1) How can you see the Current SCN number of the database?

> Select current_scn from v$database;

2) How can you see the Current log sequence number the logwriter is writing in to?
> Select * from v$log;

3) If you are given a database, how will you know how many datafiles each
tablespace contain?
> Select distinct tablespace_name,file_name from dba_data_files;

4). How will you know which temporaray tablepsace is allocated to which user?
> Select temporary_tablespace from dba_users where username=SCOTT;

5) If you are given a database,how will you know whether it is locally managed or
dictionary managed?
> Select extent_management from dba_tablespaces where tablespace_name=USERS;
6) How will you list all the tablespaces and their status in a database?
> Select tablespace_name,status from dba_tablespaces;

7) How will you find the system wide 1) default permanent tablespace, 2) default
temporary tablespace 3) Database time zone?
> Select property_name,property_value from database_properties where property_name
like %DEFAULT%;

8) How will you find the current users who are using temporary tablespace segments?
> V$TEMPSEG_USAGE

9) How will you convert an existing dictionary managed permanent tablespace to

temporary tablespace?
> Not possible

10) Is media recovery requird if a tablespace is taken offline immediate?

> Not required

11) How will you convert dictionary managed tablespace to locally managed
tablespace?
> Exec dbms_space_admin.tablespace_migrate_to_local(TABLESPACE_NAME);

12) If you have given command to make a tablespace offline normal, but its not
happening.it is in transactional read-only mode. How will you find which are the
transactions which are preventing theconversion?
> By looking at queries using by those SID (u can get script from net). I suspect
question is not clear.

13) If you drop a tablespace containing 4 datafiles, how many datafiles will be
droped at a time by giving a single drop tablespace command?

> All datafiles

14) If database is not in OMF,How will you drop all the datafiles of a tablespace
without dropping the tablespace itself?
> Alter database datafile PATH offline drop;

15) How will you convert the locally managed tablespace to dictionay managed?What
are the limitations?
> Exec dbms_space_admin.tablespace_migrate_from_local(TABLESPACE_NAME);
SYSTEM tablespace should be dictionary

16) Which parameter defines the max number of datafile in database?

> Db_files and MAXDATAFILES in control file

17) Can a single datafile be allocated to two tablespaces?Why?

> No. because segments cannot space multiple datafiles

18) How will you check if a datafile is Autoextinsible?

> Select autoextensible from dba_data_files where file_name=;

19) Write command to make all datafiles of a tablespace offline without making the
tablspace offline itself?
> Alter database datafile PATH offline normal;

20) In 10g, How to allocate more than one temporary tablespace as default temporary
tablespace to a single user?
> By using temporary tablespace group

21) What is the relation between db_files and maxdatafiles parameters?

> Both will restrict no of datafiles in the database

22) Is it possible to make tempfiles as read only?

> yes

23) What is the common column between dba_tablespaces and dba_datafiles?

> Tablespace_name

24) Write a query to display the names of all dynamic performance views?
> Select table_name from dictionary where table_name like v$%;

25) Name the script that needs to be executed to create the data dictionary views
after database creation?
> Catalog.sql

26) Grant to the user SCOTT the RESTRICTED SESSION privilege?

SQL> grant restricted session to scott;
Grant succeeded.

27) How are privileged users being authenticated on the database you are currently
working on? Which initialization parameter would give me this information?
> Question not clear

28) Which dynamic performance view gives you information about all privileged users
who have been granted sysdba or sysoper roles? Query the view?
SQL> desc v$pwfile_users

29) What is the purpose of the DICTIONARY table?

> To know data dictionary and dynamic performance view names

30) Write a query to display the file# and the status of all datafiles that are
offline?
> Select file#,status from v$datafile where status=OFFLINE;

31) Write the statement to display the size of the System Global Area (SGA)?
> Show parameter sga
Or
> Show sga
32) Obtain the information about the current database? What is its name and
creation date?
> Select name,created from v$database;

33) What is the size of the database buffer cache? Which two initialization
Parameters are used to determine this value?

> Db_cache_size or db_block_buffers

34) What value should the REMOTE_LOGIN_PASSWORDFILE take if you need to set up
Operating System authentication?
> exclusive

35) Which initialization parameter holds this value? What does the shared pool
comprise of?
> Library cache and data dictionary cache.
> Parameter : shared_pool_size

36) Which initialization parameter holds the name of the database?

> Db_name

37) Which dynamic performance view displays information about the active
transactions in the database? Which view returns session related information?
> V$transaction, v$session

38) Which dynamic performance view is useful for killing user sessions? Which
columns of the view will you require to kill a user session? Write the statement to
kill any of the currently active sessions in your database?
> V$session (SID, SERAIL#)
> Alter system kill session SID,SERIAL#;

39) What is the difference between the ALTER SYSTEM and ALTER SESSION commands?
> Changes performed using ALTER SYSTEM are either permanent for the memory or
database. But for ALTER SESSION, its only for that session

40) Write down the mandatory steps that a DBA would need to perform before the
CREATE DATABASE command may be used to create a database?
> Create a pfile or spfile
> Create password file
> If windows, create instance using ORADIM utility

41) What does the script utlexcpt.sql create? What is this table used for?

> It will create EXECEPTIONS table. See below link

42) In which Oracle subdirectory are all the SQL scripts such as catalog.sql/
catproc.sql /utlexcpt.sql etc? Located?
> $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/admin/

43) Which dynamic performance view would you use to display the OPTIMAL size of the
rollback segment RBS2. Write a query to retrieve the OPTIMAL size and Rollback
segment name?
> V$undostat (but many scripts are available in google or even in my blog)
44) During a long-running transaction, you receive an error message indicating you
have insufficient space in rollback segment RO4. Which storage parameter would you
modify to solve this problem?
> Extent size

45) How would I start the database if only users with the RESTRICTED SESSION
privilege need to access it?
> Startup restrict

46) Which data dictionary view would you query to find out information about free
extents in your database? Write a query to display a count of the number of free
extents in your database?
> We can use scripts. Exactly its difficult to know

47) Write a query to display the tablespace name, datafile name and type of extent
management (local or dictionary) from the data dictionary?
> You need to combine dba_data_files and dba_tablespaces

48) Which two types of tablespace cannot be taken offline or dropped?

> SYSTEM and UNDO

49) When a tablespace is offline can it be made read only? Perform the
Required steps to confirm your answer?
> Didnt got the answer

50) Which parameter specifies the percentage of space in each data block that is
reserved for future updates?
> PCTFREE
51) write down two reasons why automatic extent allocation for an extent may fail?
> If the disk space reached max limit
> If autoextend reached maxsize limit

52) Query the DBA_CONSTRAINTS view and display the names of all the constraints
that are created on the CUSTOMER table?
> Select constraint_name from dba_constraints where table_name=CUSTOMER;

53) Write a command to display the names of all BITMAP indexes created in the
database?
> Select index_name from dba_indexes where index_type=BITMAP;

54) Write a command to coalesce the extents of any index of your choice?
> Alter tablespace <tablespace_name> coalesce;
> Dont know for extents

55) . What happens to a row that is bigger than a single block? What is this
called? Which data dictionary view can be queried to obtain information about such
blocks?
> Row will be chained into multiple blocks. CHAINED_ROWS is the view

56) Write a query to retrieve the employee number and ROWIDs of all rows that
belong to the EMP table belonging to user SCOTT?
> Select rowid,empno from scott.emp;

57) During a long-running transaction, you receive an error message indicating you
have insufficient space in rollback segment RO4. Which storage parameter would you
modify to solve this problem?
> Repeated question

58) How to compile a view? How to compile a table?

> Alter view <view_name> compile;
> Tables cannot be compiled

59) What is the block size of your database and how do you see it?
> Db_block_size
60) At one time you lost parameter file accidentally and you dont have any backup.
How you will recreate a new parameter file with the parameters set to previous
values.?
> We can recover it from alert log file which contains non-default values

61) You want to retain only last 3 backups of datafiles. How do you go for it in
RMAN?
> By configuring backup retention policy to redundancy 3
61. What is the use of root.sh & oraInstRoot.sh?
Ans:
Changes ownership & permissions of oraInventory
Creating oratab file in the /etc directory
In RAC, starts the clusterware stack

62. What is transportable tablespace (and across platforms)?

63. How can you transport tablespaces across platforms with different endian
formats?
Ans:
RMAN

64. What is xtss (cross platform transportable tablespace)?

65. What is the difference between restore point & guaranteed restore point?

66. What is the difference between 10g/11g OEM Grid control and 12c Cloud control?

67. What are the components of Grid control?

Ans:
OMS (Oracle Management Server)
OMR (Oracle Management Repository)
OEM Agent

68. What are the new features of 12c Cloud control?

69. How to find if your Oracle database is 32 bit or 64 bit?

Ans:
execute the command file $ORACLE_HOME/bin/oracle, you should see output like
/u01/db/bin/oracle: ELF 64-bit MSB executable SPARCV9 Version 1

means you are on 64 bit oracle.

If your oracle is 32 bit you should see output like below

oracle: ELF 32-bit MSB executable SPARC Version 1

70. How to find opatch Version ?

Ans:
opatch is utility to apply database patch, In order to find opatch version
execute$ORACLE_HOME/OPatch/opatch version

Oracle DBA Interview Questions/FAQs Part3

September 12, 2013 by oracle Posted in Database Administration (DBA), Oracle,
Oracle DBA Questions. Tagged in oracle, oracle dba int, ORACLE DBA Interview
questions, oracle interview questions. Shortlink. 0 Comments.

41. What are materialized view refresh types and which is default?
Complete, fast, force(default)

42. How fast refresh happens?

43. How to find out when was a materialized view refreshed?
Query dba_mviews or dba_mview_analysis or dba_mview_refresh_times
SQL> select MVIEW_NAME, to_char(LAST_REFRESH_DATE,YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS) from
dba_mviews;
(or)
SQL> select NAME, to_char(LAST_REFRESH,YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS) from
dba_mview_refresh_times;
(or)
SQL> select MVIEW_NAME, to_char(LAST_REFRESH_DATE,YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS) from
dba_mview_analysis;

44. What is materialized view log (type)?

45. What is atomic refresh in mviews?

From Oracle 10g, complete refresh of single materialized view can do delete instead
of truncate. To force the refresh to do truncate instead of delete, parameter
ATOMIC_REFRESH must be set to false.

ATOMIC_REFRESH = FALSE, mview will be truncated and whole data will be inserted.
The refresh will go faster, and no undo will be generated.
ATOMIC_REFRESH = TRUE (default), mview will be deleted and whole data will be
inserted. Undo will be generated. We will have access at all times even while it is
being refreshed.

SQL> EXEC DBMS_MVIEW.REFRESH(mv_emp, C, atomic_refresh=FALSE);

46. How to find out whether database/tablespace/datafile is in backup mode or not?

Query V$BACKUP view.

47. What is row chaining?

If the row is too large to fit into an empty data block in this case the oracle
stores the data for the row in a chain of one or more data blocks. Can occur when
the row is inserted.

48. What is row migration?

An update statement increases the amount of data in a row so that the row no longer
fits in its data blocks. Now the oracle tries to find another free block with
enough space to hold the entire row if such a block is available oracle moves
entire row to new block.

49. What are different types of partitions?

With Oracle8, Range partitioning (on single column) was introduced.
With Oracle8i, Hash and Composite(Range-Hash) partitioning was introduced.
With Oracle9i, List partitioning and Composite(Range-List) partitioning was
introduced.
With Oracle 11g, Interval partitioning, REFerence partitioning, Virtual column
based partitioning, System partitioning and Composite partitioning [Range-Range,
List-List, List-Range, List-Hash, Interval-Range, Interval-List, Interval-Interval]
was introduced.

50. What is local partitioned index and global partitioned index?

A local index is an index on a partitioned table which is partitioned in the exact
same manner as the underlying partitioned table. Each partition of a local index
corresponds to one and only one partition of the underlying table.
A global partitioned index is an index on a partitioned or non partitioned tables
which are partitioned using a different partitioning key from the table and can
have different number of partitions. Global partitioned indexes can only be
partitioned using range partitioning.
51. How you will recover if you lost one/all control file(s)?

52. Why more archivelogs are generated, when database is begin backup mode?
During begin backup mode datafile headers get freezed and as result row information
cannot be retrieved as a result the entire block is copied to redo logs as a result
more redo generated and more log switch and in turn more archive logs. Normally
only deltas (change vectors) are logged to the redo logs. When in backup mode,
Oracle will write complete changed blocks to the redo log files.

Mainly to overcome fractured blocks. Most of the cases Oracle block size is equal
to or a multiple of the operating system block size.

e.g. Consider Oracle blocksize is 2k and OSBlocksize is 4k. so each OS Block is

comprised of 2 Oracle Blocks. Now you are doing an update when your db is in backup
mode. An Oracle Block is updating and at the same time backup is happening on the
OS block which is having this particular DB block. Backup will not be consistent
since the one part of the block is being updated and at the same time it is copied
to the backup location. In this case we will have a fractured block, so as to avoid
this Oracle will copy the whole OS block to redo logfile which can be used for
recovery. Because of this redo generation is more.

53. What UNIX parameters you will set while Oracle installation?
shmmax, shmmni, shmall, sem,

54. What is the use of inittrans and maxtrans in table definition?

55. What are differences between dbms_job and dbms_schedular?

Through dbms_schedular we can schedule OS level jobs also.

56. What are differences between dbms_schedular and cron jobs?

Through dbms_schedular we can schedule database jobs, through cron we cant set.

57. Difference between CPU & PSU patches?

CPU Critical Patch Update includes only Security related patches.
PSU Patch Set Update includes CPU + other patches deemed important enough to be
released prior to a minor (or major) version release.

58. What you will do if (local) inventory corrupted [or] opatch lsinventory is
giving error?

59. What are the entries/location of oraInst.loc?

/etc/oraInst.loc is pointer to central/local Oracle Inventory.

60. What is the difference between central/global inventory and local inventory?
21. What is a datafile?
Every Oracle database has one or more physical datafiles. Datafiles contain all the
database data. The data of logical database structures such as tables and indexes
is physically stored in the datafiles allocated for a database.

22. What are the contents of control file?

Database name, SCN, LSN, datafile locations, redolog locations, archive mode, DB
Creation Time, RMAN Backup & Recovery Details, Flashback mode.

23. What is the use of redo log files?

24. What are the uses of undo tablespace or redo segments?

25. How undo tablespace can guarantee retain of required undo data?
Alter tablespace undo_ts retention guarantee;

26. What is ORA-01555 snapshot too old error and how do you avoid it?

27. What is the use/size of temporary tablespace?

28. What is the use of password file?

29. How to create password file?

$ orapwd file=orapwSID password=sys_password force=y nosysdba=y

30. How many types of indexes are there?

Clustered and Non-Clustered

1.B-Tree index
2.Bitmap index
3.Unique index
4.Function based index

Implicit index and explicit index.

Explicit indexes are again of many types like simple index, unique index, Bitmap
index, Functional index, Organisational index, cluster index.

31. What is bitmap index & when itll be used?

Bitmap indexes are preferred in Data warehousing environment.
Preferred when cardinality is low.

32. What is B-tree index & when itll be used?

B-tree indexes are preferred in OLTP environment.
Preferred when cardinality is high.

33. How you will find out fragmentation of index?

AUTO_SPACE_ADVISOR_JOB will run in daily maintenance window and report fragmented
indexes/Tables.

analyze index validate structure;

This populates the table index_stats. It should be noted that this table contains
only one row and therefore only one index can be analysed at a time.

An index should be considered for rebuilding under any of the following conditions:
* The percentage of deleted rows exceeds 30% of the total, i.e. if del_lf_rows /
lf_rows > 0.3.
* If the HEIGHT is greater than 4.
* If the number of rows in the index (LF_ROWS) is significantly smaller than
LF_BLKS this can indicate a large number of deletes, indicating that the index
should be rebuilt.

34. What is the difference between delete and truncate?

Truncate will release the space. Delete wont.
Delete can be used to delete some records. Truncate cant.
Delete can be rollbacked.
Delete will generate undo (Delete command will log the data changes in the log file
where as the truncate will simply remove the data without it. Hence data removed by
Delete command can be rolled back but not the data removed by TRUNCATE).
Truncate is a DDL statement whereas DELETE is a DML statement.
Truncate is faster than delete.

35. Whats the difference between a primary key and a unique key?
Both primary key and unique enforce uniqueness of the column on which they are
defined. But by default primary key creates a clustered index on the column, where
unique key creates a nonclustered index by default. Primary key doesnt allow
NULLs, but unique key allows one NULL only.

36. What is the difference between schema and user?

Schema is collection of users objects.

37. What is the difference between SYSDBA, SYSOPER and SYSASM?

SYSOPER cant create and drop database.
SYSOPER cant do incomplete recovery.
SYSOPER cant change character set.
SYSOPER cant CREATE DISKGROUP, ADD/DROP/RESIZE DISK

SYSASM can do anything SYSDBA can do.

38. What is the difference between SYS and SYSTEM?

SYSTEM cant shutdown the database.
SYSTEM cant create another SYSTEM, but SYS can create another SYS or SYSTEM.

39. How to improve sqlldr (SQL*Loader) performance?

40. What is the difference between view and materialized view?

View is logical, will store only the query, and will always gets latest data.
Mview is physical, will store the data, and may not get latest data.
1. What is an instance?
SGA + background processes.

2. What is SGA?
System/Shared Global Area.

3. What is PGA (or) what is pga_aggregate_target?

Programmable Global Area.

4. What are new memory parameters in Oracle 10g?

SGA_TARGET
PGA_TARGET

5. What are new memory parameters in Oracle 11g?

MEMORY_TARGET

6. What are the mandatory background processes?

DBWR LGWR SMON PMON CKPT RECO.

7. What are the optional background processes?

ARCH, MMAN, MMNL, MMON, CTWR, ASMB, RBAL, ARBx etc.

8. What are the new background processes in Oracle 10g?

MMAN MMON MMNL CTWR ASMB RBAL ARBx

10. What are the new features in Oracle 10g?

11. What are the new features in Oracle 11g?

12. What are the new features in Oracle 11g R2?

13. What are the new features in Oracle 12c?

14. What process will get data from datafiles to DB cache?

Server process
15. What background process will writes data to datafiles?
DBWR

16. What background process will write undo data?

DBWR

17. What are physical components of Oracle database?

Oracle database is comprised of three types of files. One or more datafiles, two or
more redo log files, and one or more control files. Password file and parameter
file also come under physical components.

18. What are logical components of Oracle database?

Blocks, Extents, Segments, Tablespaces.

19. What is segment space management?

LMTS and DMTS.

20. What is extent management?

Auto and Manual.

21. What are the differences between LMTS and DMTS?

Tablespaces that record extent allocation in the dictionary are called dictionary
managed tablespaces, and tablespaces that record extent allocation in the
tablespace header are called locally managed tablespaces.