Exploring the Oracle Database Architecture

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Objectives
After completing this lesson, you should be able to: List the major architectural components of Oracle Database Explain the memory structures Describe the background processes Correlate the logical and physical storage structures

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Oracle Database
The Oracle relational database management system (RDBMS) provides an open, comprehensive, integrated approach to information management

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Connecting to a Server

Client

Middle tier

Server

Multitier architecture shown

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Oracle Database Architecture: Overview

Instance
SMON PMON RECO Others

SGA

Shared pool Library cache Data dictionary cache

LGWR ARCn

Database buffer cache PGA Server process

DBWn

Redo log buffer

CKPT

User process Data files

Control files Database

Online redo log files

Archived log files

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Connecting to the Database

Connection: Communication between a user process and an instance Session: Specific connection of a user to an instance through a user process

User

SQL> Select

User process

Server process

Session

Connection Session

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Interacting with an Oracle Database

Instance
User process Server process

SGA

Shared pool Library cache Data dictionary cache

ARCn RECO Others

Database buffer cache

Redo log buffer

DBWn CKPT

LGWR SMON PMON

User

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Oracle Database Server Structures

Memory structures
Instance SGA Shared pool Library cache Data dictionary cache
ARCn RECO Others

User process

Server process

Database buffer cache

Redo log buffer

Processes

DBWn

CKPT

LGWR

SMON

PMON

Database

Storage structures

Data files

Control files

Online redo log files

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Database Buffer Cache

Is part of the SGA Holds copies of data blocks that are read from data files Is shared by all concurrent users

Instance
SGA Shared pool Library cache Data dictionary cache
ARCn RECO Others

Database buffer cache

Redo log buffer

DBWn

CKPT

LGWR SMON

PMON

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Shared Pool
Is a portion of the SGA Contains:
Library cache

Shared SQL area

Data dictionary cache Control structures

Instance SGA Shared pool Library cache Data dictionary cache
RECO Others

Shared SQL area

Data dictionary cache

Database buffer cache

Redo log buffer

Library cache

Other

DBWn

CKPT

LGWR

SMON

PMON ARCn

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Database Writer Process (DBWn)

Writes modified (dirty) buffers in the database buffer cache to disk: Asynchronously while performing other processing Periodically to advance the checkpoint

DBWn Database buffer cache Database writer process Data files

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LogWriter Process (LGWR)

Writes the redo log buffer to a redo log file on disk Writes:
When a user process commits a transaction When the redo log buffer is one-third full Before a DBWn process writes modified buffers to disk

LGWR Redo log buffer LogWriter process Redo log files

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Checkpoint Process (CKPT)

Records checkpoint information in
Control file Each data file header

CKPT
Checkpoint process

Control file

Data files

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System Monitor Process (SMON)

Performs recovery at instance startup Cleans up unused temporary segments

SMON
System Monitor process

Instance

Temporary segment

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Process Monitor Process (PMON)

Performs process recovery when a user process fails
Cleans up the database buffer cache Frees resources that are used by the user process

Monitors sessions for idle session timeout Dynamically registers database services with listeners

PMON
Process Monitor process

User
Failed user process Database buffer cache

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Archiver Processes (ARCn)

Copy redo log files to a designated storage device after a log switch has occurred Can collect transaction redo data and transmit that data to standby destinations

ARCn

Archiver process

Copies of redo log files

Archive destination

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Other Processes
MMON: Performs manageability-related background tasks MMNL: Performs frequent and lightweight manageability-related tasks MMAN: Performs automatic memory management tasks CJQ0: Runs user jobs used in batch processing QMNx: Monitors the Streams Advanced Queuing message queues

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Database Storage Architecture

DB structures - Memory - Process Storage

Control files

Data files

Online redo log files

Parameter file

Backup files

Archived redo log files

Password file
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Alert log and trace files

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Logical and Physical Database Structures

Logical Database Physical

Schema

Tablespace

Data file

Segment

Extent

Oracle data block

OS block

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Tablespaces and Data Files

Tablespaces consist of one or more data files. Data files belong to only one tablespace.

Data file 1

Data file 2

USERS tablespace

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SYSTEM and SYSAUX Tablespaces

The SYSTEM and SYSAUX tablespaces are mandatory tablespaces that are created at the time of database creation. They must be online. The SYSTEM tablespace is used for core functionality (for example, data dictionary tables). The auxiliary SYSAUX tablespace is used for additional database components (such as the Enterprise Manager Repository).

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Segments, Extents, and Blocks

Segments exist in a tablespace. Segments are collections of extents. Extents are collections of data blocks. Data blocks are mapped to disk blocks.

Segment

Extents

Data blocks

Disk blocks

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Database Architecture: Summary of Structural Components

Memory structures:
System Global Area (SGA): Database buffer cache, redo buffer, and various pools Program Global Area (PGA)

Process structures:
User process and server process Background processes: SMON, PMON, DBWn, CKPT, LGWR, ARCn, and so on

Storage structures:
Logical: Database, schema, tablespace, segment, extent, and Oracle block Physical: Data files, control files, and redo log files

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Copyright 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Summary
In this lesson, you should have learned how to: List the major architectural components of Oracle Database Explain the memory structures Describe the background processes Correlate the logical and physical storage structures

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Copyright 2007, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Practice 1: Overview
This is a paper practice with questions about: Database architecture Memory Processes File structures

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