Re: Are these too harsh ?

On Mon, 25 Jun 2001 19:28:08 +0100, "Connor McDonald" <connor_mcdonald_at_yahoo.com> wrote:

>So I'm looking for impartial opinions - are the following questions too hard

Not at all, with a few exceptions I point out below.

However, some may be beyond the level of a middle of the road DBA, from what I've seen around. Not because they are hard but because they denote specific options/features/whatever that not all people are familiar with. I point them out too.

>- What is the standby database feature and how does it work?

Not everybody uses a standby environment. I'd expect the person to know a bit about this, but not be an "expert". If they know the principles, they can learn the details.

>- List the steps that Oracle goes through at database startup

This can be quite hard, as it varies a bit with each version of ORACLE.
>- What is the Oracle log buffer? Describe how Oracle uses latches as
>information is written into the log buffer

Another potentially hard one. Not all medium level DBAs are intimate with log buffer and its latches. Also tends to vary from version to version.

>- How do I allow end-user queries against a standby database without
>damaging its ability to act as a standby?

Again, specific to a feature that not everybody uses.

>- What are the significant features of "analytic functions" available from
>8.1.6 onwards ?

Same here.

>- You issue 'select count(*) from my_table;' and it takes a tremendously
>long time, but then return no rows. What could be causing this ?

This might be hard for a medium DBA.

>- Describe how and why a PL/SQL module could be defined as an autonomous
>transaction

Again a very specific area, not widely used.

Cheers
Nuno Souto
nsouto_at_bigpond.net.au.nospam
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/the_Den/index.html Received on Tue Jun 26 2001 - 07:52:27 CDT