RE: Defrag tool on the Oracle database server

From: Niall Litchfield <n-litchfield_at_audit-commission.gov.uk>
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2004 08:58:39 +0000
Message-Id: <s0289d55.090@bristol21.bristol.ac>

Comments inline

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tim_at_sagelogix.com=20
> Sent: 09 February 2004 14:44
> To: oracle-l_at_freelists.org; tim_at_sagelogix.com
> Subject: Re: Defrag tool on the Oracle database server

>=20
>=20

> So, to repeat my original question: is there something about NTFS (or
> whatever file-system Windows is using) that is susceptible to=20
> this problem?

Yes, NTFS is most definitely susceptible to fragmentation - in the sense th=
at a single datafile may get split into multiple pieces all over the shop. =
If you have an NT based laptop take a look at the disk using the disk defra=
gmenter in administrative tools (you can just run an analyze and not actual=

ly do any defragmenting).=20

OTOH It is definitely worth measuring what performance degradation file sys=
tem fragmentation might be having on your Oracle system. I'd be amazed if i=
t were significant on any server (though there is bound to be a counter exa=
mple). What is likely to cause significant fragmentation is placing loads o=
f other (especially volatile) files on the same volume, in such cases I'd e=
xpect the competing IO to be far worse for the system than the fact that th=
e disk head might have to move a few times extra when doing a scan of a dat=

afile.=20

I'd definitely not buy a product when there is a perfectly adequate tool in= the OS anyway.=20

> I've always considered "fragmentation" to be one of those=20
> joke responses to
> management queries. "Uh yeah, we're badly fragmented and the=20
> databits are
> not multiplexing properly through the parity groobfluffer"...

If only such responses were a joke...=20

Niall Litchfield
Oracle DBA
Audit Commission
+44 117 975 7805=20

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Received on Tue Feb 10 2004 - 02:58:39 CST