Overview of Oracle Database and its Architecture

Last updated on May 31 2022
Sankalp Joshi

Table of Contents

Overview of Oracle Database and its Architecture

One of the essential tasks of the Oracle Database is to store data. the subsequent section briefly describes the physical and logical storage structure of an Oracle Database.

Physical storage structures

The physical storage structures are simply files that store data. once you execute a CREATE DATABASE statement to make a replacement database, Oracle creates the subsequent files:

  • Data files: data files contain real data, e.g., sales order and customer data. the data of logical database structures like tables and indexes are physically stored within the data files.
  • Control files: every database features a control file that contains metadata. The metadata describes the body of the database including the database name and therefore the locations of knowledge files.
  • Online redo log files: every database has a web redo log that consists of two or more online redo log files. a web redo log is formed from redo entries that record all changes made to the data .

Besides these files, an Oracle database includes other important files like parameter files, network files, backup files, and archived redo log files for backup and recovery.

 

 

Logical Storage Structures

Oracle Database uses a logical storage structure for fine-grained control of disc space usage. the subsequent are logical storage structures in an Oracle Database:

  • Data blocks: a knowledge block corresponds to variety of bytes on the disk. Oracle stores data in data blocks. Data blocks also are mentioned as logical blocks, Oracle blocks or pages.
  • Extents: An extent may be a specific number of logically contiguous data blocks wont to store the actual sort of datarmation.
  • Segments: a segment may be a set of extents allocated for storing database objects, e.g., a table or an index.
  • Tablespaces: a database is split into logical storage units called tablespaces. A tablespace may be a logical container for a segment. Each tablespace consists of a minimum of one file .

The following picture illustrates segments, extents and data blocks within a tablespace:

 

And the next figure shows the connection between logical and physical storage structures:

 

 

Oracle Database Architecture

Database and Instance

An Oracle Database consists of a database and a minimum of one instance.

An instance, or database instance, is that the combination of memory and processes that are a neighborhood of a running installation and a database may be a set of files that store data.

The following picture illustrates the Oracle Database server architecture.

 

Sometimes, a database instance is mentioned as a whole running database. However, it’s important to know the distinctions between the 2 .

First, you’ll start a database instance without having it accessing any database files. this is often how you create a database, starting an instance first and creating the database from within the instance.

Second, an instance can access just one database at a time. once you start an instance, subsequent step is to mount that instance to a database. And an instance can mount just one database at one point in time.

Third, multiple database instances can access an equivalent database. during a clustering environment, many instances on several servers can access a central database to enable high availability and scalability.

Finally, a database can exist without an instance. However, it might be unusable because it’s just a group of files.

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What you will Learn in this Course?

Introduction to Oracle Database

  • What is the Oracle Database?
  • Pre-requisites for oracle database
  • Oracle database 12c installation
  • Multi-tenant architecture

Exploring the Oracle 12c Database Architecture

  • Explain the Memory Structures
  • Describe the Process Structures
  • Overview of Storage Structures

Preparing the Database Environment

  • Identify the tools for Administering an Oracle Database
  • Plan an Oracle Database Installation
  • Install the Oracle Software by using Oracle Universal Installer (OUI)
  • Create a Database by using the Database Configuration Assistant (DBCA)

Managing the Oracle Instance

  • Setting database initialization parameters
  • Describe the stages of database startup and shutdown

Database Storage Structures and Schema Objects

  • Managing Database Storage Structures
  • Overview of table space and data files
  • Overview of Primary Components
  • Identify the importance of checkpoints, redo log files, and archived log files
  • Configure ARHIVELOG mode

Database Startup & User Requests and Oracle Network Environment

  • Describe the stages of database startup and shutdown
  • Using alert log and trace files
  • Configure and Manage the Oracle Network
  • pFile and spFile
  • Tablespace Management
  • Storage and Relationship Structure

Oracle Backup & Recovery

  • Redo log File Management
  • Performing Database Recovery
  • Overview of Data Recovery Advisor
  • Use Data Recovery Advisor to Perform recovery (Control file, Redo log file and Data file)

Deep Dive into Oracle Recovery Manager (RMAN)

  • Using the RMAN Recovery Catalog
  • Identify situations that require RMAN recovery catalog
  • Create and configure a recovery catalog
  • Synchronize the recovery catalog
  • Create and Use RMAN stored scripts
  • Back up the recovery catalog
  • Create and use a virtual private catalog

Configuring Backup Specifications

  • Using RMAN to Create Backups
  • Create image file backups
  • Create a whole database backup
  • Enable fast incremental backup
  • Using RMAN to Perform Recovery
  • Perform complete recovery from a critical or noncritical data file loss using RMAN
  • Perform incomplete recovery using RMAN

Data Movement and Oracle Data Pump

  • Moving Data
  • Describe and use methods to use move data (Directory objects, SQL* Loader, External tables)
  • Explain the general architecture of Oracle Data Pump

Data Dictionary & Dynamic Performance Tables

  • Oracle Data Dictionary contains information related to database privileges
  • Data dictionary views
  • Media failure
  • Flashback CDB

Database Tuning

  • What is database tuning
  • How to tune the database
  • Tuning the data dictionary

 

 

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