBWn has been allocated its own
list of blocks to write to disk. This is done through the initialization parameter
DB_BLOCK_LRU_LATCHES. If this parameter is not set correctly, multiple DB writers can end up
contending for the same block list.

The possible multiple DBWR processes in RAC must be coordinated through the locking and global
cache processes to ensure efficient processing is accomplished.

DBWn will be invoked in following scenarios:

When the dirty blocks in SGA reaches to a threshold value, oracle calls DBWn.
When the database is shutting down with some dirty blocks in the SGA, then oracle calls
DBWn.
DBWn has a time out value (3 seconds by default) and it wakes up whether there are any
dirty blocks or not.
When a checkpoint is issued.
When a server process cannot find a clean reusable buffer after scanning a threshold number
of buffers.
When a huge table wants to enter into SGA and oracle could not find enough free space
where it decides to flush out LRU blocks and which happens to be dirty blocks. Before flushing out the
dirty blocks, oracle calls DBWn.
Oracle RAC ping request is made.
When Table DROPped or TRUNCATEed.
When tablespace is going to OFFLINE/READ ONLY/BEGIN BACKUP.

2) Log Writer (maximum 1) LGWR

LGWR writes redo data from redolog buffers to (online) redolog files, sequentially.

Redolog file contains changes to any datafile. The content of the redolog file is file id, block id and
new content.
LGWR will be invoked more often than DBWn as log files are really small when compared to datafiles
(KB vs GB). For every small update we dont want to open huge gigabytes of datafiles, instead write
to the log file.

Redolog file has three stages CURRENT, ACTIVE, INACTIVE and this is a cyclic process. Newly
created redolog file will be in UNUSED state.

When the LGWR is writing to a particular redolog file, that file is said to be in CURRENT status. If the
file is filled up completely then a log switch takes place and the LGWR starts writing to the second file
(this is the reason every database requires a minimum of 2 redolog groups). The file which is filled up
now becomes from CURRENT to ACTIVE.

Log writer will write synchronously to the redolog groups in a circular fashion. If any damage is
identified with a redolog file, the log writer will log an error in the LGWR trace file and the alert log.
Sometimes, when additional redolog buffer space is required, the LGWR will even write uncommitted
redolog entries to release the held buffers. LGWR can also use group commits (multiple committed
transaction's redo entries taken together) to write to redologs when a database is undergoing heavy
write operations.

In RAC, each RAC instance has its own LGWR process that maintains that instances thread of redo
logs.

LGWR will be invoked in following scenarios:

LGWR is invoked whenever 1/3rd of the redo buffer is filled up.

Whenever the log writer times out (3sec).
Whenever 1MB of redolog buffer is filled (This means that there is no sense in making the
redolog buffer more than 3MB).
Shutting down the database.
Whenever checkpoint event occurs.
When a transaction is completed (either committed or rollbacked) then oracle calls the LGWR
and synchronizes the log buffers to the redolog files and then only passes on the acknowledgement
back to the user. Which means the transaction is not guaranteed although we said commit, unless we
receive the acknowledgement. When a transaction is committed, a System Change Number (SCN) is
generated and tagged to it. Log writer puts a commit record in the redolog buffer and writes it to disk
immediately along with the transaction's redo entries. Changes to actual data blocks are deferred until
a convenient time (Fast-Commit mechanism).
When DBWn signals the writing of redo records to disk. All redo records associated with
changes in the block buffers must be written to disk first (The write-ahead protocol). While writing dirty
buffers, if the DBWn process finds that some redo information has not been written, it signals the
LGWR to write the information and waits until the control is returned.

3) Checkpoint (maximum 1) CKPT

Checkpoint is a background process which triggers the checkpoint event, to synchronize all database
files with the checkpoint information. It ensures data consistency and faster database recovery in case
of a crash.

When checkpoint occurred it will invoke the DBWn and updates the SCN block of the all datafiles and
the control file with the current SCN. This is done by LGWR. This SCN is called checkpoint SCN.

Checkpoint event can be occurred in following conditions:

o Whenever database buffer cache filled up.
o Whenever times out (3seconds until 9i, 1second from 10g).
o Log switch occurred.
o Whenever manual log switch is done.
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SWITCH LOGFILE;
o Manual checkpoint.
SQL> ALTER SYSTEM CHECKPOINT;
o Graceful shutdown of the database.
o Whenever BEGIN BACKUP command is issued.
o When the time specified by the initialization parameter
LOG_CHECKPOINT_TIMEOUT (in seconds), exists between the incremental checkpoint and the tail
of the log.
o When the number of OS blocks specified by the initialization parameter
LOG_CHECKPOINT_INTERVAL, exists between the incremental checkpoint and the tail of the log.
o The number of buffers specified by the initialization parameter
FAST_START_IO_TARGET required to perform roll-forward is reached.
o Oracle 9i onwards, the time specified by the initialization parameter
FAST_START_MTTR_TARGET (in seconds) is reached and specifies the time required for a crash
recovery. The parameter FAST_START_MTTR_TARGET replaces LOG_CHECKPOINT_INTERVAL
and FAST_START_IO_TARGET, but these parameters can still be used.

4) System Monitor (maximum 1) SMON

If the database is crashed (power failure) and next time when we restart the database SMON
observes that last time the database was not shutdown gracefully. Hence it requires some recovery,
which is known as INSTANCE CRASH RECOVERY. When performing the crash recovery before the
database is completely open, if it finds any transaction committed but not found in the datafiles, will
now be applied from redolog files to datafiles.
If SMON observes some uncommitted transaction which has already updated the table in the
datafile, is going to be treated as a in doubt transaction and will be rolled back with the help of before
image available in rollback segments.
SMON also cleans up temporary segments that are no longer in use.
It also coalesces contiguous free extents in dictionary managed tablespaces that have
PCTINCREASE set to a non-zero value.
In RAC environment, the SMON process of one instance can perform instance recovery for
other instances that have failed.
SMON wakes up about every 5 minutes to perform housekeeping activities.

5) Process Monitor (maximum 1) PMON

If a client has an open transaction which is no longer active (client session is closed) then PMON
comes into the picture and that transaction becomes in doubt transaction which will be rolled back.

PMON is responsible for performing recovery if a user process fails. It will rollback uncommitted
transactions. If the old session locked any resources that will be unlocked by PMON.

PMON is responsible for cleaning up the database buffer cache and freeing resources that were
allocated to a process.

PMON also registers information about the instance and dispatcher processes with Oracle (network)
listener.

PMON also checks the dispatcher & server processes and restarts them if they have failed.

PMON wakes up every 3 seconds to perform housekeeping activities.

In RAC, PMONs role as service registration agent is particularly important.

6) Recoverer (maximum 1) RECO [Mandatory from

Oracle 10g]

This process is intended for recovery in distributed databases. The distributed transaction recovery
process finds pending distributed transactions and resolves them. All in-doubt transactions are
recovered by this process in the distributed database setup. RECO will connect to the remote
database to resolve pending transactions.

Pending distributed transactions are two-phase commit transactions involving multiple databases. The
database that the transaction started is normally the coordinator. It will send request to other
databases involved in two-phase commit if they are ready to commit. If a negative request is received
from one of the other sites, the entire transaction will be rolled back. Otherwise, the distributed
transaction will be committed on all sites. However, there is a chance that an error (network related or
otherwise) causes the two-phase commit transaction to be left in pending state (i.e. not committed or
rolled back). It's the role of the RECO process to liaise with the coordinator to resolve the pending
two-phase commit transaction. RECO will either commit or rollback this transaction.

Optional Background Processes in Oracle

Archiver (maximum 10) ARC0-ARC9

The ARCn process is responsible for writing the online redolog files to the mentioned archive log
destination after a log switch has occurred. ARCn is present only if the database is running in
archivelog mode and automatic archiving is enabled. The log writer process is responsible for starting
multiple ARCn processes when the workload increases. Unless ARCn completes the copying of a
redolog file, it is not released to log writer for overwriting.

The number of archiver processes that can be invoked initially is specified by the initialization
parameter LOG_ARCHIVE_MAX_PROCESSES (by default 2, max 10). The actual number of
archiver processes in use may vary based on the workload.

ARCH processes, running on primary database, select archived redo logs and send them to standby
database. Archive log files are used for media recovery (in case of a hard disk failure and for
maintaining an Oracle standby database via log shipping). Archives the standby redo logs applied by
the managed recovery process (MRP).

In RAC, the various ARCH processes can be utilized to ensure that copies of the archived redo logs
for each instance are available to the other instances in the RAC setup should they be needed for
recovery.

Coordinated Job Queue Processes (maximum 1000) CJQ0/Jnnn

Job queue processes carry out batch processing. All scheduled jobs are executed by these
processes. The initialization parameter JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES specifies the maximum job
processes that can be run concurrently. These processes will be useful in refreshing materialized
views.

This is the Oracles dynamic job queue coordinator. It periodically selects jobs (from JOB$) that need
to be run, scheduled by the Oracle job queue. The coordinator process dynamically spawns job queue
slave processes (J000-J999) to run the jobs. These jobs could be PL/SQL statements or procedures
on an Oracle instance.

CQJ0 - Job queue controller process wakes up periodically and checks the job log. If a job is due, it
spawns Jnnnn processes to handle jobs.

From Oracle 11g release2, DBMS_JOB and DBMS_SCHEDULER work without setting
JOB_QUEUE_PROCESSES. Prior to 11gR2 the default value is 0, and from 11gR2 the default value
is 1000.
Dedicated Server
Dedicated server processes are used when MTS is not used. Each user process gets a dedicated
connection to the database. These user processes also handle disk reads from database datafiles
into the database block buffers.

LISTENER
The LISTENER process listens for connection requests on a specified port and passes these requests
to either a distributor process if MTS is configured, or to a dedicated process if MTS is not used. The
LISTENER process is responsible for load balance and failover in case a RAC instance fails or is
overloaded.

CALLOUT Listener
Used by internal processes to make calls to externally stored procedures.

Lock Monitor (maximum 1) LMON

Lock monitor manages global locks and resources. It handles the redistribution of instance locks
whenever instances are started or shutdown. Lock monitor also recovers instance lock information
prior to the instance recovery process. Lock monitor co-ordinates with the Process Monitor (PMON) to
recover dead processes that hold instance locks.

Lock Manager Daemon (maximum 10) LMDn

LMDn processes manage instance locks that are used to share resources between instances. LMDn
processes also handle deadlock detection and remote lock requests.

Global Cache Service (LMS)

In an Oracle Real Application Clusters environment, this process manages resources and provides
inter-instance resource control.

Lock processes (maximum 10) LCK0- LCK9

The instance locks that are used to share resources between instances are held by the lock
processes.
Block Server Process (maximum 10) BSP0-BSP9
Block server Processes have to do with providing a consistent read image of a buffer that is requested
by a process of another instance, in certain circumstances.

Queue Monitor (maximum 10) QMN0-QMN9

This is the advanced queuing time manager process. QMNn monitors the message queues. QMN
used to manage Oracle Streams Advanced Queuing.

Event Monitor (maximum 1) EMN0/EMON

This process is also related to advanced queuing, and is meant for allowing a publish/subscribe style
of messaging between applications.

Dispatcher (maximum 1000) Dnnn

Intended for multi threaded server (MTS) setups. Dispatcher processes listen to and receive requests
from connected sessions and places them in the request queue for further processing. Dispatcher
processes also pickup outgoing responses from the result queue and transmit them back to the
clients. Dnnn are mediators between the client processes and the shared server processes. The
maximum number of dispatcher process can be specified using the initialization parameter
MAX_DISPATCHERS.

Shared Server Processes (maximum 1000) Snnn

Intended for multi threaded server (MTS) setups. These processes pickup requests from the call
request queue, process them and then return the results to a result queue. These user processes also
handle disk reads from database datafiles into the database block buffers. The number of shared
server processes to be created at instance startup can be specified using the initialization parameter
SHARED_SERVERS. Maximum shared server processes can be specified by
MAX_SHARED_SERVERS.

Parallel Execution/Query Slaves (maximum 1000) Pnnn

These processes are used for parallel processing. It can be used for parallel execution of SQL
statements or recovery. The Maximum number of parallel processes that can be invoked is specified
by the initialization parameter PARALLEL_MAX_SERVERS.

Trace Writer (maximum 1) TRWR

Trace writer writes trace files from an Oracle internal tracing facility.
Input/Output Slaves (maximum 1000) Innn
These processes are used to simulate asynchronous I/O on platforms that do not support it. The
initialization parameter DBWR_IO_SLAVES is set for this purpose.

Dataguard Monitor (maximum 1) DMON

The Dataguard broker process. DMON is started when Dataguard is started.

LGWR Network Server process LNS

In Data Guard, LNS process performs actual network I/O and waits for each network I/O to complete.
Each LNS has a user configurable buffer that is used to accept outbound redo data from the LGWR
process. The NET_TIMEOUT attribute is used only when the LGWR process transmits redo data
using a LGWR Network Server(LNS) process.

Managed Recovery Process MRP

In Data Guard environment, this managed recovery process will apply archived redo logs to the
standby database.

Remote File Server process RFS

The remote file server process, in Data Guard environment, on the standby database receives
archived redo logs from the primary database.

Logical Standby Process LSP

The logical standby process is the coordinator process for a set of processes that concurrently read,
prepare, build, analyze, and apply completed SQL transactions from the archived redo logs. The LSP
also maintains metadata in the database. The RFS process communicates with the logical standby
process (LSP) to coordinate and record which files arrived.

Wakeup Monitor Process (maximum 1) WMON

This process was available in older versions of Oracle to alarm other processes that are suspended
while waiting for an event to occur. This process is obsolete and has been removed.
Recovery Writer (maximum 1) RVWR
This is responsible for writing flashback logs (to FRA).

Fetch Archive Log (FAL) Server

Services requests for archive redo logs from FAL clients running on multiple standby databases.
Multiple FAL servers can be run on a primary database, one for each FAL request.

Fetch Archive Log (FAL) Client

Pulls archived redo log files from the primary site. Initiates transfer of archived redo logs when it
detects a gap sequence.

New Background Processes in Oracle 10g

Memory Manager (maximum 1) MMAN

MMAN dynamically adjust the sizes of the SGA components like buffer cache, large pool, shared pool
and java pool and serves as SGA memory broker. It is a new process added to Oracle 10g as part of
automatic shared memory management.

Memory Monitor (maximum 1) MMON

MMON monitors SGA and performs various manageability related background tasks. MMON, the
Oracle 10g background process, used to collect statistics for the Automatic Workload
Repository (AWR).

Memory Monitor Light (maximum 1) MMNL

New background process in Oracle 10g. This process performs frequent and lightweight
manageability-related tasks, such as session history capture and metrics computation.

Change Tracking Writer (maximum 1) CTWR

CTWR will be useful in RMAN. Optimized incremental backups using block change tracking (faster
incremental backups) using a file (named block change tracking file). CTWR (Change Tracking Writer)
is the background process responsible for tracking the blocks.
ASMB
This ASMB process is used to provide information to and from cluster synchronization services used
byASM to manage the disk resources. It's also used to update statistics and provide a heart beat
mechanism.

Re-Balance RBAL
RBAL is the ASM related process that performs rebalancing of disk resources controlled by ASM.

Actual Rebalance ARBx

ARBx is configured by ASM_POWER_LIMIT.

New Background Processes in Oracle 11g

ACMS - Atomic Controlfile to Memory Server
DBRM - Database Resource Manager
DIA0 - Diagnosibility process 0
DIAG - Diagnosibility process
FBDA - Flashback Data Archiver
GTX0 - Global Transaction Process 0
KATE - Konductor (Conductor) of ASM Temporary Errands
MARK - Mark Allocation unit for Resync Koordinator (coordinator)
SMCO - Space Manager
VKTM - Virtual Keeper of TiMe process
W000 - Space Management Worker Processes
ABP - Autotask Background Process

Autotask Background Process (ABP)

It translates tasks into jobs for execution by the scheduler. It determines the list of jobs that must be
created for each maintenance window. Stores task execution history in the SYSAUX tablespace. It is
spawned by the MMON background process at the start of the maintenance window.

File Monitor (FMON)

The database communicates with the mapping libraries provided by storage vendors through an
external non-Oracle Database process that is spawned by a background process called FMON.
FMON is responsible for managing the mapping information. When you specify the FILE_MAPPING
initialization parameter for mapping datafiles to physical devices on a storage subsystem, then the
FMON process is spawned.
Dynamic Intimate Shared Memory (DISM)
By default, Oracle uses intimate shared memory (ISM) instead of standard System V shared memory
on Solaris Operating system. When a shared memory segment is made into an ISM segment, it is
mapped using large pages and the memory for the segment is locked (i.e., it cannot be paged out).
This greatly reduces the overhead due to process context switches, which improves Oracle's
performance linearity under load.

Data Dictionary views Vs V$ views in Oracle

Here are the differences between data dictionary views
and V$ views, in Oracle.

Data Dictionary views V$ views

Data will not be lost
Data will be lost if instance is
even after instance is
shutdowned
shutdowned
(some are) Will be accessible
Will be accessible only
even if instance is in mount or
if instance is OPENED
nomount stage (STARTED)
Data dictionary view
V$ view names are singular
names are plural
Datapump

Datapump utility in Oracle

Oracle Datapump was brought in Oracle Database 10g,
as replacement for the original Export and Import utilities.

From Oracle Database 10g, new Datapump Export (expdp) and Import (impdp) clients that use this
interface have been provided. Oracle recommends that customers use these new Datapump Export
and Import clients rather than the Original Export and Original Import clients, since the new utilities
have vastly improved performance and greatly enhanced functionality.

Oracle Datapump provides high speed, parallel, bulk data and metadata movement of Oracle
database contents. Its a server-side replacement for the original Export and Import utilities. A new
public interface package, DBMS_DATAPUMP, provides a server-side infrastructure for fast data and
metadata movement.

Datapump will make use of streams_pool_size.

Datapump is available on the Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition and Personal Edition. However, the
parallel capability is only available on Oracle 10g and Oracle 11g Enterprise Editions. Datapump is
included on all the platforms supported by Oracle 10g, Oracle 11g.

Original Export and Import Limitations

Design not scalable to large databases
Slow unloading and loading of data, no parallelism
Difficult to monitor job progress
Limited flexibility in object selection
No callable API
Difficult to maintain
Non-restartable
Client-side, single threaded execution
Limited tuning mechanisms
Limited object filtering

The Datapump system requirements are the same as the standard Oracle Database
10g requirements. Datapump doesnt need a lot of additional system or database resources, but the
time to extract and treat the information will be dependent on the CPU and memory available on each
machine. If system resource consumption becomes an issue while a Datapump job is executing, the
job can be dynamically throttled to reduce the number of execution threads.

Using the Direct Path method of unloading, a single stream of data unload is about 2 times faster than
normal Export because the Direct Path API has been modified to be even more efficient. Depending
on the level of parallelism, the level of improvement can be much more.

A single stream of data load is 15-45 times faster than normal Import. The reason it is so much faster
is that Conventional Import uses only conventional mode inserts, whereas Datapump Import uses the
Direct Path method of loading. As with Export, the job can be parallelized for even more improvement.

Datapump Features
1.Writes either
Direct Path unloads
External tables (part of cluster, has LOB, etc)
2.Command line interface
3.Writing to external tables
4.DBMS_DATAPUMP Datapump API
5.DBMS_METADATA Metadata API
6.Checkpoint / Job Restart

Job progress recorded in Master Table - All stopped Datapump jobs can be restarted without
loss of data as long as the master table and dump file set remain undisturbed while the job is stopped.
It doesnt matter if the job was stopped voluntarily by a user of if the stoppage was involuntary due to
a crash,power outage, etc.
May be stopped and restarted later
Abnormally terminated job is also restartable
Current objects can be skipped on restart if problematic
7.Better Job Monitoring and Control

Can detach from and attach to running jobs from any location - Multiple clients can attach to a
job to see what is going on. Clients may also detach from an executing job without affecting it.
Initial job space estimate and overall percent done - At Export time, the approximate size of
the job is estimated before it gets underway. The default method for determining this is to estimate the
size of a partition by counting the number of blocks currently allocated to it. If tables have been
analyzed, statistics can also be used which should provide a more accurate estimate. The user gets
an estimate of how much dump file space will be consumed for the operation.
Job state and description - Once the Export begins, the user can get a status of the job by
seeing a percentage of how far along he is in the job. He can then extrapolate the time required to get
the job completed.
Per-worker status showing current object and percent done
Enterprise Manager interface available - The jobs can be monitored from any location
8.Interactive Mode for expdp and impdp clients

PARALLEL: add or remove workers

ADD_FILE: add dump files and wildcard specs
STATUS: get detailed per-worker status
STOP_JOB {=IMMEDIATE}: stop the job, leaving it restartable, immediate doesnt wait for
workers to finish current work items.
START_JOB: Restart a previously stopped job, can change reporting interval
KILL_JOB: stop job and delete all its resources, leaving it unrestartable, the master table and
dump files are deleted
CONTINUE: leave interactive mode, continue logging
EXIT: exit client, leave job running
All modes of operation are supported: full, schema, table, tablespace, and transportable tablespace.

9.Dumpfile Set Management

Directory based: e.g., DMPDIR:export01.dmp where DMPDIR is external directory

Can specify maximum size of each dumpfile
Can dynamically add dumpfiles to jobs - If a job ran out of space, can use ADD_FILE
command and specify a FILESIZE value
Wildcard file specs supported - Wildcard file support makes it easy to spread the I/O load over
multiple spindles:
e.g.: Dumpfile=dmp1dir:full1%u.dmp, dmp2dir:full2%u.dmp
Dump file compression of metadata - Metadata is compressed before being written to the
dumpfile set COMPRESSION=METADATA_ONLY
In Oracle Database 11g, this compression capability has been extended so that we can now
compress table data on export. Datapump compression is an inline operation, so the reduced
dumpfile size means a significant savings in disk space.
Automatically uncompressed during Import. Datapump compression is fully inline on the
import side as well, so there is no need to uncompress a dumpfile before importing it.
Dumpfile set coherency automatically maintained
Datapump supplies encryption options for more flexible and robust security.
10.Network Mode
Datapump Export and Import both support a network mode in which the jobs source is a remote
Oracle instance. This is an overlap of unloading the data, using Export, and loading the data, using
Import, so those processes dont have to be serialized. A database link is used for the network. We
dont have to worry about allocating file space because there are no intermediate dump files.

Network Export
Unload a remote database to a local dump file set
Allows export of read-only databases for archiving

Network Import
Overlap execution of extract and load
No intermediate dump files

Because Datapump maintains a Master Control Table and must perform database writes, Datapump
cant directly Export a Read-only database. Network mode allows the user to export Read-Only
databases: The Datapump Export job runs locally on a read/write instance and extracts the data and
metadata from the remote read-only instance. Both network export and import use database links to
communicate with the remote source.

First level parallelism is supported for both network export and import. I/O servers do not operate
remotely, so second level, intra-partition parallelism is not supported in network operations.

11.Fine-Grained Object Selection

All object types are supported - With the new EXCLUDE and INCLUDE parameters, a
Datapump job can include or exclude any type of object and any subset of objects within a type.
Exclude parameter: specified object types are excluded from the operation
Include parameter: only the specified object types are included
Both take an optional name filter for even finer granularity:
INCLUDE/ PACKAGE: LIKE PAYROLL%
EXCLUDE TABLE: in (FOO,BAR,)
e.g.:
EXCLUDE=function
EXCLUDE=procedure
EXCLUDE=package:like PAYROLL%
Would exclude all functions, procedures, and packages with names starting with PAYROLL from the
job.
Using INCLUDE instead of EXCLUDE above, would include the functions, procedures, and packages
with names starting with PAYROLL.

12.DDL Transformations
Easy with XML, because object metadata is stored as XML in the dump file set,it is easy to apply
transformations when DDL is being formed (via XSL-T) during import.

REMAP_SCHEMA -> REMAP_SCHEMA provides the old FROMUSER / TOUSER capability

to change object ownership.
REMAP_TABLESPACE -> REMAP_TABLESPACE allows objects to be moved from one
tablespace to another. This changes the tablespace definition as well
REMAP_DATAFILE -> REMAP_DATAFILE is useful when moving databases across
platforms that have different file system semantics.
Segment and storage attributes can be suppressed -> The TRANSFORM parameter can also
be used so that storage clauses are not generated in the DDL. This is useful if the storage
characteristics of the target instance are very different from those of the source.
Datapump Benefits (advantages over normal export & import)
o Restartable
o Improved control
o Files will created on server, not on client side
o Parallel execution
o Automated performance tuning
o Simplified monitoring
o Improved object filtering
o Dump will be compressed
o Data can be encrypted (in Oracle 11g or later)
o Remap of data during export or import (in 11g or later)
o We can export one or more partitions of a table without having to move the entire table (in
11g or later)
o XML schemas and XMLType columns are supported for both export and import (in 11g or
later)
o Using the Direct Path method of unloading or loading data, a single stream of Datapump
export (unload) is approximately 2 times faster than original Export, because the Direct
Path API has been modified to be even more efficient. Depending on the level of parallelism,
the level of improvement can be much more.
o Original Import uses only conventional mode inserts, so a single stream of Datapump Import
is 10-45 times faster than normal Import. As with Export, the jobs single stream can be
changed to parallel streams for even more improvement.
o With Datapump, it is much easier for the DBA to manage and monitor jobs. During a long-
running job, the DBA can monitor a job from multiple locations and know how far along it is,
how much there is left to go, what objects are being worked on, etc. The DBA can also affect
the jobs operation, i.e. abort it, adjust its resource consumption, and stop it for later restart.
o Since the jobs are completed much more quickly than before, production systems have less
downtime.
o Datapump is publicly available as a PL/SQL package (DBMS_DATAPUMP), so customers
can write their own data movement utilities if so desired. The metadata capabilities of the
Datapump are also available as a separate PL/SQL package, DBMS_METADATA.

o While importing, if destination schema is not existed, datapump will create the user and
import the objects.
Datapump requires no special tuning. Datapump runs optimally out of the box. Original Export and
(especially) Import require careful tuning to achieve optimum results. There are no Datapump
performance tuning parameters other than the ability to dynamically adjust the degree of parallelism.

We can dynamically throttle the number of threads of execution throughout the lifetime of the job.
There is an interactive command mode where we can adjust the level of parallelism. For example, we
can start up a job during the day with a PARALLEL=2, and then increase it at night to a higher level.

All the Oracle database data types are supported via Datapumps two data movement mechanisms,
Direct Path and External Tables.

With Datapump, there is much more flexibility in selecting objects for unload and load operations. We
can now unload any subset of database objects (such as functions, packages, and procedures) and
reload them on the target platform. Almost all database object types can be excluded or included in an
operation using the new Exclude and Include parameters.

We can either use the Command line interface or the Oracle Enterprise Manager web-based GUI
interface.

Datapump handles all the necessary compatibility issues between hardware platforms and operating
systems.

Oracle Datapump supports Oracle Apps 11i.

We can use the ESTIMATE ONLY command to see how much disk space is required for the jobs
dump file set before we start the operation.

Jobs can be monitored from any location is going on. Clients may also detach from an executing job
without affecting it.

Every Datapump job creates a Master Table in which the entire record of the job is maintained. The
Master Table is the directory to the job, so if a job is stopped for any reason, it can be restarted at a
later point in time, without losing any data. Whenever datapump export or import is running, Oracle
will create a table with the JOB_NAME and will be deleted once the job is done. From this table,
Oracle will find out how much job has been completed and from where to continue etc.

With Datapump, it is now possible to change the definition of some objects as they are created at
import time. For example, we can remap the source datafile name to the target datafile name in all
DDL statements where the source datafile is referenced. This is really useful if we are moving across
platforms with different file system syntax.

Datapump supports the Flashback infrastructure, so we can perform an export and get a dumpfile set
that is consistent with a specified point in time or SCN.

Datapump Vs SQL*Loader
We can use SQL*Loader to load data from external files into tables of an Oracle database. Many
customers use SQL*Loader on a daily basis to load files (e.g. financial feeds) into their databases.
Datapump Export and Import may be used less frequently, but for very important tasks, such as
migrating between platforms, moving data between development, test, and production databases,
logical database backup, and for application deployment throughout a corporation.

Datapump Vs Transportable Tablespaces

We can use Transportable Tablespaces when we want to move an entire tablespace of data from one
Oracle database to another. Transportable Tablespaces allows Oracle data files to be unplugged from
a database, moved or copied to another location, and then plugged into another database. Moving
data using Transportable Tablespaces can be much faster than performing either an export or import
of the same data, because transporting a tablespace only requires the copying of datafiles and
integrating the tablespace dictionary information. Even when transporting a tablespace, Datapump
Export and Import are still used to handle the extraction and recreation of the metadata for that
tablespace.

Datapump Disadvantages
Cant use UNIX pipes
Can't run as SYS (/ as sysdba)

Related Views
DBA_DATAPUMP_JOBS
USER_DATAPUMP_JOBS
DBA_DIRECTORIES
DATABASE_EXPORT_OBJECTS
SCHEMA_EXPORT_OBJECTS
TABLE_EXPORT_OBJECTS
DBA_DATAPUMP_SESSIONS
Datapump Export & Import utilities in Oracle
Continuation of Datapump ....
expdp utility
The Data Pump export utility provides a mechanism for transferring data objects between Oracle
databases.

With datapump, we can do all exp/imp activities, except incremental backups.

Format: expdp KEYWORD=value or KEYWORD=(value1,value2,...,valueN)

USERID must be the first parameter on the command line. This user must have read & write
permissions on DIRECTORY.

$ expdp help=y

Keyword Description (Default)

ATTACH Attach to an existing job, e.g. ATTACH [=job name].

Reduce the size of a dumpfile. Valid keyword values are: ALL,

COMPRESSION
(METADATA_ONLY),DATA_ONLY and NONE.

Specifies data to unload. Valid keyword values are: (ALL),

CONTENT
DATA_ONLY, and METADATA_ONLY.

Data layer flags. Valid value is: XML_CLOBS - write XML datatype in
DATA_OPTIONS
CLOB format.

Directory object to be used for dumpfiles and logfiles.

DIRECTORY (DATA_PUMP_DIR)
e.g. create directory extdir as '/path/';

List of destination dump files (EXPDAT.DMP),

DUMPFILE
e.g. DUMPFILE=scott1.dmp, scott2.dmp, dmpdir:scott3.dmp.

Encrypt part or all of a dump file. Valid keyword values are: ALL,
ENCRYPTION DATA_ONLY, METADATA_ONLY, ENCRYPTED_COLUMNS_ONLY,
or NONE.

Specify how encryption should be done. Valid keyword values are:

ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHM
(AES128), AES192, and AES256.

Method of generating encryption key. Valid keyword values are:

ENCRYPTION_MODE
DUAL, PASSWORD, and (TRANSPARENT).

ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD Password key for creating encrypted data within a dump file.

ESTIMATE Calculate job estimates. Valid keyword values are: (BLOCKS) and
 STATISTICS.

ESTIMATE_ONLY Calculate job estimates without performing the export.

EXCLUDE Exclude specific object types. e.g. EXCLUDE=TABLE:EMP

FILESIZE Specify the size of each dumpfile in units of bytes.

FLASHBACK_SCN SCN used to reset session snapshot.

FLASHBACK_TIME Time used to find the closest corresponding SCN value.

Export entire database (N). To use this option user must have
FULL
EXP_FULL_DATABASE role.

HELP Display help messages (N).

INCLUDE Include specific object types. e.g. INCLUDE=TABLE_DATA.

Name of export job (default name will be SYS_EXPORT_XXXX_01,

JOB_NAME
where XXXX can be FULL or SCHEMA or TABLE).

LOGFILE Specify log file name (EXPORT.LOG).

NETWORK_LINK Name of remote database link to the source system.

NOLOGFILE Do not write logfile (N).

PARALLEL Change the number of active workers for current job.

PARFILE Specify parameter file name.

Predicate clause used to export a subset of a table. e.g.

QUERY
QUERY=emp:"WHERE dept_id > 10".

Specify a data conversion function. e.g.

REMAP_DATA
REMAP_DATA=EMP.EMPNO:SCOTT.EMPNO

REUSE_DUMPFILES Overwrite destination dump file if it exists (N).

SAMPLE Percentage of data to be exported.

SCHEMAS List of schemas to export (login schema).

SOURCE_EDITION Edition to be used for extracting metadata (from Oracle 11g release2).

Frequency (secs) job status is to be monitored where the default (0)

STATUS
will show new status when available.
 Identifies a list of tables to export. e.g.
TABLES
TABLES=HR.EMP,SH.SALES:SALES_1995.

TABLESPACES Identifies a list of tablespaces to export.

Specify whether transportable method can be used. Valid keyword

TRANSPORTABLE
values are: ALWAYS, (NEVER).

TRANSPORT_FULL_CHECK Verify storage segments of all tables (N).

TRANSPORT_TABLESPACES List of tablespaces from which metadata will be unloaded.

Version of objects to export. Valid keywords are: (COMPATIBLE),

VERSION
LATEST, or any valid database version.

The following commands are valid while in interactive mode.

Note: abbreviations are allowed

Datapump Export interactive mode

While exporting is going on, press Control-C to go to interactive mode, it will stop the displaying of the
messages on the screen, but not the export process itself.

Export> [[here you can use the below interactive commands]]

Command Description

ADD_FILE Add dumpfile to dumpfile set.

CONTINUE_CLIENT Return to logging mode. Job will be re-started if idle.

EXIT_CLIENT Quit client session and leave job running.

FILESIZE Default filesize (bytes) for subsequent ADD_FILE commands.

HELP Summarize interactive commands.

KILL_JOB Detach and delete job.

Change the number of active workers for current job. PARALLEL=number of

PARALLEL
workers

Overwrite destination dump file if it exists (N).

REUSE_DUMPFILES

START_JOB Start/resume current job. Valid value is: SKIP_CURRENT.

STATUS Frequency (secs) job status is to be monitored where the default (0) will show
 new status when available. STATUS[=interval]

Orderly shutdown of job execution and exits the client.

STOP_JOB
STOP_JOB=IMMEDIATE performs an immediate shutdown of Datapump job.

Note: values within parenthesis are the default values.

The options in sky blue color are the enhancements in Oracle 11g Release1.
The options in blue color are the enhancements in Oracle 11g Release2.

Whenever datapump export or import is running, Oracle will create a table with the JOB_NAME and
will be deleted once the job is done. From this table, Oracle will find out how much job has been
completed and from where to continue etc.

Datapump Export Examples

SQL> CREATE DIRECTORY dp_dir AS '/u02/dpdata';

SQL> GRANT READ, WRITE ON DIRECTORY dp_dir TO user_name;

==> creating an external directory and granting privileges.

$ expdp DUMPFILE=liv_full.dmp LOGFILE=liv_full.log FULL=y PARALLEL=4

==> exporting whole database, with the help of 4 processes.

$ expdp DUMPFILE=master.dmp LOGFILE=master.log SCHEMAS=satya

(or)

$ expdp system/manager SCHEMAS=hr DIRECTORY=data_pump_dir LOGFILE=example1.log

FILESIZE=300000 DUMPFILE=example1.dmp JOB_NAME=example1

==> exporting all the objects of a schema.

$ expdp ATTACH=EXAMPLE1

==> continuing or attaching job to background process.

$ expdp DUMPFILE=search.dmp LOGFILE=search.log SCHEMAS=search,own,tester

==> exporting all the objects of multiple schemas.

$ expdp anand/coffee TABLES=kick DIRECTORY=ext_dir DUMPFILE=expkick_%U.dmp
PARALLEL=4 JOB_NAME=kick_export

==> exporting all the rows in table.

$ expdp DUMPFILE=t5.dmp LOGFILE=t5.log SCHEMAS=ym ESTIMATE_ONLY=Y

(or)

$ expdp LOGFILE=t5.log SCHEMAS=manage ESTIMATE_ONLY=Y

==> estimating export time and size.

$ expdp DUMPFILE=extdir:avail.dmp LOGFILE=extdir:avail.log

==> exporting without specifying DIRECTORY option and specifying the external directory name
within the file names.

$ expdp SCHEMAS=u1,u6 .... COMPRESSION=metadata_only

==> exporting two schemas and compressing the metadata.

$ expdp SCHEMAS=cpp,java .... COMPRESSION=all

==> exporting two schemas and compressing the data (valid in 11g or later).

$ expdp username/password FULL=y DUMPFILE=dba.dmp DIRECTORY=dpump_dir

INCLUDE=GRANT INCLUDE=INDEX CONTENT=ALL

==> exporting an entire database to a dump file with all GRANTS, INDEXES and data

$ expdp DUMPFILE=dba.dmp DIRECTORY=dpump_dir INCLUDE=PROCEDURE

==> exporting all the procedures.

$ expdp username/password DUMPFILE=dba.dmp DIRECTORY=dpump_dir

INCLUDE=PROCEDURE:\"=\'PROC1\'\",FUNCTION:\"=\'FUNC1\'\"

==> exporting procedure PROC1 and function FUNC1.

$ expdp username/password DUMPFILE=dba.dmp DIRECTORY=dpump_dir

INCLUDE=TABLE:"LIKE 'TAB%'"

(or)

$ expdp username/password DUMPFILE=dba.dmp DIRECTORY=dpump_dir

EXCLUDE=TABLE:"NOT LIKE 'TAB%'"

==> exporting only those tables whose name start with TAB.

$ expdp TABLES=hr.employees VERSION=10.1 DIRECTORY=dpump_dir1 DUMPFILE=emp.dmp

==> exporting data with version. Datapump Import can always read dump file sets created by older
versions of Data Pump Export.

$ expdp TABLES=holder,activity REMAP_DATA=holder.cardno:hidedata.newcc

REMAP_DATA=activity.cardno:hidedata.newcc DIRECTORY=dpump_dir DUMPFILE=hremp2.dmp

==> exporting and remapping of data.

Exporting using Datapump API (DBMS_DATAPUMP package)

declare
handle number;
begin
handle := dbms_datapump.open ('EXPORT', 'SCHEMA');
dbms_datapump.add_file(handle, 'scott.dmp', 'EXTDIR');
dbms_datapump.metadata_filter(handle, 'SCHEMA_EXPR','=''SCOTT''');
dbms_datapump.set_parallel(handle,4);
dbms_datapump.start_job(handle);
dbms_datapump.detach(handle);
exception
when others then
dbms_output.put_line(substr(sqlerrm, 1, 254));
end;
/

impdp utility
The Data Pump Import utility provides a mechanism for transferring
data objects between Oracle databases.

Format: impdp KEYWORD=value or KEYWORD=(value1,value2,...,valueN)

USERID must be the first parameter on the command line. This user must have read & write
permissions on DIRECTORY.
$ impdp help=y

Keyword Description (Default)

ATTACH Attach to an existing job, e.g. ATTACH [=job name].

Specifies data to load. Valid keywords are:(ALL),

CONTENT
DATA_ONLY, and METADATA_ONLY.

Data layer flags. Valid value is:

DATA_OPTIONS SKIP_CONSTRAINT_ERRORS-constraint errors are not
fatal.

Directory object to be used for dump, log, and sql files.

DIRECTORY
(DATA_PUMP_DIR)

List of dumpfiles to import from (EXPDAT.DMP), e.g.

DUMPFILE
DUMPFILE=scott1.dmp, scott2.dmp, dmpdir:scott3.dmp.

Password key for accessing encrypted data within a dump

ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD
file. Not valid for network import jobs.

Calculate job estimates. Valid keywords are:(BLOCKS) and

ESTIMATE
STATISTICS.

EXCLUDE Exclude specific object types. e.g. EXCLUDE=TABLE:EMP

FLASHBACK_SCN SCN used to reset session snapshot.

FLASHBACK_TIME Time used to find the closest corresponding SCN value.

Import everything from source (Y). To use this option (full

FULL import of the database) the user must have
IMP_FULL_DATABASE role.

HELP Display help messages (N).

INCLUDE Include specific object types. e.g. INCLUDE=TABLE_DATA.

Name of import job (default name will be

JOB_NAME SYS_IMPORT_XXXX_01, where XXXX can be FULL or
SCHEMA or TABLE).

LOGFILE Log file name (IMPORT.LOG).

NETWORK_LINK Name of remote database link to the source system.

NOLOGFILE Do not write logfile.

PARALLEL Change the number of active workers for current job.

PARFILE Specify parameter file name.

Specify how partitions should be transformed. Valid

PARTITION_OPTIONS
keywords are: DEPARTITION, MERGE and (NONE).

Predicate clause used to import a subset of a table. e.g.

QUERY
QUERY=emp:"WHERE dept_id > 10".

Specify a data conversion function.

REMAP_DATA
e.g. REMAP_DATA=EMP.EMPNO:SCOTT.EMPNO

REMAP_DATAFILE Redefine datafile references in all DDL statements.

REMAP_SCHEMA Objects from one schema are loaded into another schema.

Table names are remapped to another table.

REMAP_TABLE
e.g. REMAP_TABLE=EMP.EMPNO:SCOTT.EMPNO.

REMAP_TABLESPACE Tablespace object are remapped to another tablespace.

REUSE_DATAFILES Tablespace will be initialized if it already exists(N).

SCHEMAS List of schemas to import.

SKIP_UNUSABLE_INDEXES Skip indexes that were set to the Index Unusable state.

Edition to be used for extracting metadata (from Oracle 11g

SOURCE_EDITION
release2).

SQLFILE Write all the SQL DDL to a specified file.

Frequency (secs) job status is to be monitored where the

STATUS
default (0) will show new status when available.

STREAMS_CONFIGURATION Enable the loading of streams metadata.

Action to take if imported object already exists. Valid

TABLE_EXISTS_ACTION
keywords: (SKIP), APPEND, REPLACE and TRUNCATE.

Identifies a list of tables to import. e.g.

TABLES
TABLES=HR.EMP,SH.SALES:SALES_1995.

TABLESPACES Identifies a list of tablespaces to import.

TARGET_EDITION Edition to be used for loading metadata (from Oracle 11g

 release2).

Metadata transform to apply to applicable objects. Valid

TRANSFORM keywords: SEGMENT_ATTRIBUTES, STORAGE, OID and
PCTSPACE.

Options for choosing transportable data movement. Valid

TRANSPORTABLE keywords: ALWAYS and (NEVER).
Only valid in NETWORK_LINK mode import operations.

TRANSPORT_DATAFILES List of datafiles to be imported by transportable mode.

TRANSPORT_FULL_CHECK Verify storage segments of all tables (N).

List of tablespaces from which metadata will be loaded. Only

TRANSPORT_TABLESPACES
valid in NETWORK_LINK mode import operations.

Version of objects to export. Valid keywords are:

VERSION (COMPATIBLE), LATEST, or any valid database version.
Only valid for NETWORK_LINK and SQLFILE.

The following commands are valid while in interactive mode.

Note: abbreviations are allowed

Datapump Import interactive mode

While importing is going on, press Control-C to go to interactive mode.

Import> [[here you can use the below interactive commands]]

Command Description (Default)

CONTINUE_CLIENT Return to logging mode. Job will be re-started if idle.

EXIT_CLIENT Quit client session and leave job running.

HELP Summarize interactive commands.

KILL_JOB Detach and delete job.

Change the number of active workers for current job.

PARALLEL
PARALLEL=number of workers

Start/resume current job. START_JOB=SKIP_CURRENT will start the

START_JOB job after skipping any action which was in progress when job was
stopped.

STATUS Frequency (secs) job status is to be monitored where the default (0) will
 show new status when available. STATUS[=interval]

Orderly shutdown of job execution and exits the client.

STOP_JOB STOP_JOB=IMMEDIATE performs an immediate shutdown of
Datapump job.

Note: values within parenthesis are the default values.

The options in sky blue color are the enhancements in Oracle 11g Release1.
The options in blue color are the enhancements in Oracle 11g Release2.

The order of importing objects is:

Tablespaces

Users

Roles

Database links

Sequences

Directories

Synonyms

Types

Tables/Partitions

Views

Comments

Packages/Procedures/Functions

Materialized views

Datapump Import Examples

$ impdp DUMPFILE=aslv_full.dmp LOGFILE=aslv_full.log PARALLEL=4

==> importing all the exported data, with the help of 4 processes.

$ impdp system/manager DUMPFILE=testdb_emp.dmp LOGFILE=testdb_emp_imp.log

TABLES=tester.employee

==> importing all the records of table (employee table records in tester schema).

$ impdp DUMPFILE=visi.dmp LOGFILE=ref1imp.log TABLES=(brand, mba)

==> importing all the records of couple of tables.

$ impdp system DUMPFILE=example2.dmp REMAP_TABLESPACE=system:example2

LOGFILE=example2imp.log JOB_NAME=example2

==> importing data of one tablespace into another tablespace.

$ impdp DUMPFILE=prod.dmp LOGFILE=prod.log REMAP_TABLESPACE=FRI:WED

TABLE_EXISTS_ACTION=REPLACE PARALLEL=4

==> importing data and replacing already existing tables.

$ impdp user1/user1 DUMPFILE=btw:avail.dmp INCLUDE=PROCEDURE

==> importing only procedures from the dump file.

$ impdp username/password DIRECTORY=dpump_dir DUMPFILE=scott.dmp TABLES=scott.emp

REMAP_SCHEMA=scott:jim

==> importing of tables from scotts account to jims account

$ impdp DIRECTORY=dpump_dir FULL=Y DUMPFILE=db_full.dmp

REMAP_DATAFILE=C:\DB1\HR\PAYROLL\tbs6.dbf:/db1/hr/payroll/tbs6.dbf

==> importing data by remapping one datafile to another.

$ impdp username/password DIRECTORY=dpump DUMPFILE=expfull.dmp

SQLFILE=dpump_dir2:expfull.sql INCLUDE=TABLE,INDEX

==> will create sqlfile with DDL that could be executed in another database/schema to create the
tables and indexes.

$ impdp DIRECTORY=dpump_dir DUMPFILE=emps.dmp

REMAP_DATA=emp.empno:fixusers.newempid REMAP_DATA=card.empno:fixusers.newempi
TABLE_EXISTS_ACTION=append

==> importing and remapping of data.

Importing using Datapump API (DBMS_DATAPUMP package)

declare
 handle number;
begin
handle := dbms_datapump.open ('IMPORT', 'SCHEMA');
dbms_datapump.add_file(handle, 'scott.dmp', 'EXTDIR');
dbms_datapump.set_parameter(handle,'TABLE_EXISTS_ACTION','REPLACE');
dbms_datapump.set_parallel(handle,4);
dbms_datapump.start_job(handle);
dbms_datapump.detach(handle);
exception
when others then
dbms_output.put_line(substr(sqlerrm, 1, 254));
end;
/

Here is a general guideline for using the PARALLEL parameter:

- Set the degree of parallelism to two times the number of CPUs, then tune from there.
- For Data Pump Export, the PARALLEL parameter value should be less than or equal to the number
of dump files.
- For Data Pump Import, the PARALLEL parameter value should not be much larger than the number
of files in the dump file set.
- A PARALLEL greater than one is only available in Enterprise Edition.

Original Export is desupported from 10g release 2.

Original Import will be maintained and shipped forever, so that Oracle Version 5.0
through Oracle9idump files will be able to be loaded into Oracle 10 g and later. Datapump Import can
only read Oracle Database 10g (and later) Datapump Export dump files. Oracle recommends that
customers convert to use the Oracle Datapump.

Export Import

Export & Import utilities in Oracle

Export and Import are the Oracle utilities that allow us to make exports & imports of the data objects,
and transfer the data across databases that reside on different hardware platforms on different Oracle
versions.

Export (exp) and import (imp) utilities are used to perform logical database backup and recovery.
When exporting, database objects are dumped to a binary file which can then be imported into
another Oracle database.

catexp.sql (in $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin) will create EXP_FULL_DATABASE &

IMP_FULL_DATABASE roles (no need to run this, if you ran catalog.sql at the time of database
creation).

Before using these commands, you should set ORACLE_HOME, ORACLE_SID and PATH
environment variables.
exp utility
Objects owned by SYS cannot be exported.
If you want to export objects of another schema, you need EXP_FULL_DATABASE role.

Format: exp KEYWORD=value or KEYWORD=(value1,value2,...,valueN)

USERID must be the first parameter on the command line.

$ exp help=y

Keyword Description (Default)

USERID username/password

export entire file (N). To do full database export, that user must have
FULL
EXP_FULL_DATABASE role

BUFFER size of data buffer. OS dependent

OWNER list of owner usernames

FILE output files (EXPDAT.DMP)

TABLES list of table names

COMPRESS import into one extent (Y)

RECORDLENGTH length of IO record

GRANTS export grants (Y)

incremental export type. valid values are

INCTYPE
COMPLETE, INCREMENTAL, CUMULATIVE

INDEXES export indexes (Y)

RECORD track incremental export (Y)

DIRECT direct path (N)

TRIGGERS export triggers (Y)

LOG log file of screen output

STATISTICS analyze objects (ESTIMATE)

ROWS export data rows (Y)

PARFILE parameter filename

cross-table consistency(N). Implements SET TRANSACTION READ

CONSISTENT
ONLY

CONSTRAINTS export constraints (Y)

OBJECT_CONSISTENT transaction set to read only during object export (N)

FEEDBACK display progress (a dot) for every N rows (0)

FILESIZE maximum size of each dump file

FLASHBACK_SCN SCN used to set session snapshot back to

FLASHBACK_TIME time used to get the SCN closest to the specified time

QUERY select clause used to export a subset of a table

RESUMABLE suspend when a space related error is encountered(N)

RESUMABLE_NAME text string used to identify resumable statement

RESUMABLE_TIMEOUT wait time for RESUMABLE

TTS_FULL_CHECK perform full or partial dependency check for TTS

number of bytes to write to each tape volume (not available from Oracle
VOLSIZE
11g Release2)

TABLESPACES list of tablespaces to export

TRANSPORT_TABLESPACE export transportable tablespace metadata (N)

TEMPLATE template name which invokes iAS mode export

Note: values within parenthesis are the default values.

Examples:
$ exp system/manager file=emp.dmp log=emp_exp.log full=y
==> exporting full database.

$ exp system/manager file=owner.dmp log=owner.log owner=owner direct=y STATISTICS=none

==> exporting all the objects of a schema.

$ exp file=schemas.dmp log=schemas.log owner=master,owner,user direct=y STATISTICS=none

==> exporting all the objects of multiple schemas.
$ exp file=testdb_emp.dmp log=testdb_emp.log tables=scott.emp direct=y STATISTICS=none
==> exporting all the rows in table (emp table records in scott schema).

$ exp file=itinitem.dmp log=itinitem.log tables=tom.ITIN,tom.ITEM

query=\"where CODE in \(\'OT65FR7H\',\'ATQ56F7H\'\)\"
statistics=none
==> exporting the records of some tables which satisfies a particular criteria.

$ exp transport_tablespace=y tablespaces=THU statistics=none file=THU.dmp log=thu_exp.log

==> exporting at tablespace level.

$ exp FILE=file1.dmp,file2.dmp,file3.dmp FILESIZE=10M LOG=multiple.log

==> exporting to multiple files.
$ exp file=scott.dmp log=scott.log inctype=complete
==> exporting full database (after some incremental/cumulative backups).

$ exp file=scott.dmp log=scott.log inctype=cumulative

==> exporting cumulatively (taking backup from last complete or cumulative backup).

$ exp file=scott.dmp log=scott.log inctype=incremental

==> exporting incrementally (taking backup from last complete or cumulative or incremental backup).

imp utility
imp provides backward compatibility i.e. it will allows you to
import the objects that you have exported in lower Oracle versions also.

imp doesn't recreate already existing objects. It either abort the import process (default) or ignores the
errors (if you specify IGNORE=Y).

Format: imp KEYWORD=value or KEYWORD=(value1,value2,...,valueN)

USERID must be the first parameter on the command line.

$ imp help=y

Keyword Description (Default)

USERID username/password

import entire file (N). To do the full database import, that user must
FULL
have IMP_FULL_DATABASE role

BUFFER size of data buffer. OS dependent

FROMUSER list of owner usernames

FILE input files (EXPDAT.DMP)

TOUSER list of usernames

just list file contents (N), will be used to check the validity of the dump
SHOW
file

TABLES list of table names

IGNORE ignore create errors (N)

RECORDLENGTH length of IO record

GRANTS import grants (Y)

incremental import type. valid keywords are

INCTYPE
SYSTEM (for definitions), RESTORE (for data)

INDEXES import indexes (Y)

COMMIT commit array insert (N)

ROWS import data rows (Y)

PARFILE parameter filename

LOG log file of screen output

CONSTRAINTS import constraints (Y)

DESTROY overwrite tablespace datafile (N)

INDEXFILE will write DDLs of the objects in the dumpfile into the specified file

SKIP_UNUSABLE_INDEXES skip maintenance of unusable indexes (N)

FEEDBACK display progress every x rows(0)

TOID_NOVALIDATE skip validation of specified type ids

FILESIZE maximum size of each dump file

STATISTICS import precomputed statistics (ALWAYS)

RESUMABLE suspend when a space related error is encountered(N)

RESUMABLE_NAME text string used to identify resumable statement

RESUMABLE_TIMEOUT wait time for RESUMABLE

COMPILE compile procedures, packages, and functions (Y)

STREAMS_CONFIGURATION import streams general metadata (Y)

STREAMS_INSTANTIATION import streams instantiation metadata (N)

number of bytes in file on each volume of a file on tape (not available

VOLSIZE
fromOracle 11g Release2)

DATA_ONLY import only data (N) (from Oracle 11g Release2)

The following keywords only apply to transportable tablespaces

TRANSPORT_TABLESPACE import transportable tablespace metadata (N)
TABLESPACES tablespaces to be transported into database
DATAFILES datafiles to be transported into database
TTS_OWNERS users that own data in the transportable tablespace set

Note: values within parenthesis are the default values.Examples:

$ imp system/manager file=emp.dmp log=emp_imp.log full=y
==> importing all the exported data.

$ imp system/manager file=testdb_emp.dmp log=testdb_emp_imp.log tables=tester.employee

==> importing all the records of table (employee table records in tester schema).

$ imp FILE=two.dmp LOG=two.log IGNORE=Y GRANTS=N INDEXES=N COMMIT=Y

TABLES=(brand, book)
==> importing all the records of couple of tables.

$ imp system/manager file=intenary.dmp log=intenary.log FROMUSER=tom TOUSER=jerry ignore=y

==> importing data of one schema into another schema

$ imp "/as sysdba" file=TUE.dmp TTS_OWNERS=OWNER tablespaces=TUE transport_tablespace=y

datafiles=TUE.dbf

$ imp file=transporter3.dmp log=transporter3.log inctype=system

==> importing definitions from backup.

$ imp file=transporter3.dmp log=transporter3.log inctype=restore

==> importing data from backup.

$ imp file=spider.dmp log=spider.log show=y

==> checks the validity of the dumpfile.

$ imp file=scott.dmp log=scott.log indexfile=scott_schema.sql

==> will write DDLs of the objects in exported dumpfile (scott schema) into specified file. This
command won't import the objects.
How to improve Export & Import
exp:
1. Set the BUFFER parameter to a high value. Default is 256KB.
2. Stop unnecessary applications to free the resources.
3. If you are running multiple sessions, make sure they write to different disks.
4. Do not export to NFS (Network File Share). Exporting to disk is faster.
5. Set the RECORDLENGTH parameter to a high value.
6. Use DIRECT=yes (direct mode export).

imp:
1. Place the file to be imported in separate disk from datafiles.
2. Increase the DB_CACHE_SIZE.
3. Set LOG_BUFFER to big size.
4. Stop redolog archiving, if possible.
5. Use COMMIT=n, if possible.
6. Set the BUFFER parameter to a high value. Default is 256KB.
7. It's advisable to drop indexes before importing to speed up the import process or set INDEXES=N
and building indexes later on after the import. Indexes can easily be recreated after the data was
successfully imported.
8. Use STATISTICS=NONE
9. Disable the INSERT triggers, as they fire during import.
10. Set Parameter COMMIT_WRITE=NOWAIT(in 10g) or COMMIT_WAIT=NOWAIT (in 11g) during
import.

Related Views
DBA_EXP_VERSION
DBA_EXP_FILES
DBA_EXP_OBJECTS

Flash/Fast Recovery Area

Flash/Fast Recovery Area(FRA) in Oracle
The flash recovery area is the most powerful tool available from Oracle 10g, that plays a vital role in
performing database backup & recovery operations. From Oracle 11g release2, flash recovery area is
called as fast recovery area.

Flash Recovery Area can be defined as a single, centralized, unified storage area that keep all the
database backup & recovery related files and performs those activities in Oracle databases.

Unified Backup Files Storage, all backup components can be stored in one consolidated spot. The
flash recovery area is managed via Oracle Managed Files (OMF), and it can utilize disk resources
managed byAutomatic Storage Management (ASM). Flash recovery area can be configured for use
by multiple database instances.

Automated Disk-Based Backup and Recovery, once the flash recovery area is configured, all backup
components are managed automatically by Oracle.

Automatic Deletion of Backup Components, once backup components have been successfully
created, RMAN (Recovery Manager) can be configured to automatically clean up files that are no
longer needed (thus reducing risk of insufficient disk space for backups).
Disk Cache for Tape Copies, if your disaster recovery (DR) plan involves backing up to alternate
media, the flash recovery area can act as a disk cache area for those backup components that are
eventually copied to tape.

Flashback Logs, the FRA is also used to store and manage flashback logs, which are used during
flashback backup operations to quickly restore a database to a prior desired state.

You can designate the FRA as the location for one of the control files and redo log members to limit
the exposure in case of disk failure.

In case of a media failure or a logical error, the flash recovery area is referred to retrieve all the files
needed to recover a database.

Following are the various entities that can be considered as FRA:

File System:
1. A single directory
2. An entire file system

Raw Devices:
1. Automatic storage management (ASM)

FRA Components
The flash/fast recovery area can contain the following:

Control files: During database creation, a copy of the control file is created in the flash
recovery area.
Online redologs: Online redologs can be kept in FRA.
Archived log files: During the configuration of the FRA, the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_10
parameter in init.ora file is automatically set to the flash recovery area location. Archived log files are
created by ARCn processes in the flash recovery area location and the location defined by
LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n.
Flashback logs: Flashback logs are kept in the flash recovery area when flashback database
is enabled.
Control file and SPFILE backups: The flash recovery area also keeps the control file and
SPFILE backups, which is automatically generated by Recovery Manager (RMAN) only if RMAN has
been configured for control file autobackup.
Datafile copies: The flash recovery area also keeps the datafile copies.
RMAN backup sets: The default destination of backup sets and image copies generated by
RMAN is the flash recovery area.
Notes:

The FRA is shared among databases in order to optimize the usage of disk space for
database recovery operations.
Before any backup and recovery activity can take place, the Flash Recovery Area must be set
up. The flash recovery area is a specific area of disk storage that is set aside exclusively for retention
of backup components such as datafile image copies, archived redo logs, and control file auto backup
copies.
RMAN also transfers the restored archive files from tape to the flash recovery area in order to
perform recovery operations.

Configuring FRA
Following are the three initialization parameters that should be defined in order to set up the flash
recovery area:

o DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE
o DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST
o DB_FLASHBACK_RETENTION_TARGET
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE specifies the total size of all files that can be stored in the Flash
Recovery Area. The size of the flash recovery area should be large enough to hold a copy of all data
files, all incremental backups, online redo logs, archived redo log not yet backed up on tape, control
files, and control file auto backups.

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET db_recovery_file_dest_size = 10g SCOPE =

BOTH;DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST parameter is to specify the physical location where all the flash
recovery files are to be stored. Oracle recommends that this be a separate location from the datafiles,
control files, and redo logs.

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET db_recovery_file_dest = '/OFR1' SCOPE = BOTH;

If the database is using Automatic Storage Management (ASM) feature, then the shared
disk area that ASM manages can be targeted for the Flashback Recovery Area.

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET db_recovery_file_dest = '+dgroup1' SCOPE = BOTH;The

DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE and DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST are defined to make
the flash recovery area usable without shutting down and restarting the database instance
i.e. these two parameters are dynamic.

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET db_flashback_retention_target = 1440 SCOPE = BOTH;

Notes:

DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE is defined before DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST

in order to define the size of the flash recovery area.
If the value specified in the DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST parameter is cleared then
as a result the flash recovery area is disabled.
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE parameter cannot be cleared up prior to the
DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST parameter.
The flash recovery area can be created and maintained using Oracle Enterprise Manager
Database Control.

Enabling Flashback

SQL> alter database flashback on;

The database must be in archive log mode to enable flashback.

Configuring Online Redolog Creation in Flash Recovery Area
To store online redologs in FRA, you have to set DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_1
(OMF init parameter) to FRA location and create the online log groups/members.

The initialization parameters that determine where online redolog files are created are
DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_n, DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST and
DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST.

Configuring Control File Creation in Flash Recovery Area

To store control file in FRA, you have to set CONTROL_FILES parameter to FRA location.

The initialization parameters CONTROL_FILES, DB_CREATE_ONLINE_LOG_DEST_n,

DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST and DB_CREATE_FILE_DEST all interact to determine the location
where the database control files are created.

Configuring Archived Redolog Creation in Flash Recovery Area

If Archive log mode is enabled and LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST & DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST are not
set, then the archive logs will be generated in $ORACLE_HOME/dbs directory.

If LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST is set & DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST is not set, then the archive logs will
be generated at LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST path.

If you enable FRA (DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST is set), then the archive log files will be generated
in FRA, and it will ignore the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST and LOG_ARCHIVE_FORMAT i.e. FRA will
follow its own naming convention. The generated filenames for the archived redologs in the flash
recovery area are Oracle Managed Filenames and are not determined by LOG_ARCHIVE_FORMAT.

It is recommended to use flash recovery area as an archived log location because the archived logs
are automatically managed by the database. Whatever archiving scheme you choose, it is always
advisable to create multiple copies of archived logs.

You can always define a different location for archive redo logs, if you use a different location, then
you cant just erase the values of the parameters for LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST and
LOG_ARCHIVE_DUPLEX_DEST in order to specify the location of the FRA.

To place your log files somewhere else other than the FRA you should use a different parameter to
specify the archived redo log locations: use LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1 instead of
LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST.

Suppose log_archive_dest was set to +arc_disk3, you can use LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_1 to specify
the same location for the archived redologs.
Query the parameter to verify its current value:
SQL> show parameter log_archive_dest
SQL> show parameter log_archive_dest_1
SQL> alter system set log_archive_dest_1=location=+arc_disk3 scope=both;
SQL> alter system set log_archive_dest= scope=both;

Managing Flash/Fast Recovery Area

As the DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE parameter specifies the space for the flash recovery area.
In a situation when the space does not prove enough for all flash recovery files, then in such a case
Oracle itself keeps track of those files that are not required on the disk. These unnecessary files are
then deleted to resolve the space issue in the flash recovery area.

Whenever a file is deleted from the flash recovery area, a message is written in the alert log.

There are various other circumstances in which messages are written in the alert log:
1. When none of the files are deleted.
2. When the used space in the FRA is 85 percentage (a warning).
3. When the used space in the FRA is 97 percentage (a critical warning).
4. The warning messages issued can be viewed in the DBA_OUTSTANDING_ALERTS data
dictionary view and are also available in the OEM Database Control main window.

To recover from these alerts, a number of steps can be taken as remedial options:
1. Adjust the retention policy to keep fewer copies of data files.
In case the retention policy is sounds good, then the steps taken to recover from the alerts are:

More disk space should be added.

Backup some of the flash recovery files to another destination such as another disk or tape
drive.
2. Reduce the number of days in the recovery window

RMAN files creation in the Flash Recovery Area

This section describes RMAN commands or implicit actions (such as control file auto backup) that can
create files in the flash recovery area, and how to control whether a specific command creates files
there or in some other destination. The assumption in all cases is that a flash recovery area has
already been configured for your database. The commands are:

BACKUP
Do not specify a FORMAT option to the BACKUP command, and do not configure a FORMAT option
for disk backups. In such a case, RMAN creates backup pieces and image copies in the flash
recovery area, with names in Oracle Managed Files name format.

CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP
RMAN can create control file autobackups in the flash recovery area. Use the RMAN command
CONFIGURE CONTROLFILE AUTOBACKUP FORMAT FOR DEVICE TYPE DISK CLEAR to clear
any configured format option for the control file autobackup location on disk. Control file autobackups
will be placed in the flash recovery area when no other destination is configured.

RESTORE ARCHIVELOG
Explicitly or implicitly (as in the case of, set one of the LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n) parameters to
'LOCATION=USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST'. If you do not specify SET ARCHIVELOG
DESTINATION to override this behavior, then restored archived redo log files will be stored in the
flash recovery area.

RECOVER DATABASE or TABLESPACE, BLOCKRECOVER, and FLASHBACK DATABASE

These commands restore archived redo logs from backup for use during media recovery, as required
by the command. RMAN restores any redo log files needed during these operations to the flash
recovery area, and delete them once they are applied during media recovery.

To direct the restored archived redo logs to the flash recovery area, set one of the
LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST_n parameters to 'LOCATION=USE_DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST", and
make sure you are not using SET ARCHIVELOG DESTINATION to direct restored archived logs to
some other destination.

You can use RMAN to remove old archivelog:

$ rman target=/
RMAN> delete noprompt archivelog all;
RMAN> delete noprompt backup of database;
RMNA> delete noprompt copy of database;

Resolving full Flash Recovery Area

You have a number of choices on how to resolve full flash/fast recovery area when there are no files
eligible for deletion:
Make more disk space available, and increase DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST_SIZE to reflect
the new space.
Move backups from the flash recovery area to a tertiary device such as tape. One convenient
way to back up all of your flash recovery area files to tape at once is the BACKUP RECOVERY AREA
command.
After you transfer backups from the flash recovery area to tape, you can resolve the full recovery area
condition by deleting files from the flash recovery area, using forms of the RMAN DELETE command.

Note:
Flashback logs cannot be backed up outside the flash recovery area. Therefore, in a
BACKUP RECOVERY AREA operation the flashback logs are not backed up to tape.
Flashback logs are deleted automatically to satisfy the need for space for other files in the
flash recovery area. However, a guaranteed restore point can force the retention of flashback logs
required to perform Flashback Database to the restore point SCN. See
Delete unnecessary files from the flash recovery area using the RMAN DELETE command.
(Note that if you use host operating system commands to delete files, then the database will not be
aware of the resulting free space. You can run the RMAN CROSSCHECK command to have RMAN
re-check the contents of the flash recovery area and identify expired files, and then use the DELETE
EXPIRED command to remove missing files from the RMAN repository.)
You may also need to consider changing your backup retention policy and, if using Data Guard,
consider changing your archivelog deletion policy.

Changing the Flash Recovery Area to a new location

If you need to move the flash recovery area of your database to a new location, you can follow this
procedure:

1. Change the DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST initialization parameter.

SQL> ALTER SYSTEM SET DB_RECOVERY_FILE_DEST='+disk1' SCOPE=BOTH SID='*';
2. After you change this parameter, all new flash recovery area files will be created in the new
location.
3. The permanent files (control files and online redo log files), flashback logs and transient files can be
left in the old flash recovery area location. The database will delete the transient files from the old
flash recovery area location as they become eligible for deletion.
Oracle will clean up transient files remaining in the old flash recovery area location as they become
eligible for deletion.

In Oracle Database 11g, a new feature introduced i.e. Flashback Data Archive - flashback will
make use of flashback logs, explicitly created for that table, in FRA, will not use undo. Flashback data
archives can be defined on any table/tablespace. Flashback data archives are written by a
dedicatedbackground process called FBDA so there is less impact on performance. Can be purged at
regular intervals automatically.

Related views
V$RECOVERY_FILE_DEST
V$FLASH_RECOVERY_AREA_USAGE
V$DBA_OUTSTANDING_ALERTS
V$FLASHBACK_DATABASE_LOGFILE

Flashback
Flashback Technology in Oracle
Oracle has a number of products and features that provide high availability in cases of unplanned or
planned downtime. These include Fast-Start Fault Recovery, Real Application Clusters
(RAC), Recovery Manager (RMAN), backup and recovery solutions, Oracle Flashback, partitioning,
Oracle Data Guard, LogMiner, multiplexed redolog files and online reorganization.

To correct problems caused by logical data corruptions or user errors, we can use Oracle Flashback.

Flashback is possible only in Locally Managed Tablespace(LMTS).

Following are the Flashback options we have in Oracle database:

Flashback Query (from Oracle 9i)

Flashback Table (from Oracle 10g)
Flashback Drop (from Oracle 10g)
Flashback Version Query (from Oracle 10g)
Flashback Transaction Query (from Oracle 10g)
Flashback Database (from Oracle 10g)
Flashback Data Archive (from Oracle 11g)
Flashback Transaction (from Oracle 11g)

Flashback Query useful to view the data at a point-in-time in the past. This can be used (only) to view
and reconstruct lost data that was deleted or changed by accident.

Flashback Table useful to recover a table to a point-in-time in the past without restoring a backup.
Flashback Table is a push button solution to restore the contents of a table to a given point-in-time. An
application on top of Flashback Query can achieve this, but with less efficiency.

Flashback Drop provides a way to restore accidentally dropped tables. This will be done with the help
of Recyclebin feature.

Flashback Version Query uses undo data stored in the database to view the changes to one or more
rows along with all the metadata of the changes.

Flashback Transaction Query useful to examine changes to the database at the transaction level. As a
result, we can diagnose problems, perform analysis and audit transactions.

Flashback Database useful to bring database to a prior point in time by undoing all the changes that
have taken place since that time. This operation is fast, because we do not need to restore the
backups. This in turn results in much less downtime following data corruption or human error.
Flashback Database applies to the entire database. It requires configuration and resources, but it
provides a fast alternative to performing incomplete database recovery.

Flashback Data Archive - from Oracle 11g, flashback will make use of flashback logs, explicitly
created for that table, in FRA (Flash/Fast Recovery Area), will not use undo. Flashback data archives
can be defined on any table/tablespace. Flashback data archives are written by a
dedicated background process called FBDA so there is less impact on performance. Can be purged at
regular intervals automatically.

Rules in order to Flashback

1. DBA must have enabled undo tablespace, with appropriate retention period.
2. User must have realized the mistake before the retention period.
3. User must not exited from the session.
4. Even frontend must be enabled with flashback option (package).

When to Use Oracle Flashback

(Flashback Database Vs Flashback Table)

Flashback Table uses information in the undo tablespace to restore the table. This provides significant
benefits over media recovery in terms of ease of use, availability, and faster restoration.
Flashback Database and Flashback Table differ in granularity, performance, and restrictions. For a
primary database, consider using Flashback Database rather than Flashback Table in the following
situations:

A user error affected the whole database.

A user error affected a table or a small set of tables, but the impact of reverting this set of
tables is not clear because of the logical relationships between tables.
A user error affected a table or a small set of tables, but using Flashback Table would fail
because of its DDL restrictions.
Flashback Database works through all DDL operations, whereas Flashback Table does not.
Flashback Database moves the entire database back in time, constraints are not an issue, whereas
they are with Flashback Table. Flashback Table cannot be used on a standby database.

Flashback Query
Flashback Query in Oracle
Flashback Query was introduced in Oracle 9i

Oracle Flashback Query allows us to view and repair historical data. We can perform queries on the
database as of a certain time or specified system change number (SCN).

Flashback Query uses Oracle's multiversion read-consistency capabilities to restore data by

applyingundo as needed. Oracle Database 10g automatically tunes a parameter called the undo
retention period. The undo retention period indicates the amount of time that must pass before old
undo information, i.e. undo information for committed transactions, can be overwritten. The database
collects usagestatistics and tunes the undo retention period based on these statistics and on undo
tablespace size.

Using Flashback Query, we can query the database as it existed this morning, yesterday, or last week
(if undo_retention parameter is set appropriately). The speed of this operation depends only on the
amount of data being queried and the number of changes to the data that need to be backed out.

Note: If Oracles default locking is overridden at any level, the database administrator or application
developer should ensure that the overriding locking procedures operate correctly. The locking
procedures must satisfy the following criteria: data integrity is guaranteed, data concurrency is
acceptable, and deadlocks are not possible or are appropriately handled.

You set the date and time you want to view. Then, any SQL query you run operates on data as it
existed at that time. If you are an authorized user, then you can correct errors and back out the
restored data without needing the intervention of an administrator.

SQL> select * from dept as of timestamp sysdate-3/1440;

With the AS OF sql clause, we can choose different snapshots for each table in the query. Associating
a snapshot with a table is known as table decoration. If you do not decorate a table with a snapshot,
then a default snapshot is used for it. All tables without a specified snapshot get the same default
snapshot e.g. suppose you want to write a query to find all the new customer accounts created in the
past hour. You could do set operations on two instances of the same table decorated with different AS
OF clauses.
DML and DDL operations can use table decoration to choose snapshots within sub queries.
Operations such as CREATE TABLE AS SELECT and INSERT TABLE AS SELECT can be used with
table decoration in the sub queries to repair tables from which rows have been mistakenly deleted.
Table decoration can be any arbitrary expression: a bind variable, a constant, a string, date
operations, and so on. You can open a cursor and dynamically bind a snapshot value (a timestamp or
an SCN) to decorate a table with.

SQL> create table emp_old select * from emp as of timestamp sysdate-1;

Flashback Query Benefits

Application Transparency
Packaged applications, like report generation tools that only do queries, can run in Flashback Query
mode by using logon triggers. Applications can run transparently without requiring changes to code.
All the constraints that the application needs to be satisfied are guaranteed to hold good, because
there is a consistent version of the database as of the Flashback Query time.

Application Performance
If an application requires recovery actions, it can do so by saving SCNs and flashing back to those
SCNs. This is lot easier and faster than saving data sets and restoring them later, which would be
required if the application were to do explicit versioning. Using Flashback Query, there are no costs
for logging that would be incurred by explicit versioning.

Online Operation
Flashback Query is an online operation. Concurrent DMLs and queries from other sessions are
allowed while an object is queried inside Flashback Query. The speed of these operations is
unaffected. Moreover, different sessions can flash back to different Flashback times or SCNs on the
same object concurrently. The speed of the Flashback Query itself depends on the amount of undo
that needs to be applied, which is proportional to how far back in time the query goes.

Easy Manageability
There is no additional management on the part of the user, except setting the appropriate retention
interval, having the right privileges, and so on. No additional logging has to be turned on, because
past versions are constructed automatically, as needed.

Notes:

Flashback Query does not undo anything. It is only a query mechanism. We can take the
output from a Flashback Query and perform an undo in many circumstances.
Flashback Query does not tell us what changed, LogMiner does that.
Flashback Query can undo changes and can be very efficient if we know the rows that need
to be moved back in time. We can use it to move a full table back in time, but this is very expensive if
the table is large since it involves a full table copy.
Flashback Query does not work through DDL operations that modify columns, or drop or
truncate tables.
LogMiner is very good for getting change history, but it gives changes in terms of deltas
(insert, update, delete), not in terms of the before and after image of a row. These can be difficult to
deal with in some applications.
When to Use Flashback Query

Self-Service Repair
Perhaps you accidentally deleted some important rows from a table and wanted to recover the
deleted rows. To do the repair, you can move backward in time and see the missing rows and re-insert
the deleted row into the current table.

E-mail or Voice Mail Applications

You might have deleted mail in the past. Using Flashback Query, you can restore the deleted mail by
moving back in time and re-inserting the deleted message into the current message box.

Account Balances
You can view account prior account balances as of a certain day in the month.

Packaged Applications
Packaged applications (like report generation tools) can make use of Flashback Query without any
changes to application logic. Any constraints that the application expects are guaranteed to be
satisfied, because users see a consistent version of the Database as of the given time or SCN.

In addition, Flashback Query could be used after examination of audit information to see the before
image of the data. In DSS environments, it could be used for extraction of data as of a consistent
point in time from OLTP systems.