Re: Database Maintenance Routines

Prescilla Nguyen wrote:

> I am coming over from the SQL Server side, and I am trying to put
> together a maintenance routine for my Oracle databases. Typically,
> for SQL Server this would consist of the following:
>
> 1) Database Backup (and transaction log backups)
> 2) Daily DBCCs:
> a) CHECKDB - Verifies integrity of databases and reports any
> corruption
> b) DBREINDEX - Rebuilds indexes
> 3) Verify space and size
>
> I can't find a lot about checking for corruption within Oracle (except
> for exp to dev/null and dbverify). Are these commonly used
> techniques? Any suggestions, documentation, or scripts would be
> appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Prescilla ;)

Oracle has a LARGE, even overwhelming, online documentation library which can be accessed through one of:

 http://docs.oracle.com
 http://otn.oracle.com >> Documentation pulldown (near bottom)
 htttp://tahiti.oracle.com

(I suggest you look at all 3. They are slightly different interfaces although they end up pointing at the same docco. Pick your favorite but be aware of the others.)

My favorite access for going to a specific set (say Oracle9i R2)

http://docs.oracle.com

--> click on the "Oracle9i Release 2 (9.2) link
--> click on "B10501-01 View Library" link
--> click on "List of Books" link

Pull up a couch and read

"Concepts"
"Administrator's Guide"
"Backup and Recovery Concepts"
"SQL Reference"

The first three are mandatory read/skim for each release for every competent DBA. (For a competent developer, the list becomes "Concepts", "Application Developer's Guide - Fundamentals", additional Developer's or Concepts Guides based on interest, "SQL Reference").

Since Oracle and SQL Server overload terminology, expect a lot of frustration from the different meanings of similar terms. For example, Oracle's "Schema" is roughly equivalent to SQL Server's "Database".

I've found O'Reilly's "Oracle Essentials" is a relatively painless way for SQL Server-experienced people to get a grasp on Oracle terminology. See http://oracle.oreilly.com

Tom Kyte's "Effective Oracle by Design" is written for developers but has a lot of advice for DBAs as well.

Also, Oracle has a GUI system management resource (included with the database, but often ignored) called Oracle Enterprise Manager. I highly recomend you get familiar with that as it can help automate a lot of your tasks.

Finally, I suggest you look at http://otn.oracle.com/obe for 'Oracle By Example' tutorials on how to do a lot of this stuff. And browse through the OTN site and look for the Flash-based demos.

/Hans Received on Wed Jun 30 2004 - 13:57:07 CDT