Ramin Hossaini (blog)

Backing up an Oracle database without RMAN

2010-03-14T16:39:07Z

If you aren’t using RMAN for your backups (and are using something like Netapp’s snapshots, or the simple copy-command) (in Oracle 9i this can only be done when the Database is in mounted-mode, not opened), you can do this:

Note: Archivelog must be enabled for this to work.

ALTER DATABASE BEGIN BACKUP;

At this point, you can begin copying/taking snapshots. When you’re done:

ALTER DATABASE END BACKUP;

In older databases, you’ll have to use (run for every tablespace):

ALTER TABLESPACE tablespace_name BEGIN BACKUP;
ALTER TABLESPACE tablespace_name END BACKUP;

Quote from ‘Kafka on the Shore’ – Murakami

2010-03-11T14:11:11Z

I love how random Haruki Murakami gets:

"Are you really Colonel Sanders?"
Colonel Sanders cleared his throat. "Not really. I'm just taking on his appearance for a time."
"That's what I thought," Hoshino said. "So what are you really?"
"I don't have a name."
"How do you get along without one?"
"No problem. Basically I don't have a name or a shape"
"So you're kind of like a fart."
"You could say that."

No related posts.

Design Inspiration: Maryland Security Professionals

2010-03-10T22:11:55Z

http://www.marylandsecurity.net/

Enabling Trace

2010-03-09T13:45:06Z

The TRACE_ENABLED parameter allows you to trace the execution history of Oracle. It should be set to TRUE by default.

The information gathered is stored in the following locations:

#User:
/usr/oracle/admin/sid/udump
#Background:
/usr/oracle/admin/sid/bdump
#Core:
/usr/oracle/admin/sid/cdump

These locations could be different depending on what’s set in your PFILE.

Check if trace is enabled:

SHOW parameter trace_enabled;

Sample output:

SQL> show parameter trace_enabled;
 
NAME                      TYPE      VALUE
------------------------- --------  --------------
trace_enabled             BOOLEAN   TRUE

And if it isn’t enabled, enable it using:

ALTER SYSTEM SET trace_enabled = TRUE;

Note: Prior to version Oracle 9i, this parameter was: _trace_enabled

Starting, stopping, and Status of Oracle Enterprise Manager (EM)

2010-03-08T20:34:51Z

To start the Oracle Enterprise Manager Database Control (from the command-line):

emctl start dbconsole

To get the status:

emctl status dbconsole

To stop the dbconsole

emctl stop dbconsole

To access the EM (with default settings):

http://hostname:5500/em

Update statistics on all objects in a database

2010-02-20T18:12:46Z

This helps Oracle choose the best execution plan for queries:

BEGIN
dbms_stats.gather_database_stats(options=> 'GATHER AUTO');
END;
/

Turning Archive-log mode on and off

2010-02-16T19:10:40Z

You can check what mode the database is in with:

1	SELECT LOG_MODE FROM SYS.V$DATABASE;

If you do not specify an archive-log location, it will end up going to a directory like $ORACLE_HOME/dbs - which can be quite a mess.
Check where it's going:

1	SHOW PARAMETER log_archive_dest;

It would be good practice to set the location if it doesn’t show one.
To turn archive-log-mode on or off:

shutdown database:

1
2
3

SHUTDOWN IMMEDIATE
STARTUP RESTRICT
SHUTDOWN

Mount the database:

1	ALTER DATABASE MOUNT;

Then issue one of the following:

1 2	ALTER DATABASE NOARCHIVELOG; ALTER DATABASE ARCHIVELOG;

If the location hasn’t been set yet:

1	ALTER SYSTEM SET LOG_ARCHIVE_DEST = "/ARC_LOCATION";

Then open the database:

1	ALTER DATABASE OPEN;

There might also be archivelog related entries in your PFILE, which you should also make changes to.

Listing key Oracle Database files

2010-02-16T18:57:02Z

To get a list of all datafiles, redo-log files and control-files, run the following in SQL*Plus (database must be mounted):

1
2
3

SELECT MEMBER FROM V$LOGFILE;
SELECT NAME FROM V$DATAFILE;
SELECT VALUE FROM V$PARAMETER WHERE NAME = 'control_files';

An easier way of displaying your control-files is:

1	SHOW PARAMETER control_files;

Stop Wordpress from adding p and br tags

2010-01-09T18:43:04Z

Even without the visual-editor, Wordpress has a habit of adding <p> and <br/> tags

Add this to your templates/pages/whatever and it should take care of the problem.

<?php remove_filter('the_content', 'wpautop'); ?>

Create bevelled text

2009-12-09T16:41:30Z

I might be superfluous in my method here, but it works well for me