Oracle Database Essentials

ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
Who am I …

Hi‍,‍I‍am‍Mutebi‍Bashir.‍

👨‍🏫 👨‍💻 👨✍️

Introduction

✓ Database‍administration‍refers‍to‍managing‍and‍maintaining‍database‍systems.‍

✓ Database‍administration‍is‍so‍important‍for‍a‍number‍of‍reasons‍e.g.‍reducing‍costs,‍
ensure‍database‍availability,‍reputation‍of‍the‍organization,‍etc.

✓ Database‍administration‍is‍comprised‍of‍backing‍up‍of‍data,‍database‍recovery,‍database‍
auditing,‍database‍availability,‍etc.

✓ The‍people‍charged‍with‍database‍administration‍are‍referred‍to‍as‍Database‍
Administrators‍(DBA)
What you will learn

✓ Oracle Architecture ✓ Authorization

✓ Oracle software installation ✓ Auditing
✓ Creating Oracle database using DBCA ✓ Performing Database Backup
✓ Managing Oracle Instance ✓ Why database backup
✓ Oracle’s‍Storage‍Structures‍ ✓ Backup terminologies
✓ Physical Structures ✓ Backup & Recovery components
✓ Backup database files
✓ Logical Structures
✓ Performing Database Recovery
✓ Managing User Security
✓ Types of database failures.
✓ Authentication
✓ Recovering from various failures
Oracle Architecture
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
Oracle Architecture

✓ Understanding the architecture of Oracle is so key in your journey as a DBA

✓ This topic is all about understanding what is going on in the hood.

✓ For the first part, Oracle database software is divided into two parts i.e. instance and the
database.

✓ The instance is made up of memory and background processes that keep the software
running.

✓ Database is made up of files on a disk e.g. redo log files, data files, etc.
Oracle Architecture – How users connect to database

✓ Whenever a person uses an application that runs on Oracle database software, they
undergo a process before connecting to the database.

✓ Assuming you start an Oracle based app on your device, it has to connect to the
database.

✓ What happens, your device sends a connection request to the database in form of a user
process (initiates connection to the database)

✓ To the other side of the connection, the user is connected to the instance.
Oracle Architecture – How users connect to database

✓ In the instance, a user session is started and the server process is started. Server process
interacts with the database on behalf of the user.

✓ When the server process is started, memory is allocated (Program Global Area - PGA).
This‍works‍with‍server‍process‍to‍ensure‍client’s‍requests‍are‍satisfied.

✓ After this (in addition to other things), the user can now access the records in the
database.
Oracle Architecture - Illustration

Server Process + PGA

Connection
1. Instance

2. Database
Data
User Process
Oracle Architecture - Instance

✓ Remember instance is different from the database. The instance is the gateway to the
database. Without it, forget about the database.

✓ The instance is made up of memory and background processes.

✓ Under memory, we have PGA (Program Global Area) and the System Global Area (SGA)

✓ The PGA is a private memory structure charged with storing user session details as well
as working with the server process.

✓ The SGA is a public memory structure with mandatory and option components.
Oracle Architecture – Instance (System Global Area)

Mandatory Components

✓ Database buffer – stores recently modified data blocks temporarily.

✓ Redo log buffer – stores SQL statements that cause a change to data temporarily..

✓ Shared Pool – stores SQL statement execution plan.

Optional Components

✓ Java pool, stream pool, large pool, results cache.

Oracle Architecture – Instance (System Global Area)

✓ Memory can be configured automatically by Oracle or manually by a DBA.

✓ We can set the memory target from which memory will be allocated.
Oracle Architecture – Instance - Illustration

Database buffer

1. Instance Redo‍buffer

Shared Pool

2. Database Data‍ Redo Control

Etc.
file Log file file
Oracle Architecture – Instance (Background Processes)

Mandatory Background Processes

✓ System Monitor (SMON) – mounts, opens and closes the database.

✓ Process Monitor (PMON) – monitors database background processes.

✓ Database Writer (DBWn) – writes recently modified data blocks to data files (checkpoint
event).

✓ Checkpoint (CKPT) – updates the control files and data file headers about a checkpoint event.

✓ Log Writer (LGWR) – writes SQL statements that cause a change to data to redo log files.
Oracle Architecture – Instance - Illustration

Database buffer

1. Instance Redo buffer

CKPT

DBWn LGWR Shared Pool

2. Database Data‍ Control‍ Redo Log

Etc.
file file file
Oracle Architecture – Instance (Background Processes)

Optional Background Processes

✓ Archiver‍process‍(ARCn). Charged‍with‍copying‍transactional‍recovery‍information‍from‍the‍
redo‍log‍file‍to‍the‍archive‍location.

✓ Memory‍Manager‍(MMAN). Manages‍the‍size‍of‍each‍individual‍SGA‍component‍when‍
Oracle’s‍Automatic‍Shared‍Memory‍Management‍feature‍is‍used.

✓ Recovery‍Writer‍(RVWR).‍Writes‍recovery‍information‍to‍disk‍when‍Oracle’s‍Flashback‍
Database‍feature‍is‍used.

✓ We‍use‍the‍v$process view‍to‍look‍at‍all‍running‍processes.‍
Oracle Architecture – Database

✓ When‍the‍instance‍components‍are‍all‍right,‍we‍can‍now‍access‍the‍database.‍

✓ The‍database‍is‍concerned‍with‍storage.‍

✓ It‍is‍made‍up‍of‍physical‍files‍i.e.‍data‍files‍(stores‍data‍in‍tables),‍redo‍log‍files‍(stores‍
SQL‍statements‍that‍cause‍a‍change‍to‍data),‍parameter‍files‍(stores‍database‍
parameters),‍control‍files‍(stores‍information‍about‍the‍database),‍etc.

✓ In‍addition,‍the‍database‍also‍has‍logical‍storage‍i.e.‍tablespace,‍segments,‍extents‍and‍
blocks.‍(We‍shall‍look‍at‍all‍these‍later.)‍
Oracle Architecture – Summary
✓ User‍process‍initiates‍and‍maintains‍user‍connection‍to‍the‍instance.

✓ Server‍process‍interact‍with‍the‍database‍on‍behalf‍of‍the‍user.

✓ Instance‍is‍made‍of‍memory‍structures‍and‍background‍processes.

✓ Memory‍structures‍are:‍SGA‍(database‍buffer,‍redo‍log‍buffer‍and‍shared‍pool),‍PGA.

✓ Background‍processes‍include‍mandatory‍(SMON,‍PMON,‍DBWn,‍CKPT,‍LGWR)‍and‍
optional.

✓ Database‍physical‍storage‍structures‍include‍redo‍log‍file,‍data‍file,‍control‍file,‍etc.

✓ Database‍logical‍storage‍structures‍include‍tablespace,‍segments,‍extents‍and‍blocks.
Preparing Oracle Environment
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
Installing Oracle Database

✓ Review‍documentation

✓ Hard‍disk‍space‍– 200MB

✓ RAM‍space‍- 1GB‍

✓ Edition‍i.e.‍Express‍edition,‍Enterprise‍edition,‍Standard‍edition.

✓ Software‍version‍i.e.‍11g,‍12c,‍18c,‍21c.‍‍

✓ OUI‍(Oracle‍Universal‍Installer)
Creating Oracle Database

✓ We‍use‍the‍Database‍Configuration‍Assistant‍(DBCA)‍tool

✓ Lets‍get‍started‍
Managing Storage Structures
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
Physical Files – Control File

✓ Control file – stores important information about the database.

✓ Such information includes database name, location of the database, location and name
of database files, checkpoint information, etc.

✓ This information is so crucial and used during database startup process and during
recovery process.

✓ Because of the sensitivity of this file, it needs to be multiplexed always.

✓ It works with the DBWn and CKPT process

Physical Files – Redo Log file

✓ Redo‍log‍file‍– stores‍SQL‍statements‍that‍cause‍a‍change‍to‍data‍permanently.‍

✓ They‍are‍stored‍in‍redo‍log‍groups‍and‍each‍group‍must‍have‍at‍least‍one‍redo‍log‍file.‍

✓ A‍minimum‍of‍two‍redo‍log‍groups‍and‍work‍with‍

✓ The‍LGWR‍writes‍on‍this‍file‍in‍a‍circular‍fashion.

✓ Whenever‍data‍is‍moved‍from‍this‍file,‍we‍get‍another‍file‍called‍the‍archived‍redo‍log‍
file.
Physical Files – Data File.

✓ Data‍files‍– stores‍data‍in‍tables‍permanently.‍

✓ They‍are‍stored‍in‍a‍logical‍storage‍space‍called‍the‍tablespace.‍Each‍data‍file‍must‍
belong‍to‍only‍one‍tablespace.‍

✓ It‍works‍with‍the‍DBWn‍and‍CKPT‍process

✓ Lets‍see‍how‍we‍can‍create‍tablespaces‍with‍data‍files.‍

✓ Other‍files‍include:‍Parameter‍files‍(SP‍and‍P‍files)‍– store‍database‍parameters‍e.g.‍
memory‍target,‍control‍file‍parameters,‍etc.,‍archived‍redo‍log‍files,‍alert‍log‍files,‍etc.
Logical Storage - Tablespace

✓ Tablespace‍– store‍data‍files‍logically.‍

✓ Each‍data‍file‍belongs‍to‍only‍and‍only‍one‍tablespace.‍

✓ Tablespaces‍are‍used‍to‍organize‍data‍and‍make‍backup‍process‍easier.

✓ We‍have‍default‍tablespaces‍e.g.‍SYSTEM‍– stores‍data‍dictionary,‍SYSAUX‍– works‍with‍

SYSTEM‍tablespace,‍USERS‍– stores‍user‍objects‍and‍data,‍etc.‍

✓ We‍can‍also‍create‍our‍own‍tablespaces.
Logical Storage - Tablespace

✓ Segments – collection of extents.

✓ Extents – collection of blocks.

✓ Blocks – smallest storage unit in Oracle database.

✓ Lets see this practically.

Instance Management
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
Instance Startup Process

✓ We‍use‍the‍STARTUP‍command‍to‍start‍the‍instance

✓ You‍have‍to‍be‍a‍DBA‍to‍startup‍or‍shutdown‍the‍instance.‍

✓ The‍first‍stage‍of‍startup‍process‍is‍the‍Nomount stage.‍Here‍initialization‍parameters‍
are‍loaded.‍

✓ The‍second‍stage‍is‍the‍Mount stage‍– control‍file‍is‍read‍&‍instance‍is‍associated‍with‍

database.‍

✓ The‍final‍stage‍is‍the‍Open stage‍– all‍database‍files‍are‍read‍and‍database‍is‍open.‍

Instance Startup Modes

✓ Different‍ways‍of‍starting‍up‍the‍instance.‍

✓ Startup‍Open‍– this‍is‍the‍default‍mode.‍It‍is‍the‍normal‍startup‍process.

✓ Startup‍Nomount – the‍instance‍is‍opened‍upto the‍nomount stage.‍

✓ Startup‍Mount‍– the‍instance‍is‍opened‍upto the‍mount‍stage.‍

✓ Startup‍Restrict‍– the‍database‍is‍opened‍to‍only‍those‍with‍restricted‍session‍privilege.

✓ Startup‍Read‍Only‍– the‍database‍is‍opened‍but‍no‍edits‍can‍be‍made.

✓ Startup‍Force‍– the‍database‍is‍forced‍to‍startup.
Instance Shutdown Process

✓ We use the SHUTDOWN command to shutdown the database

✓ You have to be a DBA to startup or shutdown the instance.

✓ The first stage of shutdown process is the Close stage. The database is shutdown and no
longer available to anyone.

✓ The second stage is the Unmount stage – the instance is de-associated with database.

✓ The final stage is the Shutdown stage – the instance is shutdown – background
processes and memory are stopped and de-allocated.
Instance Shutdown Modes

✓ Different‍ways‍of‍shutting‍down‍the‍instance.‍

✓ Shutdown‍Normal‍– this‍is‍the‍default‍mode.‍It‍is‍the‍normal‍shutdown‍process.

✓ Shutdown‍Transactional‍– Waits‍for‍users‍with‍transactions.‍

✓ Shutdown‍Immediate‍– Database‍is‍shutdown‍immediately.‍Uncommitted‍transactions‍
are‍rolled‍back.‍No‍need‍for‍recovery.

✓ Shutdown‍Abort‍– database‍is‍shutdown‍instantly.‍Uncommitted‍transactions‍are‍not‍
rolled‍back.‍It‍needs‍recovery.‍
Oracle Meta Data
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
Meta Data

✓ Meta‍data‍is‍data‍about‍the‍database‍

✓ We‍may‍need‍to‍know‍the‍different‍things‍about‍a‍database‍like‍database‍user‍
properties,‍the‍running‍processes,‍the‍location‍of‍various‍files,‍all‍tables‍in‍the‍database,‍
etc.

✓ Oracle‍provides‍this‍information‍to‍us‍in‍form‍of‍views‍i.e.‍virtual‍tables.

✓ These‍views‍are‍data‍dictionary‍views‍and‍dynamic‍performance‍views.

✓ They‍are‍really‍so‍much‍important‍in‍your‍work‍as‍a‍DBA.
Meta Data – Data Dictionary Views

✓ These provide information about the database and its objects e.g. users, tables, etc.

✓ They start with DBA_ , ALL_ , USER_

✓ DBA_ returns all specified objects in the database e.g. DBA_TABLES returns all tables

✓ ALL_ returns all objects belonging to a particular user plus those they have access to e.g.
ALL_TABLES will return all tables belonging to a user and those they have access to.

✓ USER_ returns only objects belonging to a user e.g. USER_TABLES

✓ Data dictionary views are always in plural format.

Meta Data – Dynamic Performance Views

✓ These‍provide‍information‍about‍database‍status‍and‍performance.

✓ They‍start‍with‍v$‍and‍are‍always‍in‍singular.

✓ Examples‍include‍v$process,‍v$logfile,‍v$datafile,‍v$sgainfo,‍etc.
User Security - Authentication
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
User Security – Authentication

✓ We‍need‍to‍authenticate‍users‍to‍use‍our‍database

✓ User‍authentication‍looks‍at‍ensuring‍the‍right‍users‍connect‍to‍our‍database.

✓ We‍create‍user‍accounts‍for‍intended‍users‍and‍assign‍resources‍to‍them.

✓ We‍have‍default‍administrative‍user‍accounts‍in‍Oracle‍i.e.‍SYS,‍SYSTEM,‍SYSMAN

✓ We‍also‍have‍other‍default‍accounts‍e.g.‍PUBLIC,‍hr,‍etc.‍

✓ To‍create‍a‍user‍account,‍we‍must‍pay‍attention‍to‍some‍things.‍
User Security – Components of User Account.

✓ A username – it‍shouldn’t‍exceed‍30‍characters‍and‍shouldn’t‍include‍special‍characters.

✓ Authentication method i.e.

✓ Password authentication – database authenticates users.

✓ External authentication – operating system authenticates users.

✓ Global authentication – authentication is done by advanced sectuiry options like biometricst

✓ Default tablespace – used to store user data in case no tablespace is specified

✓ Temporary tablespace – used to store temporary segments from sorting operations

User Security – Components of User Account.

✓ Temporary‍tablespace‍– used‍to‍store‍temporary‍segments‍from‍sorting‍operations

✓ Quota‍– space‍allocated‍to‍a‍user‍on‍a‍default‍tablespace

✓ Profile‍– limits‍resource‍usage‍like‍memory‍usage,‍session‍timeout,‍password‍complexity,‍
etc.‍

✓ Account‍status‍– account‍can‍be‍open,‍locked,‍or‍expired.‍
User Security - Authorization
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
User Security – Authorization
✓ This‍looks‍at‍giving‍rights‍or‍privileges‍to‍a‍user‍account‍to‍access‍database‍resources.‍

✓ They‍are‍assigned‍using‍GRANT‍and‍removed‍using‍REVOKE

✓ We‍have‍different‍types‍of‍privileges‍in‍Oracle‍i.e.‍object‍privileges,‍system‍privileges,‍and‍
role.

✓ Object‍privileges‍– allow‍access‍and‍to‍other‍users’‍objects‍like‍tables‍e.g.‍UPDATE,‍DELETE,‍INSERT,‍etc.‍
We‍can‍give‍a‍right‍to‍the‍grantee‍to‍extend‍the‍same‍privileges‍given‍to‍another‍user‍using‍WITH‍
GRANT‍OPTION.‍In‍case‍of‍a‍revoke,‍all‍users‍lose‍the‍rights.‍

✓ System‍privileges‍– allow‍performing‍of‍database‍level‍operations‍e.g.‍CREATE‍USER,‍CREATE‍TABLE,‍
ALTER‍TABLE,‍etc.‍.‍We‍can‍give‍a‍right‍to‍the‍grantee‍to‍extend‍the‍same‍privileges‍given‍to‍another‍
user‍using‍WITH‍ADMIN‍OPTION.‍In‍case‍of‍a‍revoke,‍other‍users‍do‍not‍lose‍the‍rights.‍
User Security – Authorization
✓ Role privileges – role is a set of privileges that can be granted to any user account in the database.
Roles can be inherited.

✓ Oracle comes with default roles for example, SYSDBA, CONNECT, RESOURCE.

✓ We can grant privileges which wish all users to have to user PUBLIC

✓ We have the principle of least privileges that encourages granting of minimum privileges
to users as much as possible.

✓ Give users only privileges they need to perform their tasks.

User Security - Auditing
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
User Security – Auditing
✓ We‍focus‍on‍keeping‍track‍of‍all‍user‍actions‍as‍they‍are‍using‍the‍database.

✓ We‍enable‍auditing‍by‍use‍of‍AUDIT‍keyword‍and‍disable‍it‍by‍use‍of‍NOAUDIT.

✓ There‍are‍types‍of‍auditing‍we‍can‍use‍i.e.‍object‍auditing,‍privilege‍auditing‍and‍
statement‍auditing.‍

✓ We‍can‍audit‍all‍user‍actions‍specified,‍audit‍only‍successful‍actions‍using‍WHENEVER‍
SUCCESSFUL‍or‍audit‍only‍unsuccessful‍actions‍using‍WHENEVER‍NOT‍SUCCESSFUL.

✓ Object‍auditing‍focuses‍on‍tracking‍SQL‍statements‍that‍use‍object‍privileges‍e.g.‍
UPDATE,‍INSERT,‍etc.‍This‍auditing‍can‍be‍enabled‍or‍disabled‍for‍all‍users.
User Security – Auditing
✓ Privilege‍auditing‍focuses‍on‍tracking‍SQL‍statements‍that‍use‍system‍privileges‍e.g.‍CREATE‍
TABLE,‍CREATE‍USER‍etc.

✓ Privilege‍auditing‍can‍be‍done‍on‍specific‍individuals‍rather‍than‍all‍users.‍

✓ Statement‍auditing‍focuses‍on‍monitoring‍use‍of‍specific‍SQL‍statements.‍

✓ Oracle‍groups‍different‍SQL‍statements‍into‍one‍e.g.‍TABLE‍for‍CREATE‍TABLE,‍ALTER‍TABLE,‍
TRUNCATE‍TABLE,‍USER‍for‍CREATE‍USER,‍ALTER‍USER,‍DROP‍USER,‍etc.‍

✓ We‍use‍the‍word‍grouping‍to‍foster‍auditing.‍For‍example,‍AUDIT‍TABLE.

✓ Audit‍trails‍are‍always‍kept‍in‍operating‍system‍or‍database.‍You‍need‍to‍first‍configure‍the‍
audit‍trail‍parameter‍before‍starting‍the‍auditing.‍
Database Backup
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
Database Backup
✓ Backup‍simply‍looks‍at‍making‍copies‍of‍the‍database‍files‍such‍that‍in‍case‍of‍any‍
failure,‍we‍easily‍get‍back‍to‍normal.

✓ There‍are‍several‍reasons‍as‍to‍why‍we‍should‍always‍perform‍database‍backup.

✓ We‍have‍backup‍strategies‍i.e.‍whole‍(all‍data‍files‍and‍1‍control‍file‍are‍backed‍up)‍and‍
partial‍backup‍(some‍data‍files‍are‍backed‍up‍and‍control‍file‍backup‍is‍optional).‍

✓ We‍also‍have‍backup‍types‍i.e.‍full‍(all‍data‍on‍data‍files‍is‍backed‍up)‍and‍incremental‍
backup‍(only‍changed‍data‍blocks‍are‍backed‍up).‍

✓ You‍can‍backup‍the‍database‍when‍it‍is‍available‍to‍users‍(hot‍backup)‍or‍when‍it‍is‍not‍
available‍(cold‍backup).‍This‍is‍referred‍to‍as‍backup‍modes.‍
Database Backup – Recovery Components
✓ These‍help‍us‍in‍the‍backup‍and‍recovery‍operations.‍They‍include‍the‍following.

✓ Control‍file

✓ Redo‍log‍files

✓ Archived‍redo‍log‍files

✓ Checkpoint

✓ Flash‍Recovery‍Area

✓ We‍can‍use‍the‍RMAN‍tools‍to‍help‍in‍database‍backup.

✓ We‍first‍put‍the‍database‍in‍archivelog mode‍i.e.‍enable‍archiving‍process.
Database Recovery
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com
Database Recovery – Database Failures
✓ Instance failure – happens when the SCN in the data file headers is not matching the one
in the control file.

✓ Statement failure – comes as a result of a failure of a SQL statement.

✓ User process failure – happens when there is an abrupt disconnection of the user process
from the instance.

✓ Network failure – emanates from failure of a network component or infrastructure e.g.

server, network card.

✓ User error – happens when there is deliberate or unintentional actions on data e.g.
Delete data, modifying data, etc.
Database Recovery – Database Failures
✓ User‍error‍– happens‍when‍there‍is‍deliberate‍or‍unintentional‍actions‍on‍data‍e.g.‍‍
Delete‍data,‍modifying‍data,‍etc.‍Flashback‍queries‍and‍flashback‍tables‍can‍help.

✓ Media‍failure‍– happens‍when‍there‍is‍a‍loss‍of‍one‍of‍the‍database‍files‍i.e.‍data‍file,‍
control‍file‍and‍redo‍log‍file.‍The‍RMAN‍can‍help‍us‍in‍recovering‍data‍here.‍
Thank You!
ORACLE DATABASE ESSENTIALS – MUTEBI BASHIR

www.bmutebi.com