ORACLE INTERVIEW QUESTION TIPS PART 4
Database Logical & Physical Architecture
64. What is Database Buffers?
Database buffers are cache in the SGA used to hold the data blocks that are read from the data segments in the database such as tables, indexes and clusters DB_BLOCK_BUFFERS parameter in INIT.ORA decides the size.
65. What is dictionary cache?
Dictionary cache is information about the database objects stored in a data dictionary table.
66. What is meant by recursive hints?
Number of times processes repeatedly query the dictionary table is called recursive hints. It is due to the data dictionary cache is too small. By increasing the SHARED_POOL_SIZE parameter we can optimize the size of data dictionary cache.
67. What is redo log buffer?
Changes made to the records are written to the on-line redo log files. So that they can be used in roll forward operations during database recoveries. Before writing them into the redo log files, they will first brought to redo log buffers in SGA and LGWR will write into files frequently. LOG_BUFFER parameter will decide the size.
68. How will you swap objects into a different table space for an existing database?
- Export the user
- Perform import using the command imp system/manager file=export.dmp indexfile=newrite.sql. This will create all definitions into newfile.sql.
- Drop necessary objects.
- Run the script newfile.sql after altering the tablespaces.
- Import from the backup for the necessary objects.
69. List the Optional Flexible Architecture (OFA) of Oracle database? How can we organize the tablespaces in Oracle database to have maximum performance?
SYSTEM - Data dictionary tables.
DATA - Standard operational tables.
DATA2- Static tables used for standard operations
INDEXES - Indexes for Standard operational tables.
INDEXES1 - Indexes of static tables used for standard operations.
TOOLS - Tools table.
TOOLS1 - Indexes for tools table.
RBS - Standard Operations Rollback Segments,
RBS1,RBS2 - Additional/Special Rollback segments.
TEMP - Temporary purpose tablespace
TEMP_USER - Temporary tablespace for users.
USERS - User tablespace.
70. How will you force database to use particular rollback segment?
SET TRANSACTION USE ROLLBACK SEGMENT rbs_name.
71. What is meant by free extent?
A free extent is a collection of continuous free blocks in tablespace. When a segment is dropped its extents are reallocated and are marked as free.
72.Which parameter in Storage clause will reduce number of rows per block?
PCTFREE parameter
Row size also reduces no of rows per block.
73. What is the significance of having storage clause?
We can plan the storage for a table as how much initial extents are required, how much can be extended next, how much % should leave free for managing row updating, etc.,
74. How does Space allocation table place within a block?
Each block contains entries as follows
Fixed block header
Variable block header
Row Header, row date (multiple rows may exists)
PCTEREE (% of free space for row updating in future)
75. What is the role of PCTFREE parameter is storage clause?
This is used to reserve certain amount of space in a block for expansion of rows.
76. What is the OPTIMAL parameter?
It is used to set the optimal length of a rollback segment.
77. What is the functionality of SYSTEM table space?
To manage the database level transactions such as modifications of the data dictionary table that record information about the free space usage.
78. How will you create multiple rollback segments in a database?
- Create a database, which implicitly creates a SYSTEM rollback segment in a SYSTEM tablespace.
- Create a second rollback segment name R0 in the SYSTEM tablespace.
- Make new rollback segment available (after shutdown, modify init.ora file and start database)
- Create other tablespaces (RBS) for rollback segments.
- Deactivate rollback segment R0 and activate the newly created rollback segments.
79. How the space utilization takes place within rollback segments?
It will try to fit the transaction in a cyclic fashion to all existing extents. Once it found an extent is in use then it forced to acquire a new extent (number of extents is based on the optimal size)
80. Why query fails sometimes?
Rollback segment dynamically extent to handle larger transactions entry loads.
A single transaction may wipeout all available free space in the rollback segment tablespace. This prevents other user using rollback segments
