ISBN 0-9727513-4-3 ISBN 13 978-0972751346 Library of Congress Number: 2003105334 306 Pages - perfect bind 9x7 Publication Date - May 2003 Shelving Databases/Oracle Oracle In-Focus Series  # 5

Oracle Performance Troubleshooting with Dictionary Internals SQL & Tuning Scripts by Robin Schumacher  Retail Price $27.95 /  £17.95 Order now and get immediate online access to the code depot! Only $19.95 (30% off)          Key Features   About the Author Reader Comments Table of Contents   Errata           Get the Oracle Tuning Pack Six for $79.95 - A $150.00 value Oracle Performance Troubleshooting $27.95 Oracle Replication $27.95 Oracle Wait Event Tuning $27.95 Oracle Disk I/O Tuning $27.95 Oracle 10g DBA Reference Poster $8.95 Oracle Silver Bullets $27.95

If you're a DBA who's looking for real world Oracle tuning techniques, Oracle scripts, and advice on how to get to the heart of critical Oracle performance problems, then you've come to the right place. Written by one the world's most widely-read DBAs and Oracle internals experts, Robin Schumacher focuses his incredible knowledge of the Oracle data dictionary into a superb book that show how to quickly troubleshoot and correct Oracle performance problems. As a noted Oracle expert, Robin Schumacher has written the internals for some of the world's most powerful Oracle performance software and now he shows you how to use the most recent advancements in Oracle8i and 9i to make your Oracle database run as fast as possible.

* Provides a winning performance methodology for use in analyzing any Oracle database * Demonstrates how to properly use ratio-based and bottleneck analysis * Offers insight into how to design a fast-running database from the ground up * Supplies methods for making storage and reorganization problems a thing of the past * Presents new techniques for monitoring and optimizing memory usage * Shows how to quickly pinpoint and resolve I/O hotspots at the database, storage and object level * Presents improved methods for uncovering session-related bottlenecks * Provides new tips and techniques for locating and fixing problem SQL * Comes with online code depot with dozens of new performance and monitoring scripts

About the Author:

 

Robin Schumacher

Robin Schumacher serves as the Worldwide Director of Product Management for MySQL, the world's leading open-source database management system.  Robin has over fourteen years experience in database administration, development, monitoring, and tuning with Oracle, DB2, Teradata, Sybase, and Microsoft SQL Server.  He has authored countless performance-related articles for many database-centric magazines as well as serving as a database software reviewer and feature writer for the likes of Intelligent Enterprise, eWeek, DM Review, and others.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1: Accurately Measuring Performance What’s the right way to really measure the overall performance of a database and how is this accomplished when you have a large database farm to manage?  This chapter answers these questions and highlights the critical areas a DBA needs to stay focused on at all times.  Modeling Peak Efficiency Gauging Availability with v$ views Gauging Transaction Speed with v$sqlarea Availability Impact Speed Impact  Chapter 2: Correcting Foundational Flaws  Although some may disagree, most database gurus feel that laying the proper physical foundation for your database is the way to get the most performance bang for the buck. This chapter discusses the importance of proper physical design and helps DBAs diagnose physical design performance issues. The Impact of Solid Database Design with v$bh analysis The Number One Contributor to Database Performance The Link Between Design and Performance Tuning with materialized views Boosting Database Performance Through Design How to Pinpoint Database Design Errors with v$sql analysis   Chapter 3: Optimizing Storage Storage-related headaches are often the single biggest contributor to database downtime.  This chapter discusses the best ways to avoid storage problems through proactive planning and also provides fast diagnostic procedures that can be used to eliminate space problems before they reach critical mass. The Contribution of Storage to Performance with RAID Storage Design Considerations Smart Ways to Avoid Database Downtime Critical Storage Headaches to Avoid Removing Storage-related Performance Vampires   Chapter 4: Maximizing Oracle SGA Memory Throwing more memory at a database used to be an acceptable form of performance tuning, but such is not the case any longer.  This chapter shows how to use memory correctly and also provides techniques and scripts to troubleshoot memory-related performance problems the right way.     When Does Less Become More? New Performance-Boosting Memory Options How to Keep Data Where You Want It How to Keep Code Where You Want It Uncovering Memory Hogs

Chapter 5: Pinpointing I/O Hotspots How can a DBA quickly find the I/O bottlenecks in their database and then make them permanently go away?  This chapter outlines a bulletproof roadmap that any DBA can use to get a handle on their database I/O.   Starting with Global Basics Determining Global Object Access Patterns Examining Storage-Level Statistics Uncovering the Hot Database Objects Locating I/O Resource Hogs Miscellaneous I/O Considerations   Chapter 6: Eliminating Critical Bottlenecks A DBA needs to keep their database running effectively at all times, but sometimes this is easier said than done.  This chapter shows how to quickly find and eliminate critical bottlenecks in a database that may be causing painful slowdowns. Using Ratio-based Methods Using Wait-Event Methods Other Bottleneck Identification Techniques The Winning Solution   Chapter 7: Workload Analysis Part 1 - Uncovering Problem Sessions Left unchecked, a few rogue users in a database can make life miserable for everyone else.  This chapter provides all the right ammunition a DBA needs to ferret out these problem sessions so that their database is kept secure and running well at all times.  Uncovering Security Holes Finding Storage Hogs Locating Top Resource Sessions Pinpointing Sessions with Problem SQL   Chapter 8: Workload Analysis Part 2 - Identifying Problem SQL If it’s true that eighty-percent of a database’s performance is derived from the SQL code running within it, then a DBA has to know how to find and correct the problem SQL in their critical databases.  This chapter provides everything a DBA needs to quickly pinpoint the SQL code in their database that needs critical attention.     Locating the Top SQL Contributors Pinpointing Bad SQL New Techniques for Analyzing SQL Execution SQL Tuning Roadmap

Reader Comments:

Christopher Lawson - Noted Oracle expert and author of The Art & Science of Oracle Performance Tuning The purpose of this book by Robin Schumacher is to suggest and illustrate a robust, comprehensive performance tuning methodology. With this methodology in hand, the author then provide examples and scripts to show how this works in practice. Robin points out the importance of proactively monitoring a database, and modeling database performance. He shows the difference between two key ways to approach performance tuning: Ratio based versus Bottleneck Analysis. Each have their place, he shows. For instance, he notes that Ratios are good for getting a quick "bird's eye" view of the performance. He correctly cautions the reader, in the section entitled "The Dangers of Blanket Ratios," about overly simplistic reliance on simple ratios. I found the discussion of the V$Sql_Plan view especially helpful. I admit that I have not used this in my own performance troubleshooting. After reading this book, I see that I have really missed out on a powerful tactic! Robin shows how to use this view to best effect. He includes numerous scripts, which are available from the Rampant website (I successfully downloaded all the scripts without a hitch). For example, in the script "9iCartSql" Robin shows how easy it is to find completed queries that used Cartesian Products as part of the execution plan. He points out that this could be an indication of improper join syntax. In another script, he shows how to get a list of the exact SQL that caused scans of large tables. In another example, he introduces the new view V$Sql_Plan Statistics, and illustrates a way to obtain the exact statistics for each step in the execution plan for all SQL executed on the instance. Do you get the idea? A lot of good ideas, along with the exact scripts to use. All in all, an impressive volume to add to your DBA "Tool Kit." I found the discussions clear and to the point, and intend to use many of the the numerous, practical scripts provided with this book. As Mr. Schumacher points out in Chapter 1, "The IT consultants who make the really big money are the ones who can take a lethargic system and quickly turn it into one that runs as fast as greased lightning." Thank you, Robin, for heading us in the right direction! Donald K. Burleson - Oracle guru and author of 32 books I have always been an admirer of Robin Schumacher, and this book show his real talent for getting to the heart of any Oracle problem. This is a very practical book, with many novel code scripts, and a online code deport to save typing. His approach is very practical; and the scripts are ready-to-run and contain explanations so the output is understandable. Rob Young - Louisville Kentucky This is the perfect read for my DBA brethren who are confused by Oracle's built-in version specific, performance-related features. Robin Schumacher does an excellent job of boiling down where you could versus where you should concentrate your performance analysis efforts and then provides simple, practical alternatives and methods for diagnosing and correcting headaches familiar to most DBAs. Where many authors limit the scope of such topics to "down-in-the-database" mechanics, Schumacher explores how external factors, such as foundational design and infrastructure, need to be folded into the optimal application/database performance mix. A must read for anyone serious about managing and optimizing performance across all versions of Oracle! Matt Brody - Clearwater Florida This book makes finding those buried nuggets of Oracle's keys to performance optimization very fast and easy. I found the scripts to be an invaluable tool for learning by seeing and a great way to understand what's going on under the covers of the DB engine. It has fast become one of my most used reference books and I highly recommend it.  Murugu Manjurman - Great Book for troubleshooting I have always been a fan of Robin Schumacher, and I had to get this book. I was not disappointed. Unlike many of the self-proclaimed guru's, Robin makes all of the material clear and simple. I really liked the online code depot and the scripts ran right away.

The premier Oracle troubleshooting book.  Also covers access rules, buffer cache, hot buffer objects, Oracle security, storage performance, tablespace fragmentation,