Oracle-L: Re: Simple favor from the guru's

From: Rachel Carmichael <wisernet100_at_YAHOO.COM>
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 18:18:22 -0800
Message-ID: <F001.004B739E.20020815181822@fatcity.com>

Lord knows I am one of the first to disparage the validity of OCP as a measure of what a DBA should/does really know... however, this is the reply I received from a friend who is an instructor at Oracle University.

What they have learned, is NOT what they have been taught. The information this student provided is wrong and would be wrong an all versions of the ocp exam.

I have provided notes from chapter one of the Oracle 9i DBA Fundamentals I course notes.

Chapter 1 Page 3

Oracle Instance: An Oracle Instance is the combination of the background processes and memory structures. The instance must be started to access the data in the database. Every time an instance is started, a System Global Area (SGA) is allocated and Oracle background processes are started,. Background processes perform functions on behalf on invoking processes. They consolidate functions that would otherwise be handled by multiple Oracle programs running for each users. The background processes perform input/output and monitor other oracle processes to provide increased parallelism for better performance and reliability.

Chapter 1 Page 3

Oracle database: An Oracle Database consists of operating system files, also known as database files. They provide the actual physical storage for database information. The database files are used to ensure that the data is kept consistent and can be recovered in the event of a failure of the instance.

Chapter 1 Page 9

An Oracle database consist of three file types. Data files containing the actual data in the database, redo logs containing a record of changes made to the database to enable recovery of the data in case of instance failure, and control files containing information necessary to maintain and verify data integrity.

Immediately after the definition of a database above is the heading Other Key File Structures, beneath this heading it says

The oracle server also uses other files that are NOT part of the database:
- The parameter file that defines the characteristics of an Oracle Instance For example it contains parameters that size some of the memory structures of the SGA. - The password file that authenticates users privileged to

startup and shutdown an oracle instance (remotely) - Archived Redo log files are offline copies of the redo log files that may be necessary to recover from media failures.

Hope this helps clear up any confusion,

"Karniotis, Stephen" <Stephen_Karniotis_at_compuware.com> wrote:
> Everyone:
>
> I am looking to all of my esteemed peers and gurus to clarify
> something
> that I know is blatantly wrong. Here is the scenario. I have a
> co-worker
> that is preparing for the DBA OCP debacle. They have completed a
> significant portion of the training and are preparing to take the
> first set
> of exams.
>
> To see what they have learned, I asked them to define what
> comprises an
> Oracle Instance and what comprises an Oracle database. Here are the
> responses I got:
>
> An Oracle Instance
> The database instance contains storage areas that allow users to use
> the database, data dictionary, redo log buffers and various processes
> that
> help to maintain, tune and run the database
>
> An Oracle Database
> The Database files consist of the parameter file or init.ora file,
> the physical data files, the control file and the redo log files and
> archived log files if the database is run in archive log mode
>
> Now, we all know that an Oracle instance comprises the background
> processes, the memory processes, memory storage areas, the and
> INIT.ORA
> parameters whereas the database comprises the physical files, data
> dictionary, users, objects, etc.
>
> The problem I have is the education is being supplied by our
> favorite
> vendor, Oracle. Did I go on vacation too long or is Oracle
> professing
> incorrect information in the OCP. Can one of the people that has
> taken the
> exam the classes look this up in the manuals for me?
>
> This proves my theory of refusing to take this exam unless
> hogwhipped and
> tied down (Rachel, sit down please and thanks for volunteering). If
> bad
> information is being given, then what's the use of the exam?
>
> Thank You
>
> Stephen P. Karniotis
> Product Architect
> Compuware Corporation
> Direct: (248) 865-4350
> Mobile: (248) 408-2918
> Email: Stephen.Karniotis_at_Compuware.com
> Web: www.compuware.com
>
>
>
>
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> --
> Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
> --
> Author: Karniotis, Stephen
> INET: Stephen_Karniotis_at_compuware.com
>
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-- 
Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
-- 
Author: Rachel Carmichael
  INET: wisernet100_at_yahoo.com

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Received on Thu Aug 15 2002 - 21:18:22 CDT